Two paths, one dream - how duo reached Premier League

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After years of hard work, Daniel Ballard and Trai Hume are set to become Premier League players in August. The Northern Ireland team-mates played a key role as Sunderland ended their six-year hiatus from the top flight with a dramatic Championship play-off win at Wembley. Playing in the Premier League is a life-long goal for both players, but both arrived at their current point through very different means. Defender Ballard came through the 'traditional' path, by working his way through Arsenal's academy. He didn't make a senior appearance for the Gunners but a number of loan spells brought him to the attention of Sunderland in 2022. Hume's path, on the other hand, meant he had to bide his time for a chance. When ambitions to move to England failed to come to fruition at the age of 16, he played in the Irish League in Northern Ireland with Linfield and Ballymena United, where the exposure to senior football at a young age certainly helped develop the combative player Sunderland fans have come to love. If supporters didn't know his name when he arrived for in January 2022, they certainly do now.
"My journey is probably a lot different to a lot of people," admitted Hume. "I missed out on going across the water at 16 years of age. I didn't get picked by a lot of clubs and was told I wasn't ready, and things like that."Hume said he "worked my socks off" to earn a move to England, and he's been on Sunderland's journey from League One to the Premier League."I like to think I deserve the opportunity that I've got," he added."When I first moved to Sunderland they gave me time to adapt and get ready, and when I was ready to play I had my chance and thankfully took it. Now I am where I am, and I want to keep on pushing."Ballard said "it's down to the individual a lot of the time" after he joined the academy at Arsenal as an eight-year-old."At Arsenal, from the outside it's probably the perfect way to be brought up," he added."But then a lot of players get lost in that system and Trai is a great example of coming through at a club that didn't have the same facilities, but it just shows that it comes down to the individual. "You have to put the work in yourself. No amount of facilities of coaches at that young age are going to turn you into a good player."
Hume 'loves the club' and 'happy where I'm at'
After impressing throughout Sunderland's campaign, Hume has been linked with a move away from the Stadium of Light, with Wolves, Everton and a number of European clubs reportedly looking at the 23-year-old. However, Hume is happy at Sunderland and if anything happens "it's from the club"."I've said it ever since I moved to Sunderland, I really love my football here," he admitted."I love playing. I love the club, I'm happy where I'm at and if anything happens it's from the club. "I love playing for Sunderland so I'm happy being there."That connection with the club and its supporters would only have been enhanced on a fairytale promotion run. Ballard scored a last-gasp header in the second leg of the semi-final against Coventry, which was the winning goal on aggregate and booked Sunderland's place at Wembley.
The celebrations could only be described as pandemonium as Ballard whipped off his shirt before being mobbed by his team-mates. "I think it was spur of the moment thing," he said with a smile. "As I kid I had dreamed of that celebration, but you can never really do it as a centre-back otherwise you'll get a booking. I think that was the one opportunity I could get as the game was done."You could feel it in the stadium as they were two really tough games against Coventry. I think it was relief more than anything and it was quite emotional to see the way the fans reacted."There was more joy to come as substitute Tom Watson scored an injury-time winner against Sheffield United as the Black Cats gained promotion in the most dramatic of circumstances. Ballard said that made his semi-final goal "even more special", and Hume added the drama made "it more emotional and more sweet"."We didn't dominate both games, we had to dig in and we had to stay strong as a team and stick together," added Hume."Personally, that's the way I like to win games. I like to do it together as a team and you have to work hard to earn that. "We worked as hard as we could, and to get those two late goals there was relief, joy and all the emotions you can think of really."