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New York Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Sunderland have been remodelled and revived – they have exceeded all expectations
Regis Le Bris is a quiet, understated figurehead but an hour and a half after guiding Sunderland to Premier League promotion he found the words to unwittingly capture the beauty of a journey that had ended at Wembley. 'To create this connection, this memory, for the fans and for us, we needed to live the tough moments,' said Sunderland's head coach. Advertisement Le Bris was talking about Tommy Watson's sumptuous 95th-minute winner to kill off Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final and the collective resilience of his young group that had set it all up. Yet Sunderland's really tough moments had not come here. Or even this season. They had come with a home defeat by Burton Albion that confirmed relegation to League One in 2018. And when losing to Lincoln City, Shrewsbury Town and Gillingham in the 2019-20 season to eventually record the club's lowest finish. There were also the humiliations — losing 5-1 at Rotherham United and 6-0 at Bolton Wanderers — and enough stumbles to see seven managers sacked in as many years. Sunderland fans have lived all those tough moments and more since falling out of the Premier League in 2017, but the club's return granted a collective catharsis. It was the hard yards travelled, sometimes on hands and knees, that made this so special. The semi-final win over Coventry City 11 days earlier had brought a volcanic explosion at the Stadium of Light but victory over Sheffield United felt more of an emotional release. There were tears of joy among the 40,000 at Wembley's western end and celebrations to mirror those of Crystal Palace seven days earlier in the FA Cup final. Sunderland had not waited as long for such a moment but they had suffered far more in recent times. Sunderland rode their luck, perhaps as they had over two legs against Coventry, but the connection between Le Bris, his players and supporters has grown undeniable. A team that finished 16th in the Championship last season has been carefully restructured into an accomplished unit. There is promise and potential but, when it has mattered most, a togetherness and unity. And now they are a Premier League club once more. A new season will begin in August with England's elite returning to Wearside and the hope will be that momentum can help bridge a widening gap between the top flight and second tier. Doubts over disparities, both sporting and financial, can wait. Advertisement Sunderland have at least become a team worthy of their supporters' backing once more. It is a squad with its imperfections but there is youth and vibrancy from front to back. 'We needed talented players and we needed a strong connection between them,' said Le Bris, outlining the subtle alterations of a reign that began two days before pre-season last summer. 'They worked so well together and, at the end, this game is a good example of the season.' The tiny pity is that Watson will go no further with Sunderland. The latest graduate of the club's academy was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion for £10million ($13.5m) last month, with the deal being concluded once the summer transfer window opens. That had triggered a backlash from a small section of fans questioning Watson's motives but a moment of brilliance from the 19-year-old — that cute, rolled finish from 25 yards out — has now transformed his legacy. It stands as the most important goal a Sunderland player has scored at Wembley since Ian Porterfield struck a winner in the 1973 FA Cup final against Leeds United. 'I can't really put it into words to be honest,' said Watson in a pitchside interview with Sky Sports afterwards. 'Look around, it's f***ing unbelievable.' Le Bris, forced to have his moment with the trophy by his players, would have agreed. Promotion was a faint prospect when he snapped a run of 10 British managers appointed by Sunderland last summer and the remodelling of a talented squad has seen all expectations surpassed. Le Bris has been everything Sunderland needed. A football obsessive, he has immersed himself in life as the club's head coach, working long days and leaving his family at home in France. The development of Sunderland's best youngsters has also accelerated and with that has come collective improvements. Advertisement At no point were Sunderland ever out of the Championship's top six but it required something more to get past a Sheffield United side that had finished the regular season 14 points better off. For more than half of Saturday's contest it seemed beyond Sunderland, who looked as uncomfortable as Le Bris — typically a tracksuit manager — did in his suit and tie on the touchline. Tyrese Campbell's opener after 25 minutes preyed upon Sunderland's shortcomings on the break and only VAR, unused in the Championship all season, denied Sheffield United a second as Harrison Burrows' volley was ruled out when Vinicius Souza was adjudged to have been offside. 'That gave them belief,' lamented Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder. Sunderland's improvements were clear after the break but it was the changes made by Le Bris that were telling. Attackers Watson, Patrick Roberts and Wilson Isidor were all introduced, with captain Dan Neil among those sacrificed. It was Roberts' clever through ball that teed up Eliezer Mayenda to rifle in a stunning finish and Watson who pounced upon Kieffer Moore's slack lay-off to drive at his opponents in stoppage time. The winger's precise right-foot finish took an age to find the bottom corner, allowing time for a collective breath to be drawn at that end of the stadium. Le Bris' bravery, ending the game with a 4-2-4 formation, was rewarded emphatically. The aftermath encouraged Sunderland's head coach to look forward and on to next season, with questions focused upon this group's ability to compete in the Premier League and the challenges Le Bris will face up against the likes of Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola. 'I didn't think about the consequences of defeat or now,' he said. 'Maybe it will be the case in the next few days but let's enjoy, celebrate and take time with family and friends.' Sunderland's triumph was a moment that demanded to be lived in the here and now. 'F***ing Premier League,' screamed the excellent Jobe Bellingham at Sunderland's fans during the celebrations, prodding the badge on his chest. They did not need telling.
Malay Mail
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Malay Mail
‘Til the end': Watson's stoppage-time stunner over Sheffield United lifts Sunderland into Premier League
LONDON, May 25 — Sunderland clinched promotion to the Premier League after an eight-year absence as Tommy Watson's stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic 2-1 win against Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final on Saturday. Regis Le Bris' side trailed to Tyrese Campbell's first-half goal at Wembley, but Eliezer Mayenda equalised in the closing stages before Watson delivered the priceless last-gasp winner. It was an astonishing twist to the single richest match in world football as Sunderland recovered from a sluggish start to hit the jackpot with a promotion worth an estimated £200 million ($270 million) in increased revenue. Watson's champagne moment ensured Sunderland fans can look forward to renewing hostilities with bitter rivals Newcastle next season. 'This win represents the way we played this season, with resilience and discipline to get back into the game. We tried different options and finally we found the solution,' Le Bris said. Sunderland's return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017 comes after a dark period that included a four-season spell in the third tier. The Black Cats suffered five successive defeats coming into the play-offs, but they dug deep to reach the top-flight in the most remarkable style. With a penalty shoot-out just seconds away, Dan Ballard's last-gasp extra-time header sealed a 3-2 aggregate success in the semi-final second leg against Coventry. They looked down and out again with only 14 minutes left at Wembley before the stunning denouement. Promotion completed an impressive rise for Le Bris, a 49-year-old Frenchman who arrived at the Stadium of Light last year after suffering relegation from Ligue 1 with Lorient United are still without a win at Wembley in 100 years and have now endured four Championship final defeats among 10 failed attempts to win promotion via the play-offs. Farewell gift Sunderland keeper Anthony Patterson made a brilliant save in the second minute, diving to his left to claw Kieffer Moore's header off the line. Injured trying to stop Moore's header, Sunderland captain Luke O'Nien was forced off with a dislocated shoulder that left him writhing in pain. Patterson's stop conjured memories of Jim Montgomery's incredible save to help Sunderland shock Leeds in the 1973 FA Cup final. But United deservedly took the lead in the 25th minute. Ben Hamer showed why he was voted Championship Player of the Year with a perfectly weighted pass to Campbell, who guided a composed finish over Patterson from 12 yards. Harrison Burrows thought he had doubled United's lead nine minutes later, but his strike was disallowed for offside against Vini Souza after a VAR check. United substitute Andre Brooks barged through on goal after the interval, but Patterson stuck out his foot to make a superb save. It proved a costly miss, as Mayenda hauled Sunderland level with only their second shot on target in the 76th minute. Patrick Roberts' pin-point pass reached Mayenda just inside the area and he punished United's sloppy marking with a fierce finish into the roof of the net. O'Nien, his shoulder in a sling, sprinted off the bench to embrace Mayenda, waving his one healthy arm in jubilation. That celebration was only the precursor to the ecstatic scenes sparked by Watson five minutes into stoppage-time. Seizing on Moore's loose pass, Watson drove towards the edge of the United area and curled a low shot into the bottom corner past Michael Cooper's fatally slow dive. Watson is due to join Brighton in the close-season and his thrilling winner was the perfect farewell gift, ensuring Sunderland will join the 19-year-old among English football's elite. 'It's unbelievable. The story was written when I came off the bench. I couldn't have pictured it any better,' Watson said. 'We'll see each other next year, in the big time!' — AFP
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sunderland seal Premier League return with dramatic playoff final victory
Sunderland are back in the Premier League after eight years away, clinching promotion with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Sheffield United in the Championship playoff final at Wembley. A stoppage-time winner from academy graduate Tommy Watson sealed the win, sending the red-and-white half of Wembley into delirium. The 19-year-old latched onto a mistake by Kieffer Moore and drove a low shot into the bottom corner, writing his name into club folklore. Watson, who joined the club as an under-nine, had only been on the pitch for 20 minutes. He will leave for Brighton this summer in a £10 million deal, but his final act in a Sunderland shirt could scarcely have been more significant. Captain Luke O'Nien, who dislocated his shoulder just eight minutes in, charged down the touchline in a sling to celebrate Watson's goal. His determination summed up a team that refused to be overawed by the occasion. Sheffield United had taken the lead in the first half through Tyrese Campbell, who finished smartly after a Gus Hamer breakaway. But the Blades lost control after Hamer went off with cramp in the 72nd minute. Sunderland took just three minutes to take advantage. Substitute Patrick Roberts split the defence with an outside-of-the-boot pass and Eliezer Mayenda equalised with a thunderous finish into the top corner. From there, the momentum shifted. Sheffield United pressed for a winner but could not beat Anthony Patterson, who made a sharp early save to deny Moore. They thought they had gone ahead again through Harrison Burrows, but VAR ruled out the goal for offside interference. Sunderland, the youngest side in the division with an average age of 24.3, held firm. Manager Regis Le Bris made bold changes and they paid off. The Frenchman has guided a vibrant, fearless team beyond expectations. As the final whistle blew, players collapsed in joy. O'Nien lifted the trophy in front of Sunderland fans who had taken over Trafalgar Square the night before. Club legends like Jordan Henderson and Kevin Phillips watched on from the stands. The Premier League has gained back a big club with a vast fanbase. Sunderland averaged 40,000 supporters this season, more than several top-flight sides. Whether they can stay up is a question for next season. But on Saturday, they earned their moment. They dreamed and they delivered.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Not on the team sheet... from outcast to Sunderland hero
Few people turning up at Wembley for the Championship play-off final would have had Sunderland's Tommy Watson down as the less so after scanning through the team list in the official programme... Watson's name was not even on anomaly comes from the fact the 19-year-old signed for Premier League Brighton and Hove Albion last month ahead of next season in a £10m place in the top flight was assured regardless of what happened in the final, unlike that of his boyhood with his low curling effort in the 95th minute securing an unforgettable comeback win over Sheffield United, he has written a glorious chapter in the entire history of the Black Cats to end their eight-year exile from the top flight. 'Squad accepted he was still our player' What is also remarkable is that in the first home game at the Stadium of Light last month after the deal was announced, Watson was booed by some fans in light of his pending move to the south Black Cats striker Marco Gabbiadini described that response as "brainless", but there is no doubt that Watson has had the last laugh in a way that nobody will ever his 22nd and final game for the club and with only his third goal - the two others came against Stoke City in December - Watson delivered in the grandest head coach Regis Le Bris, the key thing was that the squad had no issue with Watson still being involved in these crucial last few weeks. "It was probably a tough decision for him, but it was clear in our mind and his mind that he was still a player of Sunderland," Le Bris said."The group, the squad accepted this decision as well, knowing that he is a good player and that he can help and we don't know what can happen and he had his opportunity this afternoon." Watson admits that the end of the season has been difficult but he delivered a champagne moment that will be remembered for a lifetime."After the last few weeks, I've been dreaming of that moment," he told BBC Radio Newcastle."I'm really happy that it's going to end positively and this monster of a club is back where it belongs."It's been tough, but I've learned so much from it. I knew something like that could happen. So I'm just buzzing." Watson is the latest of a string of graduates from the club's Academy of Light to make the first team, with Dan Neil, Anthony Patterson and Chris Rigg all in the starting former alumni include England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, who was in the crowd to see his hometown club win production line has been a successful one for Sunderland with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman at the forefront of pushing this youthful of the final, he had said that promotion would vindicate the model that Sunderland had chosen in trying to regain their top flight while Watson's goal will not change his own departure, it may have ensured that players including Rigg, Neil and Jobe Bellingham can shine in the Premier League with Sunderland and not elsewhere.
BreakingNews.ie
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Super sub Tommy Watson fires Sunderland into Premier League after comeback win
Sunderland will play in the Premier League next season after substitute Tommy Watson scored in the fifth minute of added time to seal a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley. Watson had only been on the pitch since the 73rd minute when he intercepted a pass and was given room just outside the box to advance on goal and send a beautifully-placed finish into the bottom corner to secure the Black Cats a return to the top flight for the first time since 2017. Advertisement The Blades had looked set to seal themselves an immediate promotion following their relegation last season, Tyreece Campbell's goal midway through the first half handing Chris Wilder's side a lead they held until the final 15 minutes. Eliezer Mayenda then scored with a stunning drive to level for Regis Le Bris' side before Watson stole the ball from Kieffer Moore and produced a moment that will live long in Wearside folklore. It capped a stunning culmination to a first season in charge for Le Bris. The French coach took over last summer after a tumultuous campaign that saw three different managers lead the team, but in only his second senior job in management – after joining from Lorient – he completed Sunderland's long march back from the depths of League One. His team spent most of the first half on the back foot. Goalkeeper Anthony Patterson kept them from falling behind inside two minutes with a wonderful one-handed save, reaching low to his left to keep out Moore's header as the striker met Gustavo Hamer's cross. Advertisement In attempting to prevent Moore from reaching the ball, defender Luke O'Nien fell awkwardly and, after requiring oxygen on the pitch, was substituted with a dislocated shoulder. Sunderland's (left to right) Luke O'Nien, Tom Watson and Harrison Jones celebrated at the final whistle (John Walton/PA) Blades' goal came from a Sunderland corner, Hamer streaking over the halfway line as the Black Cats tried to get back before playing a perfectly-weighted pass inside to Campbell, who advanced on Patterson and lifted the ball beautifully into the corner as the goalkeeper went to ground. Harrison Burrows thought had scored a spectacular second goal for the Blades when he leathered the ball home on the half-volley from outside the box. The goalkeeper though looked to be unsighted by Vinicius Souza, who attempted to get a flick and – following a pitchside VAR review – the goal was ruled offside. Advertisement In the second half, Patterson was again the hero for Sunderland. Defender Dennis Cirkin was careless in allowing Andre Brooks to dispossess him as the ball dropped into the box, but there again was the goalkeeper to stick out a boot and prevent Brooks' effort from finding the bottom corner. A valuable save looked priceless moments later when Mayenda burst into the area from Patrick Roberts' pass and, after taking a touch to make space, rifled the ball into the roof of Michael Cooper's net to level it. The stage was set for extra-time, before Watson's dramatic intervention at the death. Advertisement
