Former Wycombe Wanderers man achieves promotion to the Premier League
Former Wycombe Wanderers man Luke O'Nien will be a Premier League player next season after he helped Sunderland win promotion out of the Championship.
The midfielder, who spent three years at Adams Park between 2015 and 2018, started in the 2-1 victory against Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium on May 24, but suffered a dislocated shoulder just eight minutes into the contest.
The Black Cats found themselves a goal down midway through the first-half thanks to Tyreece Campbell's brilliant finish, but Eliezer Mayenda's goal on 77 minutes and Tom Watson's strike deep into stoppage time secured the North East team's place in the top-flight for the first time since 2017.
Former Wycombe man Luke O'Nien will be a Premier League player next season. Released by Watford, learnt his trade at Adams Park and he has now built something special at Sunderland. Congrats @LukeONien! #Chairboys pic.twitter.com/0HD33URX8U
— James Richings (@James_BFP) May 24, 2025
For O'Nien, who has been coined Mr Sunderland in recent years, the win at Wembley will start a new chapter in his career, which seemed like a pipe dream 10 years ago.
Starting his career at Watford, the robust defensive midfielder played just one first-team game and had two successful separate loan spells at Non League Wealdstone, before being released by the Hornets in the summer of 2015 - the same year they won promotion to the Premier League.
A free transfer to League Two Wycombe followed, and under Gareth Ainsworth, O'Nien proved his capabilities as an EFL player.
He featured 119 times in all competitions, scored 16 goals and won promotion to League One in his final season.
When @LukeONien achieved his first promotion. Beyond delighted for him today! pic.twitter.com/o1ajK3qsua
— Matt Cecil (@mattcecil87) May 24, 2025
In 2018, a big-money move to Sunderland, who were now in the same league as Wanderers, followed after the club suffered back-to-back relegations, and in his first year in the North East, he suffered the pain of losing two Wembley finals.
These were against Portsmouth in the EFL Trophy final and Charlton Athletic in the play-offs, respectively.
Two seasons later in 2021, Sunderland once again reached the play-offs but lost in the semi-finals against Lincoln City, but they did win that year's EFL Trophy final against Tranmere Rovers, which O'Nien played in.
It was the first time he had been victorious at the home of English football.
Twelve months later, he won another Wembley final – this time against his former club Wycombe in the 2022 League One play-off showpiece, before his latest triumph under the arch against Sheffield United.
NEW: Luke O'Nien says he 'wouldn't swap anything' on a 'perfect' afternoon for Sunderland 🔴⚪️🏆 The defender was forced off in the opening minutes because of a dislocated shoulder, but was overjoyed that Sunderland are a Premier League club again 🆙#SAFC pic.twitter.com/usrYfp7CE6
— Daniel Wales (@danielwales023) May 24, 2025
The victory against the Blades means O'Nien has now achieved promotion from League Two to the Premier League.
Wycombe Wanderers
2018 League Two promotion winner
Sunderland
2019 EFL Trophy runner-up
2019 League One play-off runner-up
2021 EFL Trophy winner
2022 League One play-off winner
2025 Championship play-off winner
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