[FM20] Ha'Way The Lads - Sunderland Career

Hi everyone, this is my first time writing up a career story so apologies if anything goes awry with this as I learn the ropes. I was moved to do this save after the amount of fun I had playing as Sunderland on FM19. After watching "Sunderland 'til I Die" on Netflix and immediately gaining an affinity for the fans and the staff, I played as the club for the first time to see how well I could do with the team and resources. I enjoyed doing it so much the first time around that I wanted to share it with others. And now, due to the little global pandemic we seem to have found ourselves in as a species, I thought I'd do this again to take my mind of the current goings on outside. Hopefully, reading my gushings over regens and records is as cathartic for you readers in our current situation as it is for me. So, let's begin where all good stories start, at the introduction...



In many ways, the city of Sunderland has contributed as much to the beautiful game as we know it today as any other. The Alcock brothers, John and Charles, were both born in Sunderland and were key figures in the development of a number of major facets of early association football such as the first international games and the FA Cup, football's oldest competition. John also represented the Forest club of Leytonstone in London at early Football Association meetings. The Forest club would go on to be known as the Wanderers who won the first ever FA Cup and claimed the title a further 4 times in their history.



Despite this, Sunderland was still known as a rugby city. The game of football doesn't truly take hold in this part of the world until later. It was in 1879 when James Allan, a Scottish teacher, moved to the north-east of England and brought with him a round ball which would define sport in Sunderland for years to come. Along with colleague John Grayston, Allan announced the formation of the club at a teacher's quarterly meeting and advertised for players. A team was assembled later that year under the name "Sunderland and District Teachers AFC" and began training for competition.



The first recorded game of the new football club took place in September of the next year. The club was quickly renamed as Sunderland AFC and registration was opened to all residents of the Sunderland area. Maybe the old adage "Those who can't do, teach" rang truer than first thought. The club carried on playing in regional competitions such as the Durham cup before entering into the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup, Although the cup was born of men from Sunderland, it did not return to them so easily. Failing to make it out of the qualifying rounds in their first three attempts to local rivals Redcar and Newcastle West End, the club were disqualified in the 1887/88 season for professionalism. Paying players was an offence under FA rules at the time and the club were kicked out,

Despite this brush with the heads of the sport, Sunderland found their way into the Football League in 1890. They replaced Stoke City in England's premier league competition and became the first club to join since the league's inaugural season. This led to great success for the club who gained a reputation as a brilliant footballing side at the time. Sunderland was even dubbed as the "team of all talents" by the founder of the Football League, William McGregor. The brightest spot of the talented bunch was undoubtedly star forward Johnny Campbell. The Scotsman scored 136 goals in 186 appearances for the club and inspired to many trophies. They went on to win the Football League two times in a row between 1891 and 1893, followed by a double victory of the league and success in the 1894/95 World Championship final against Hearts of Midlothian. The club made the move to a new stadium in 1898 on the back of their success. It was called Roker Park, a 30,000 capacity venue (although this figure would change many a time throughout it's existence) that would go on to be their home for over 100 years.



Sunderland continued to enjoy success throughout the end of the 1800's and into the early 20th century. They won 3 more Football League titles, four second place finishes, two charity shields and even claimed the prestigious FA Cup in 1937. Outside of a financial scandal in 1904, the club seemed to be a constant force in English football. The first signs of misery came, as they did for many people across the world, with World War II. All football was suspended across England as men went across to Europe to fight. When the game returned after the culmination of the fighting, Sunderland recorded one of their worst league finishes in history. The people of Sunderland almost tasted relegation as they sat in 20th place at the end of the 47/48 season. In the ensuing years, Sunderland's fare hardly improved. Lavish spending led to the team spirit of the club being torn apart as star player after star player rolled at Roker Park. Such record-setting expenditures even led to some people referring to Sunderland as the "Bank of England club". A team once renowned for it's talents had been reduced to a mockery of it's former self.

And the misery did not stop there. In 1957, Sunderland AFC was reported to the FA for illegal payments to players. After investigations into their accounting were concluded, 5 club directors were suspended permanently, many star players were sidelined by bans and the club was fined £5,000, around £121,000 in today's money. In the aftermath of all this chaos, the club was then relegated from the First Division of the Football League in 1958. This brought an end to their 68 year stay at the top of the game. Sunderland spent six years in the Second Division before clawing their way back to the top flight. They languished at the bottom of the table before subsequently falling from the top tier once again in 1970, their second relegation in 12 years.

It was during this time that the club also earned their second and final FA Cup. As a Second Division club, they overcame the mighty defending champions Leeds United in a huge upset at Old Wembley in front of 100,000 fans. This made them only the sixth team from outside the First Division to win the FA Cup since the inception of the Football League in 1888, nearly 100 year before. But times had changed since the last time Sunderland had lifted the trophy. Capturing the FA Cup now earned the winner's a greater prize than sweet victory. It now allowed it's holders to step out onto the stage of European football. As a second division team, Sunderland outdid expectations again by reaching the second round before succumbing to Sporting Portugal by just one goal.



Sunderland's ventures in Europe did not help with their battles on home soil however. The team gained promotion to the First Division again in 1976 and only mustered a season before falling down the footballing pyramid again. Another promotion in 1980 showed more promise but the club still languished at the bottom of the First Division. This was ended by yet another relegation in 1985. This led to one of the most erratic periods in Sunderland's history. Amassing 5 relegations and 6 promotions in a 22 year period that saw them go from Division 3 all the way back to the newly-christened Premier League at the top of the English game is a truly astonishing path that must have had Sunderland fans wondering if the club would ever find stability.

While their league form was out of control, the club still managed to come close to cup success. A league cup final in 1985 and an FA Cup final in 1992 saw two trips to Wembley come up short but this showed that Sunderland AFC was still hungry for success. The ambitious side of Sunderland was further highlighted by their move to a new stadium. After 99 years at Roker Park, Sunderland AFC moved to the Stadium of Light in 1996 on their first venture in the new Premier League. While their time there didn't last long and fan reaction to a move was mixed, the stadium stands a testament to the aspirations of the club and it's fanbase who always dare to dream.

After years of uncertainty, Sunderland returned to the Premier League in 2007 and managed to make it their home. Although they spent most of their time there at the bottom of the table, they rubbed shoulders with England's elite for many a season. In 2008 the club was purchased by Ellis Short of the Drumaville Consortium and a new manager was appointed. Things were looking up for Sunderland AFC but once again, the ugly financial side of the game reared it's ugly head. The club tried as it might to secure it's place in the Premier League by splashing the cash on many big name players but the glorious success of yesteryear always seemed to evade the club.

For 9 years, the people of Sunderland enjoyed one of the most successful period that the team had seen since the 70's. But the bubble had to burst at some point. So much money was going out on players and manager after manager was brought in to try and help the club achieve. However, it was in 2017 that the club tasted misery once again. They were relegated from the Premier League and spent the 2017/18 season in the Championship. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the club was then relegated for a second time in two season to League One. The ghosts of the 80's and 90's had come to haunt the halls of the Stadium of Light once again as a string of managers and a squad that had been playing Premier League football two years before finished bottom of the Championship.



Many fans began asking if the club had left their heart at Roker Lane and it was hard to argue with them. The club's poor backroom organisation and on-field frustrations were captured in the Netflix documentary "Sunderland 'til I Die" as people all over the world watched the suffering of Sunderland's loyal and passionate fanbase. The sale of the club brought no joy as new owner Stewart Donald tried to clear up the mess left by the previous administration. A new manager in Jack Ross was brought in to bring Sunderland back to where they belong but like his predecessors of recent years, he failed. A heartbreaking play-off final loss at Wembley crushed Sunderland hearts as they realised that they would record their longest spell outside the top two levels of English football.





To understand what Sunderland AFC really is, you need to understand where it's come from. And that starts with looking at the city of Sunderland itself. The city as it is known today first came into existence in the Middle Ages as a fishing town on the banks of the River Wear in North East England. It's beaches look out onto the North Sea, making it a handy place for trade with countries in Europe. The local port was overshadowed by it's larger neighbour in Newcastle but the town quickly grew a name for itself in the trade of salt and coal. This was helped by the path of the river, which went down through North Yorkshire and into the Lancashire. This was a prime area for coal and it could be easily moved to the coast along the river using boats called "keels".

As these industries grew, so did the town. Many of these bustling communities around the banks of the wear were grouped together into the borough of Sunderland. And along with the trade came the industries needed to sustain it. River works and shipbuilding became backbones of the local economy throughout the 17th and 18th century. Throughout the Industrial Revolution, the demand for coal kept going up and up as well as the demand for the boats to transport it. Sunderland was one of many cities who benefited from this as railways sprang up around Wearside to transport the coal. This connected the city and the rest of the North East to other major cities all over the UK.

Sunderland's reputation soon stretched well beyond the shores of the United Kingdom. Their yards became a gold standard amongst shipbuilders the world over who named it "the greatest shipbuilding port in the world". But great success can often carry great peril. During both World Wards, Sunderland was the target of many air raids by the German Army. The tragedy of zeppelin and Blitz attacks was swiftly followed the sharp decline in the demand for shipbuilding. Many yards closed and many jobs were lost as the times swept past the city. The collapse of the coal-mining industry was almost a death knell for the community. At it's worst, the unemployment rate in Sunderland was 20% of the local workforce.

As these hard industries died, they were replaced by jobs in retail and customer care. The opening of a factory by Japanese car manufacturer Nissan was welcomed in 1986 as the working people of Sunderland could return to the jobs they once held. Like their beloved football club, the city holds a quiet air of fortitude. Despite the bombing raids in the wars, many of Sunderland's historic buildings stand to this day. A lasting lineage of the innovators and hard working men and women who came before and built a city that was the envy of the world on the river.





The history I provided above might not seem important in the context of a Football Manager save but I think it's important to understand the spirit of Sunderland, considering their current circumstances. When you look at Sunderland, you see why the people love their club so much. Sunderland was a city built on graft, on working hard and earning what you might have. Whether that be the fortunes of the shipyard owners or the pittance of the factory workers, people in Sunderland took pride in a culture where they worked for everything. And by no fault of their own, that was snatched away from them. The world moved on and it left them behind with no way to catch up. Trades and livelihoods that had survived centuries were gone in years. The reason people love this club is because despite all the things that have been taken from the people of Sunderland, their buildings by bombs, their jobs by the economy, their club is still there. It is an intrinsic part of the city they call home. And many of their fans save up their hard-earned money just to support their club.



And when you look at Sunderland Football Club, you see the people of Sunderland. It was two brothers, born of this city, that helped define sports for years to come just as their fellow citizens defined shipbuilding and coal mining and many other industries. And from being one of the best, they have had to watch as their club's fortunes have sunk with the prosperity of their city. A club that once drew praise now draws ridicule, much as the once great shipbuilding capital of the world is now scoffed at by it's neighbours. With the success of Sunderland AFC comes the pride of the people of Sunderland as they see their community rise from the ashes. If Sunderland AFC can't die then neither can the spirit of the coalminers, or the yardworkers, or the factory labourers who cheered for them in years gone by. That red and white shirt carries a history associated with greatness and that is what Sunderland yearns for and what it deserves.



So, what do I hope to achieve in this save? Well, first of all, I obviously want to take Sunderland back to the Premier League. Sunderland is a club with a proud history and Sunderland has a huge footballing heritage that deserves to be honoured by playing football at the highest level.

Speaking of the highest level, I would also like to take Sunderland back to European stage. The team has only spent one year playing in European competitions and four games of continental football are simply not enough. I hope that we can welcome Europe's elite to the Stadium of Light on as many occasions as possible.

Thirdly, I want to avoid the problems that have haunted Sunderland throughout their history. Namely, their finances. Every major problem that has afflicted the club seems to come back to money. In this save, I will do my best to avoid handing out extortionate contracts and paying ridiculous prices for players. I will do this by setting myself strict wage and transfer budgets based on the club's available funds and sticking to them.

My final target seems like a stupid one but I hope I'll be able to pull it off. On our path to the Premier League, I would like to recreate the incredible upset of 1973 and win the FA Cup as a Second Division team. This feat has not been replicated since 1980 when West Ham United defeated Arsenal. Being able to replicate such a joyous moment in the history of Sunderland AFC would surely signal a turn in the tide of their fortunes, would it not?


For anyone who's actually read all of this post, thank you very much. In only the few years that I've paid close attention to this club, I've gained such a huge respect and admiration for the fans and the community around it. To say that it isn't my local club or the one I support, I've really enjoyed learning more about it and the history behind it and the city. Getting to write something like this has been really good to get out a lot of pent up emotion I've had in regards to the state of Sunderland AFC and I can't wait to get started on this save.

In my next update, I'm going to introduce the infrastructure of the club and all the transfer happenings from the very start of the save along with my initial tactical and backroom approach before I march on into pre-season. I hope you'll all join me next time. And as always, ha'way the lads!

After a disappointing end to the 2018/19 season which saw them narrowly miss out on promotion to a 94th minute goal, Sunderland AFC parts ways with former St Mirren manager Jack Ross. The board went out looking for a fresh face to bring some new ideas into the club and found it in young manager Ruud Bhoy. The half Dutch, half Scottish manager comes into the club as a complete unknown to the footballing world. However, what he lacks in reputation he makes up for in passion and determination in spades. The appointment is a shock to the system for many Sunderland fans who were hoping for a more high-profile capture to bring success to the club. Can this chancer from the top end of Caledonia bring the Black Cats back to the glory of their heyday? Let's find out...




We've seen the targets that I set for myself in the introduction earlier, but what are the Sunderland board expecting from Ruud?



It seems that the expectations from Stewart Donald are somewhat in line with mine. Earning promotion this season is an absolute must for the fans and for the financial stature of the club. I would preferably like to be out of the Championship and back in the Premier League in at least three seasons, an ambition Mr Donald doesn't seem to agree with but I believe in this team to do the necessary and fire us up the footballing pyramid in no time.

Working within the wage budget is already a major feature of my plans and the club has excellent youth facilities to bring players through to the first team squad. The chairman also wants to see the team control the ball and control our fixtures with attacking intent. These are already key parts of my preferred tactical set-up in the game so it seems this should be a perfect fit!



Speaking of the excellent youth facilities, let's take a quick look at what we're working with behind the scenes.



The facilities at Sunderland's disposal are unparalleled at this level. Excellent youth facilities, a superb training ground, solid corporate and data analysis support along with a decent coaching and recruitment set up for the academy. The groundwork for success is already in place at this club. All it needs is for someone to come along and help realise that endless potential.



The club's finances appear to be in a strong state as well. They are currently meeting FFP regulations and should stay within them barring a catastrophe. The transfer and wage budget leave a lot of room for manoeuvre and there is a decent of over £14,500,000 to work with from the off. As previously stated, I want to make sure that the bank balance stays that way. At no point do I want it to drop below £5,000,000 so the club can always have some cash to work with.



And now, the centerpiece to Sunderland's future success. Her pièce de résistance. The Stadium of Light, where our glory will either be won or lost. This fortress on the river has been a point of contention for Sunderland fans since it's opening but for now, this is the home of Sunderland AFC and it is the castle we will defend with our lives. I want to win as many home games as possible so Sunderland fans can keep on cheering as long as their voices will hold out, so they can go to work on a Monday morning with smug smiles painted across their faces, so they can look across at their neighbours in black and white and think themselves "Kings of the North East" as they once did. This will be a theatre of dreams for a new generation of Sunderland players and fans and a stage of despair for our opponents.



The stadium was built in the late 1990's can currently seat 48,707 fans and we hope that our supporters will come out in their droves to see us build our success at this ground.



Before the appointment of Ruud, preparations are already being made for the season ahead.



In the pre-season, the club has seen many of it's key players exit. Former club captain Lee Cattermole has departed for VVV Venlo in Holland. Star left-back Bryan Oviedo has also headed to Europe with a move to FC Kovenhavn. Other big losses to the first team squad are leading full-back Adam Matthews to last season's playoff rivals Charlton, Lamine Kone's big money move to Strasbourg in France, local lad George Honeyman trading the red-and-white of Sunderland for the orange of new Championship side Luton and the odd choice to loan out Jack Baldwin to Salford after he spent last season as a starting centre-back. Although Jack had his struggles last season, I felt he deserved another chance to prove himself. Hopefully, he'll be able to do just that on his return.

Thankfully, the club has looked to strengthen in the wake of these departures. The gaps in the full-back positions have been filled with Conor McLaughlin from Milwall and Laurens de Bock on a loan from Leeds, Joel Lynch has been brought in as a centre-back with experience at this level and George Dobson has signed on from Walsall to help in the midfield. Lee Burge comes in from Coventry City as a capable replacement goalkeeper and the youth team has seen a fair share of strong additions in Collins, Sammut, Abdelkader and Dunne,



Players new and old will have a busy pre-season schedule ahead of them before they first see competition. Big matches against Premier League sides Leicester and Manchester United are interspersed with clashes against fellow Football League sides Plymouth Argyle and Preston North End. There are also some warm-up games against non-league sides Hartlepool United, Chesterfield and Darlington. The games against their league rivals will be the real proving ground for this Sunderland team as to whether they can meet their expectations.





The club will be employing an aggressive, pressing style of play. This will be characterised by smart positioning and movement of the ball through quick and precise passing. The club will be captained by Sunderland youth graduate Grant Leadbitter who returned last season. Fellow recruits from last season including goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin, defender Alim Ozturk, midfielder Max Power, attacker Chris Maguire and League One record signing Will Grigg all take places in the new squad along with recent signings Conor McLaughlin, De Bock and Lynch. Youth product Lynden Gooch and the tenured Aiden McGeady fill out the rest of the 11.



In reserve, new signings Burge, Dobson, Mcnulty and Willis come onto the bench. Youth players Hume, Mumba and Embleton make the jump up from the academy. The rest of the spots are filled out by midfield Luke O'Nien, striker Charlie Wyke, last season's signing Dylan McGeouch and the club's longest serving current first-team player, Duncan Watmore. Defender Tom Flanagan is currently nursing a knee ligament injury but will return to action as soon as possible.


And that is all for the start-up of this save. Traning routines for pre-season and set-piece routines have been set and I've already begun scouting some players to bring in. I think the team may need more depth at full-back but apart from that, this team should be good enough for us to make it out of League One without increasing our budgets any further. I think I might focus more on building a strong backroom staff this year and then look to put my mark on the team later on. But we will see where the road takes us as we move through the save. Thank you again for reading, I hope you enjoyed this preview to the pre-season. I hope you'll check out the next update and as always, ha'way the lads!

Hello everyone and welcome back to another edition of Ha'Wey the Lads. In this update, I'll be covering the very first weeks of pre-season and our first four friendlies, culminating in a clash with Leicester City at the Stadium of Light on the 16th July.



In his first few days in charge, Ruud Bhoy wastes no time in leaving his mark as a new wave of staff are brought in.



Former Black Cats themselves, Keith Bertschin and Alec Chamberlain are brought into the club as coaches. Keith will be tasked with using his experience to imprint a strong attacking philosophy on the team whereas Alec will be helping with the training of the club's goalkeepers.



In modern football, scouting is intrinsic to so many of the most important factors of the game. Being the first to sign a marquee player, keeping tabs on your opponents, a strong scouting team can be the difference between showering your club in titles and spending years empty-handed. Knowing this, Ruud has equipped Sunderland AFC with some of the top scouts on the market by bringing in the veteran Mark Stow, legendary Scottish player and scout Asa Hartford and the world-travelled Frenchman Carl Deplanque.



Last but certainly not least, the final additions to the squad regard player welfare. To help bring young players through their outstanding academy system, Sunderland has enlisted the help of Sammy Lee. A legendary player for Liverpool and England as well as a long term associate of Sam Allardyce, Sammy Lee is an expert when it comes developing young talent and filtering them up to the top level. He is joined by physio Stuart Millward, a fine addition to the club's medical staff to keep all the players in the best possible condition for achieving our goals.




In their first match under the new manager, Sunderland set up with their strongest side. We will be using this as a statement of intent, that we seek to control every game we enter into and take no prisoners.

As we kick off at Home Park, the heavens have already opened in typical British fashion for a summer afternoon. The scoring opens early as Sunderland take advantage of a corner conceded by Plymouth's Joe Riley. Grigg peels off his man at the back post as the balls sails in and nods it home before the keeper can react. 1-0 to Sunderland.

Sunderland continued to apply pressure on Argyle for the opening fifteen minutes. Although they controlled possession and kept the ball predominantly in their opponent's half, they only mustered 3 shots. It was in the 20th minute when Plymouth got their first chance on goal as Scott Wootton rose to meet an in-swinging corner. His head narrowly flew over the crossbar but it suggested Plymouth could have a go in this game. Plymouth saw the chance to threaten Sunderland's back line again just five minutes later as a Maguire corner was cleared with a thumping header. Plymouth forward Zak Rudden broke up the pitch with the ball and made space for the shot, but the ball was dragged wide and the opportunity spurned,

McLaughlin's ensuing goal kick immediately put pressure back on his Plymouth counterpart, Alex Palmer. The south coast team conceded a free kick on the edge of their own box which allowed Chris Maguire to test their keeper with a looping free kick. Palmer gratefully clutched the ball to his chest as he flew across his goal line to make the save.

Despite being shaken by the free-kick, Plymouth's confidence continued to grow in the game. They created a few more chances but still failed to register a shot on target. However, Sunderland's chances became more frantic as the first half rolled to a close. With the score still 1-0 to the Black Cats, the referee blew his whistle for the half.

Plymouth came out in the second half with the same fire they finished the first with, managing to register their first shot on target in the 46th minute. Sunderland responded, creating a few good chances of their own. None of them found the back of the net but they kept pressing. The pressure finally paid off as Will Grigg found himself in the box to score the second goal of the afternoon. As Sunderland broke up the pitch with 6 men moving the ball quickly between each other, the Plymouth defence crumbled. Palmer parried a shot from Duncan Watmore off the wing but couldn't stop the rebound as Grigg thundered it into the bottom corner in the 86th minute. 2-0 to Sunderland.

Plymouth continued to fight hard for a goal in the final minutes. They chased down every ball and fought in every challenge. Some players became slight over exuberant, which resulted in Duncan Watmore making an awkward move in a defensive battle which forced him to be substituted. Unfortunately for Plymouth's front men, Jon McLaughlin was turning out a performance of the highest quality in Sunderland's goal and denied them at every opportunity. The final whistle went after 3 minutes of extra time with Sunderland's clean sheet intact.




Thankfully, the injury suffered by Duncan is much better than first feared. It will see him definitely miss out from the starting line-up in the Hartlepool game but nothing worse than that should come from it.


The following day, another small injury hits the team as Max Power overextends his thigh in a training exercise. Again, this shouldn't see him out of action for an extended period of time but will probably see him kept out of the upcoming fixture.


A number of key players have dropped out of the first team for this game to allow other players to gain some more match fitness before we get into the swing of the pre-season's main fixtures. Flanagan, Power and Watmore all feature on the bench despite the injuries picked up earlier in the week. Mark McNulty features at left wing due to a lack of depth in that position which will hopefully be addressed later in the transfer window.

The game kicks off under a summer drizzle again this Wednesday evening and Sunderland almost take an early lead in similar fashion to their last match. An early corner finds the run of Lynden Gooch in the box who, unfortunately, drives his shot straight at the keeper. The game begins as a choppy affair where both teams struggle to create chances as the ball is held up in midfield. Hartlepool centre-back Myles Anderson picks up a yellow card for a trip and from this moment, the game opens up. Another poor challenge on the edge of the box allows Grant Leadbitter to try at goal from a free-kick on the edge of the box but the keeper falls on the ball again comfortably.

Even thought the game starts slowly for them, Sunderland do their best to carve out chances. Most of their attempts go out for corners but their first clear chance of the game comes in the 26th minute. A smart ball out wide from McGeouch is snatched upon by Luke O'Nien who works himself into a clear space. His cross into the centre of the box is met by McNulty. Running in from the wing to his natural position, he connects with the ball beautifully on his head and loops his attempt over the keeper's outstretched arm. 1-0 to Sunderland.

From their kick-off, Hartlepool waste no time in trying to get back into the game. A deft touch from forward Luke James takes him past the Sunderland defence and into space. He is pushed wide but tries for a cross of his own which takes a deflection. One of his teammates attempts to drive the ball home but his shot ricochets behind for a corner, which is cleared well by the Sunderland defenders.

Sunderland almost find joy down the right hand side again in the 38th minute as a floating cross from O'Nien is met by Charlie Wyke. While the cross was well-placed, the header left more to be desired as it was comfortably caught by Ben Killip in the Hartlepool goal. However, his goal kick was quickly returned to him and just 20 seconds later, he was forced to tip a shot from Gooch over the crossbar. The rest of the half degraded into free-for-all as tackles flew in from all side. At the end of the first 45, Sunderland's 1 goal lead remained intact as the teams headed to the dressing rooms.

In the early stages of the second half, neither team threatened the other as it went along much the same way as the first half. It was in the 54th minute that the next clear chance opened up as Elliot Embleton flashed a header across the box from a corner. Gooch's head connected with the ball but he sent it flying into the stands. As the game looked set to finish on a damp note, a fantastic long pass from Tom Flanagan, fresh off the bench, opened up another Sunderland opportunity. A quick sequence of passes saw Wyke and Watmore open up the Hartlepool defence and leave Duncan a free chance on goal. The tight angle allowed Killip to touch the strike wide and keep the game at 1-0.

In a moment of hesitation in the 78th minute, centre-back Jordan Willis almost handed Hartlepool a goal on a platter as Nicke Kabamba nabbed the ball of his foot and broke through on goal. Were it not for the exceptional recovery run and tackle from Jordan, the Hartlepool striker may have been able to ask a serious question of Lee Burge. Burge moved the ball up the field quickly which allowed Watmore to pick out Embleton on the edge of Hartlepool's box. His shot was deflected though and went out for a corner. And it was from De Bock's powerful corner that George Dobson added to the Sunderland lead. The cross cut through the sea of Hartlepool players and allowed Dobson to wrap his foot around it, guiding it just to the side of Hartlepool's keeper. Brilliant play by both substitutes. 2-0 to Sunderland.

Hartlepool attempted a few counter attacks in the last moments of the game but Sunderland had their number on each occasion. Dobson's 78th minute strike would be the last goal of the game and the match finished 2-0.





On the day of our next game against Preston North End, the club receives the great news that three of our games in 2019 have been selected for television coverage.




Like the last game, I'll be using this as a chance for some of the reserve players to get minutes ahead of the game against Leicester. It's not likely that we'll get a win against the Foxes but I'd like us to give it the best attempt we can. For that, we'll want our first team players in top condition and this should avoid them getting tired.

The team finally get to start a game in the glorious sunshine as Preston start with the ball. An early attack through Sean Maguire is quickly nipped in the bud by sliding challenge from O'Nien. The game goes back and forth as the team's challenge for control. Sunderland come out on top and begin to dominate possession. Chances are few and far between with Sunderland creating a couple of attempts on goal through set-pieces. But it's Preston who first threaten real danger as Gallagher gathers a spilled header and drives a shot towards goal from 25 yards. It was hit with power but not accuracy as it curved away from goal but it surely made Burge stand to attention. It seemed the teams would remain all square throughout the first half until a failed through pass from Preston's midfield fell at Lee Burge's feet. He quickly put out the ball back to his defenders who saw it move with pace through the Sunderland ranks. It found it's way to O'Nien on the right hand side who dropped a cross perfectly on Charlie Wyke's head. The ball did all the work as Wyke guided into the far side of the goal to take the lead, the first shot in target of the game in the 45th minute. 1-0 to Sunderland

The whistle for the half blows soon after Wyke's goal. Probably impassioned by conceding so late in the first, Preston start the second half with fire. They almost pick up an equaliser through David Nugent but his header sadly soared over the bar. They carried on pressing throughout the half but that one chance to get level didn't arrive. Against the run of play, Sunderland almost went 2-0 up after breaking up the field and winning a corner. De Bock's ball was thundered down towards the bottom right corner by Wyke but Connor Ripley showed his glove to it and stopped it dead. Sunderland returned his goal kick quickly looking to capitalise but Power had his shot quickly blocked out for another corner.

Minutes later, Charlie Wyke thought he had finally doubled the lead only to turn and see the raised flag of the linesman. As Aiden McGeady drove up the pitch after recovering a Preston corner ball, Wyke peeled off the shoulder of Storey and drove a sumptuous strike across Ripley's goal and into the back of the net. Although he held his run perfectly and remained behind his marker before the ball was played, the official didn't seem to agree and ruled the goal out.

Preston carried on looking for an equaliser until the final whistle, almost earning a draw from a Jayden Stockley header in added time but Burge pulled the ball from the air and clutched it to his chest. The final whistle rang round the Stadium of Light as the match ended at 1-0.





The small pre-season injuries keep adding up for Sunderland as Dylan McGeouch picks up a pulled groin in training. He was a likely contender to start against Leicester so this is disappointing, even if only in the short term.


We revert back to our first team options today, or as near as we can get to them. George Dobson steps in for Max Power due to his high risk of re-injury and Willis steps up to take over from Ozturk as he possesses more pace. We'll need this in the back line to counter Leicester's incredibly quick front three. Ben Kimpioka also steps up from the Under 23's as an option at left wing.

The weather's turned grey and dull again as we kick off in Sunderland tonight. And surprisingly, it's Sunderland who register the first shot on target through De Bock in the 2nd minute. But Leicester are the team who take the lead in the 11th minute after Tielemans tucks away a cross from Chilwell. McLaughlin gets behind it but isn't able to stop it from hitting the inside of the net. 1 - 0 to Leicester

Leicester continue to create chances but the next big chance of the match falls to Sunderland. Aiden McGeady finds himself in the box with the ball at his feet. He goes to shoot but it is quickly blocked by Evans. James Maddison is the next to step up to the plate but his effort from 16 yards kisses the crossbar as it flies into the stand. Despite being placed under the cosh for much of the half by Leicester's quality, it is actually Sunderland who snatch the next goal. After winning a corner, Maguire's floated ball is put into the mixer by Harvey Barnes. Hamza Choudhury attempts to clear but the ball hangs around in Leicester's half. George Dobson receives the ball on the edge of the final third and manages to pick out a pass to the right wing while under pressure. Lynden Gooch takes the ball in his stride and fires the ball past Kasper Schmeichel in the 40th minute with only one touch before the shot. Sunderland score to make it 1-1

And it should have been Sunderland 2, Leicester 1 before the break after a Maguire free kick in the 43rd minute is fumbled back out into the box by Schmeicel. The rebound shot from McGeady is saved by the Danish keeper to hold Sunderland at 1-1. The subsequent corner is cleared easily by Leicester. Leicester seem to sense the tide turning and late on in the half, make a break up the pitch through Dennis Praet. Ignoring the run of Vardy ahead of him, he goes it alone from 24 yards. The shot sails wide of the goal and the whistle for half time blows soon after.

Leicester start off the second half strongly, dominating possession and relegating Sunderland to holding the ball only in their own half. The first chance of the half falls to Barnes who fails to convert from just inside the box. Sunderland respond with two long passes up the field which leave Lynden Gooch clear on the wing. A ball into Will Grigg allows him to try a header which is just too high as it lands on the roof of the net. The game seems to open up at this point but just as Sunderland look to advance up the pitch, a loose pass to Maguire is intercepted and sprayed over the top of the defense to Kelechi Iheanacho. Fresh off the bench, the young forward bursts towards Jon McLaughlin with his eyes set on goal. He takes too much time on the ball and the experienced keeper manages to parry his shot aside. Sunderland make a narrow escape as Leicester win a corner in the 66th minute.

The game opens up once more with both teams battling for the ball in midfield. Sunderland manage to win a corner on the cusp of the 83rd minute but Leadbitters ball in is caught by Ward. The long ball forward from the former Liverpool keeper is eventually latched onto by Tielemans who drives into the box. His shot is kept low and true but McLaughlin's outstretched hand just takes enough power from it. Conor McLaughlin runs in from right back to removed the risk and puts the ball into touch for a throw. Leicester lose the ball from the throw-in and Sunderland look to break but an unpunished foul Demarai Gray on Lynch allows Ayoze Perez to burst into the box. In incredible fashion, Jon McLaughlin denies Leicester again with another last ditch save.

As the half wears on, Sunderland's passing becomes lazy and a poor pass from Denver Hume allows Gray to send Nampalys Mendy through on goal. After a quick ball through to Iheanacho, who was stood millimeters offside, Kelechi places the ball past McLaughlin to condemn Sunderland to a devastating loss. 2 - 1 to Leicester

Or maybe not! Will Grigg plays a lofted through ball to Duncan Watmore straight from kick-off which sees him burst down the wing. The already booked Ben Chilwell slides in recklessly but the referee waves play on. As Duncan's attempted cross sails over all his teammates, the referee pulls the game back. And as the ball makes it's way to the spot of the foul, the official pulls out a second yellow and sends him for an early shower. Max Power stands over the free kick and aims for the center of the box. The ball is scrambled away by Ayoze Perez which allows Demarai Gray to burst up the pitch with the ball, Sunderland's opportunity wasted. And as the wind fades from Sunderland's sails, their opponents take full advantage. They win the ball in midfield and move it quickly. The ball falls to Hamza Choudhury in the final third who drives into space His shot from 20 yards is unstoppable as it finds the top right corner. Leicester seal their victory in the 89th minute. 3 - 1 to Leicester

With the game sealed, Leicester sit back and hold onto their lead as Sunderland accept a result which may be slightly harsh based on how they played. If anything, it is only evidence of their inability to hold on to the end on this day.



And that concludes the first half of Sunderland's 2019 pre-season. All in all, the results and performances have been impressive and despite two late goals against a strong Leicester side, it bodes well for the season ahead. We'll see in the closing stage of pre-season how the team can perform but all that matters is turning up on the big stage when the opening day of the season comes round. In the next update, I'll be playing through the last three games of our run-in to the start of the league against Chesterfield, Manchester United and Darlington. On top of that, there may be some incoming transfers along with the rest of the club's final preparations for Sunderland's second, and hopefully last, season in League One. I hope you enjoyed this update of my Sunderland save and I'll see you all in the next installment. And as always, ha'way the lads!

Hello readers and welcome to the last edition of Ha'Wey The Lads for the 2019 pre-season. After registering three wins in their first three friendlies, including an impressive 1-0 win against Preston North End of the Championship, our Black Cats hit their first stumbling block in a 3-1 loss to Leicester City at the Stadium of Light. Despite an impressive performance that saw them as equals to the Foxes, two goals in the last 10 minutes crushed the spirits of the team and saw them register their only loss of the pre-season so far. But not to fret. Outside of that one game, the team did not concede a single goal. This feat would be almost unheard of for the Sunderland team of the season prior whose defensive frailties were the bane of their fans in many a game. Can the boys carry the momentum from their earlier performances through to the end of the pre-season for a strong finish, or will one loss be the first of many? Let's find out...


Rather than rushing into the transfer market and signing players for the sake of it, I've tried to take a genuine look at the squad and what needs strengthening for the upcoming season. The first team squad is excellent for League One and the backup players in most positions are either great or good. The only position that lacks solid cover is at left back. While Laurens De Bock is a brilliant starting option, he is only on loan for the season, and his replacement should we need it in Denver Hume is inexperienced and inconsistent. In his few pre-season appearances, he's shown a lack of game awareness and an inability to pass in the style the team requires. To resolve this issue, my first ever signing for Sunderland is defender Lennard Sowah on a free transfer.


Lennard join the club on a 3 year contact worth a total of £325,000. Taking up the number 15, he is a well travelled player who has prior Premier League experiece as well as time spent playing top division football in Scotland and Poland. He adds versatility to our reserve line-up due to being able to play on the left and middle of the defensive line as well as further forward on the wing. His passing and general on the ball ability coupled with his experience make him a great capture for the club who I'm sure will represent us well.


The club has also agreed a loan move to send youth player Ruben Sammut out on loan to Barrow of the Vanarama National League for the season. The young Scotsman had just arrived at the Stadium of Light from Chelsea and will be looking to prove himself in the fifth tier of English football.

The last bit of news before our first game of the update isn;t transfer related but will impact the club finances nonetheless. Just a few days before Manchester United are set to visit our home ground, the game has been selected for airing on TV.


This is welcome news as it means the club gets an extra £20,000 for a game we were already due to play and we also get to show our development to a wider audience. Let's just the squad take the chance to prove what they can do before the main season gets underway.



The starting 11 for today is once again being used to get as much of the squad fit as possible. Bali Mumba makes his first start of the pre-season and Max Power returns to the first team line up, as well as Tom Flanagan who seem to be past their short-term injury woes. Lennard Sowah jumps in at the deep end with a start in his first available match and Marc McNulty makes his first official appearance as a striker for the club.

The Black Cats kick off under the lukewarm showers of British summer once more and look in fine fettle from the opening whistle. The red-and-white back line remains camped around the half way point and spray the ball forward to create chances. Sunderland keep looking dangerous but find it hard to truly break down a dogged Chesterfield defence. The first real chance of the game comes from a cross by new-man Sowah who lofts a ball over the top to find the run of Watmore. He controls the ball and lets fly but his tame shot is easily gathered by Jalal in the Chesterfield goal. Not a moment he'll look back on fondly and a chance he should have taken.

Sunderland's search for a lead continues and they almost find it through striker Marc McNulty. Another good ball from Sowah find his head in the box, free and in space, but a poor connection allows Jalal to pluck it from the air. McNulty was presented with an even better chance moments later as a lovely bit of build-up play from the back allowed Bali Mumba to feed the ball between two Chesterfield defenders. McNulty burst from his onside position and latched onto the ball but his shot was easily read by Jalal who got pushed it wide.

It almost came down to the defenders to put Sunderland in the lead in the 30th minute as Alim Ozturk launched a free kick into the box from deep. The ball looped away from the mass of players and looked to be going out to the right hand side before Flanagan's head connected with it. His bullet header looked destined for goal were it not for the outstretched hands of Chesterfield's keeper, who caught the ball and held it well.

But after such brilliant athletics came an embarrassing moment for the stopper. His goal kick from the save was easily recovered by Sunderland's defence and played into the midfield. A long ball over the top from the young Bali Mumba found the run of McNulty. Learning from his previous mistake, the striker pulled Jalal to the side of his goal with his run before slotting the ball home into the bottom corner in the 31st minute. 1-0 to Sunderland

After going behind, Chesterfield's defence became sat even deeper as they packed players into their own box to frustrate Sunderland's efforts. Try as they might, Sunderland couldn't create any further opportunities in the first half and went in at the break with just a 1 goal lead. Early in the second half, Jalal came close to an even greater calamity as he spilled a free kick from Max Power in the 48th minute. His full-back Laurence Maguire burst to the line and cleared the loose ball into touch before any further damage could be done. The resulting throw-in led to a mad scramble in the box which almost saw Watmore drill a shot into the net but his effort was blocked and cleared quickly.

Sunderland continued to find the second half as frustrating as the first and chances didn't come easily. It wasn't until the 74th minute that a clear moment to score came up again. A corner from Chesterfield midfielder Jon Smith was caught amongst a sea of people by McLaughlin in the Sunderland goal. His long ball up the pitch found Watmore in oceans of space. Watmore didn't waste what was a rare opportunity in this game and burst into the box before rifling his shot into the far left side of the goal. Unlike his previous effort, there was no stopping this one for Chesterfield's goalie. 2-0 to Sunderland

Another blunder from Jalal in goal almost cost his team again as Sunderland won a free kick in the 84th minute on the edge of the box through Embleton. McGeough's whipped strike was dropped and almost saw McNulty tuck it away until Jamie Sharman intervened. And it wasn't long before McGeough was causing problems again. A Maguire corner in the 92nd minute allowed the midfielder to try a shot from inside the six yard box. The strike rebounded straight back onto the feet of McGeough who forced a save from Jalal, Chesterield avoided any further disaster and saw out the rest of the game, leaving Sunderland with a convincing victory to take home.




After the Chestefield game, news came through from the medical team that Luke O'Nien had picked up a knock during the match. Thankfully nothing too serious but it might keep him out of the next match...


.. which won't even be happening. Just three days before the match was scheduled to take place, Man United cancel the fixture after opting for a bigger payday against Barcelona at the Nou Camp. Obviously, this is disappointing news to the club and the fans who were looking forward to welcoming such a prestigious side to the Stadium of Light but I guess these things happen in business.


Thankfully, there are still some more professional clubs left to deal with in the North West and a new game has been set up against Burnley. Although it is set for the day after the originally scheduled match against Man U, we hope it will make up for the letdown regarding the game that was meant to take place. Frankly, we didn't want to go up against Manchester United anyway and playing Brexitball with Dyche's lads sounds like a much more fun weekday evening anyway. So there.



We revert back to a more regular first team set-up for this game. After psyching them up for a match against the Red Devils, they'll be raring to go against this Burnley side this evening. Willis and Flanagan partner up at centre-back to give us some extra speed on the recovery and Duncan Watmore jumps above Gooch after impressing in his last appearance and in training.

Sunderland get the game underway and manage to maintain control from the get go. Neither team creates a huge amount of inroads but Burnley are reduced to only 31% possession in the first 10 minutes. Matej Vydra thought he had a chance to put Burnley in the lead but the linesman's flag went up before he could get the ball out of his feet. Sunderland's dominance began to pay off as it yielded the first shot on target of the match. Conor McLaughlin's cross from the right hand side overshot his target in the middle but McGeady managed salvage the chance and put the ball back across. Will Grigg found himself in space six yards out, only to produce an attempt not up to quality of his position. His volley barely challenged the veteran Joe Hart in the Burnley net who gobbled the strike up with no sense of panic. An excellent goal kick from Hart into the midfield opened up a move for Jay Rodriguez who down the other end of the field. His shot tested McLaughlin but he managed to push it over the bar for a corner kick.

From that point on, the game evened out as both teams tried to find their rightful place in the tie. The opportunities weren't forthcoming, an effort from Chris Maguire in the 31st minute was a highlight as it forced a strong save from Hart. Burnley carved out a chance of their own, again through their keeper, as a long pass opened up space for Lennon to whip the ball into the box for Vydra. Sunderland's centre back pair were on him before he get try for goal however and the game remained all square. But Burnley's strong football would not be denied much longer and they eventually took the lead. A long ball from Cork over to the left hand side set Jay Rodriguez through on goal. He was forced wide by his marker but aimed for his target man in the middle. A picture-perfect cross was too tempting for Chris Wood to pass up and his thumping header crashed into the back of the net. 1-0 to Burnley

Sunderland came close to equalising before the break as Jordan Willis rose above everyone in the box to meet a Maguire free kick, only to see his header sail north of the bar. The two teams went into half time equal in the stats but not equal on the scoreboard. As Burnley started the second half with the ball, they kept their control in the game and did their best to pin Sunderland back. Sunderland mustered a few chances early on, their best through Watmore who took control of a De Bock cross before drilling the shot into the back of the legs of Erik Pieters, but they didn't find success. Burnley had their chances as well, producing a quick double salvo in the 56th minute as a lax pass from McLaughlin at right-back was picked off by Gudmondsson. His shot was pushed aside by Sunderland's keeper but he was forced to dive when the resulting corner was sent towards his bottom left side. Two strong hands behind the ball from the Scotsman kept his team in it.

Despite being behind, Sunderland kept pressing their opponents all over the pitch. Eventually, cracks began to appear and Sunderland made sure to take advantage. A hurried series of passes saw James Tarkowski loft the ball upfield. Rather than finding it's way to safety, it found the feet of De Bock. The ball quickly descended on Burnley's defense along with a wave of Sunderland players. In the ensuing panic, substitutes Embleton and O'Nien managed to link up as the latter received a sublime slide rule pass from his teammate. O'Nien's crossing was up to it's usual standard as he picked out the run of striker Will Grigg at the front post. The forward did the cross justice as he headed it past Joe Hart to draw the game level in the 69th minute. Sunderland equalise, 1-1

Not looking to rest on their laurels and see out a draw, Sunderland went straight back on the attack from the restart and almost took the lead. Another brilliant pass from O'Nien found De Bock on the left hand side in space at the edge of the box. De Bock saw his chance and aimed for goal with a powerful drive that stung the palms of Hart in goal. The ball spilled into the 6 yard box but James Tarkowski had the awareness to make a key clearance. A desire for another goal almost cost Sunderland down the other end as they packed the box for a long free kick in the 76th minute. De Bock's ball in wandered too far wide and set up Burnley for a fierce counter attack. Jay Rodriguez found himself one-on-one with Jon McLaughlin but was denied by the keeper to hold it all level. But the draw was not meant to last as Westwood's corner was sent goalwards by Rodriguez's head. McLaughlin dove off his line to stop the effort but it beat his clawing hands before he could properly react. De Bock remained in position to block the attempt, only to be overwhelmed by a charging Chris Wood who forced the ball over the line. 2-1 to Burnley

Sunderland battled hard for a late goal but Burnley had found themselves in a position they'd come to occupy so often at league level. Knowing a victory would be imminent if they resisted Sunderland's advances, they held onto their lead like a mother to a newborn child and handed Sunderland their second defeat of the pre-season.




In the midst of one of the battles on the field against the Clarets, it appears that Will Grigg picked up a knock to his ankle. Another small injury to add to the list for this pre-season which will keep out of our final match before league action starts.


In another piece of transfer news, Chairman Stewart Donald has made a move for youngster Zak Dearnley. The former Man Utd youngster who recently left the flaky club will join with the youth ranks at the Academy of Light on a three year deal worth £171,000. We hope he will bring a strong level of desire and ability to the youth system here at Sunderland.


In the last friendly before we head into our first league game in a week's time, we send out a line-up in this afternoon's game to give every player one last game to build their fitness. Young Bali Mumba starts in midfield again and is joined on the left wing by fellow Academy youngster Ben Kimpioka. Wyke starts up front and new arrival Lennard Sowah gets another start as Luke O'Nien takes the captain's armband.

Sunderland start the game and dominate from the off. rarely succeeding possession to their opposition and creating oodles of space going forward. The chances flow freely and Sunderland should have taken an early lead as Gooch fizzed a ball across the six yard box in the 5th minute. Kimpioka connected but failed to put his foot through the ball as he saw it flash wide of the post. The young winger was involved in the next big chance of the game too as Bali Mumba found him out wide in space. Ben used the space well and drove to the edge of the box before sending a cross in to the box. Charlie Wyke managed to reach the ball but couldn't aim for goal. The striker didn't let this phase him though and played the ball back to the feet of Embleton. The midfielder saw his chance and rifled the ball goalwards, his powerful strike ricocheting against the right corner of the bar and the upright and away.

The Black Cats continued to find joy in the wide areas as crosses rained down on Darlington's box. Another good ball from the left by Sowah found the feet of Gooch who tried to pick out the bottom left corner, instead finding the green open space on the wrong side of the post. Darlington began to crave under the pressure from the pressing attack and conceded a series of free kicks around the keeper's area. A first from McGeough was easily cleared but a second attempt by the midfielder caused problems. As the ball flew atop the sea of players, it was a Sunderland head who rose above them all to send it goalwards. The ball hit the back of the net on the cusp of the 26th minute and it was centre-back Jordan Willis who celebrated a well-deserved goal for his team. 1-0 to Sunderland

Moments after conceding a first, Darlington almost found themselves 2 down from another set piece. After a poor clearance of a corner from McGeough, captain Luke O'Nien found himself in acres of space just outside the 18 yard box and let rip with an effort. The Darlington keeper was forced to dive for it but to his relief, it was just too high over his crossbar. The perilous situation almost repeated itself a minute later as Alim Ozturk's curved free-kick was cleared into the back of Elliot Embleton's legs. Wyke turned to shoot but was closed down quickly by Darlington centre-back Galbraith.

An air of complacency fell over the Sunderland squad, and they were almost punished late in the first half as Darlington cleared a throw-in well up the field. Midfielder Thompson managed to hold the ball up as his teammates ran to join him in the attack. His ball through to Rivers was quickly returned to him as he manoeuvred into the box. His headed attempt will have left him disappointed as it flew over the crossbar and left his team without a shot on target for the first half. It seemed that would be the last goal-line action of the half but a lofty clearance from Burge allowed Charlie Wyke to bring the ball down high up the field. His ball out wide eventually made its way to O'Nien who aimed a deep cross to the back post. It found Kimpioka who unleashed a much better strike than his first attempt. However, it still wasn't good enough to beat Bilboe in the Darlington net who had enough about him to push it aside.

Sunderland's second half was played like most of their first. Confident in their position and of the result, they didn't force anything going forward and used the time to get their passing rhythm going. A couple of headers within mere seconds of each other forced saves from Bilboe but were nothing special. Sunderland continued to play with Darlington like a cat with a dead mouse until a clear opportunity opened up in the 69th minute. Max Power saw Wyke in the hole between the two opposing centre-backs and found him perfectly. Wyke's shot was strong yet aimed straight at the keeper who produced the save. The shots on target continued to be few and far between until the final minutes where a botched challenge on substitute Maguire saw Darlington's left back incapacitated on the turf. A fresh Conor McLaughlin saw his chance and whipped a ball in which McGeady sent goalward. It ran through the defenders and found it's way under the keeper into the bottom right in the 88th minute. 2-0 to Sunderland

Sunderland again returned to their comfort zone after doubling the lead and watched as Darlington chased them all over the pitch for the ball. All hope wasn't lost for the home side as they won a late free-kick on the halfway line but need to produce better as the resulting chance was stopped easily by Burge. Sunderland forced a late effort of their own as a McGeady free kick found McNulty on the move. Running backwards seemed to make it hard for McNulty to connect with the ball and his header was going wide of the mark before a Darlington defender hoofed it upfield for good measure. Sunderland earned a late corner but before they could take it, the whistle went to the relief of a ragged Darlington side who did well to hold the game at 2-0. Facing 18 shots on their goal and having not found the target at the other end, the scoreline could have been a much uglier sight were it not for some dogged defending on their part.



And with that result in the bag, pre-season comes to a successful end. But now, the hard yards start for this Sunderland team as they look on to a League One season full of potential hurdles and pitfalls.


5 wins in 7 games, including two solid performances against strong Premier League opposition, bodes well for Sunderland's campaign. That is, as long as they can recreate the solid defending they produced against smaller teams and keep creating chances at the same rate. If the attitude that saw them concede a third against Leicester rears it's ugly head or they don't punish teams while they're in control, they could slip up easily. These things can be worked but the team will need to produce on the pitch when they find themselves in the moments that matter.


As we can see in the season preview, Sunderland are predicted to seal the title by the numbers. But football games are not won on pen and paper and calculators, they are won out on the pitch and the Black Cats will have a long season ahead before they can be thinking of trophies and triumph.


In their first six games of the league season, Sunderland have a chance to make their mark on the table. An opening day clash against potential top 6 rivals Oxford United will be a good litmus test for their current standing which is quickly followed by tough games against recently relegated Ipswich and another promotion candidate in Portsmouth who also beat Sunderland in last season's EFL Trophy final at Wembley. Their next three games should be a good chance to build points for their season ahead and a match against fellow League One side Burton gives Sunderland a hope of a positive start to their cup affairs.

Next time, I'll be covering Sunderland's first three league matches of the EFL League One season up to our match with Portsmouth, as well as our EFL Cup tie against fellow League One side Burton Albion. We'll also be finding out who our opponents will be in the group stage of the EFL Trophy. Once again, thanks for reading and I hope to see you in the next update. And as always, ha'wey the lads!

Are you a Mackem in real life? I'm a Geordie myself so expect some friendly banter. Following.

I'm actually a Huddersfield Town fan in real life. I'll let you decide for yourself whether that's better or worse.

On a serious note, thank you so much for the follow. Glad you're enjoying the series so far.

Get the Lads back to the big time.

Like the in depth match reports but maybe once the season starts, you could condense the reports into a monthly round-up. Just a thought.
Otherwise, a very good start here.

I was thinking as soon as I'd done the first update that the reports might be too long but I didn't want to stop doing them in case people liked them. Think I'll consider toning them down from the start of the season or people are gonna get sick of it before Christmas!

Thanks for the advice man. Like I said in the initial introduction, this is my first time doing this so I appreciate all the help I can get.

Huddersfield eh. Well you get a pass this time mate! Keep the updates coming, very good so far. Just remember to throw the Tyne - Wear derby when you get to play us in the Prem

The moment of truth has arrived. Can this Sunderland team, under a new unknown manager, hit the ground running and kick-start their season? Or are the fans of Sunderland AFC destined for another season of disappointment?

Before Sunderland could get things well underway in the league, they hoped some early fortune might fall their way in the form of an easy draw for the EFL Trophy.

While not a terrible set of games to be added onto the schedule, another away day against a Burton side they would already be facing another three times in the space of a year, as well as a potential banana peel against Liverpool's strong U23's side, were certainly food for thought. But it was a month before they had to worry about any of these fixtures and their minds needed to be focused on the here and now as their work gets underway in earnest.



Watching on as their club encounters their first challenge of the new campaign will be over 23,000 season ticket holders as confirmed by the ticket office before we kick-off in the opening game at home. Their raucous cheering and chanting are sure to inspire the team to a top-notch performance. And they will need a performance to overturn an Oxford United side who they failed to get a victory against last year, having to settle for two 1-1 draws.





Starting as we mean to go on, Sunderland name their strongest possible team with debuts for Willis, Lynch and De Bock. McNulty loses a place he had carved out on the bench after a dispute with manager Ruud over his commitment in training.

The Black Cats fought hard from the get-go but a physical and determined Oxford side held them off as best they could. Some Sunderland players returned the favour, with Grigg picking up a booking for a shove on the goalkeeper which allowed a McGeady cross to fly into the back of the net and Lynch receiving another card soon after. The opening goal of the contest didn't appear until the 58th minute and was only the second shot on target for Sunderland as Leadbitter sent a rocket into the top corner from the edge of the box. Two more goals almost came in extra time but Oxford again proved themselves to be a strong opponent with the match ending at just 1-0. A tough first day at the office but a solid starting victory as the club captain lead from the front.



After adding three points to their standing in the table, Sunderland announced some further additions to the club's staff. New Director of Football David Moss, formerly of Huddersfield Town and Celtic, was introduced to the backroom staff and quickly sought to make an impact by negotiating the signing of young full-back Kris Owens on a free transfer from Welsh club Gap Connah's Quay. The former Liverpool joins on a 1 year deal worth £20,000. Has Moss jumped the gun in his quest to make his mark at the club or does Owens have a bright future ahead of him at the Stadium of Light? The fans aren't too keen on the young lad but he will have his chances to prove his worth later on.


Up next for the Black Cats in their pursuit of glory is a top of the table clash against promotion rivals Ipswich. Fresh off a late victory against Sunderland's EFL Cup opponents Burton Albion, Ipswich are hoping to ride the wave of confidence that a 93rd minute winner unquestionably brings you as they look to reclaim the place in the Championship that they forfeited last season.


Standing in their way is another strong Sunderland team that is also looking to keep the good times rolling. George Dobson is handed his league debut in the middle with last Saturday's man of the match Grant Leadbitter. They play in front of pacey centre-back pairing Willis and Flanagan. Sowah also makes his first official appearance as Gooch steps back into the first team fold. Grigg falls to the bench as a slight knock sees his starting spot upfront taken by Charlie Wyke.

To the surprise of the exuberant Ipswich crowd, Sunderland completely dominate the ball from the off and force the Tractor Boys to run around their own pitch in search of possession. Ipswich didn't take long to crack as a sublime passage of play allowed Lynden Gooch to head home an opener for his team in the 30th minute. As the first half moved into the second, Ipswich's frailties were put on show again as McGeady moved through their box unopposed before slotting the ball through the keeper's legs. Although they tried late on to get something from the game and almost found a consolation goal through Judge, the shot was as poor as the rest of their performance which saw them dominated in their own ground.



The way the performances were coming together for them, the Sunderland players didn't want a break from league action but EFL Cup duties came calling.


A home game against Burton Albion, one of four clashes they would experience with the Brewers in the campaign, allowed Ruud to send out a more reserved 11 whilst still testing his opposition. Lee Burge was handed the chance to test his gloves in a competitive setting for the first time as a team of youngsters and less featured player got to stand up and be counted.

Burton took advantage of the less sharp members of the Sunderland squad lined up against and sought to control the flow of the match as they kicked off. Both teams struggled to create anything meaningful before the half time whistle went, a strong shot from Kimpioka was a rare highlight despite the fact it flew over the bar. Even though they created the only real meaningful chance of the half, Sunderland were noticeably on the back foot for the first 45. The second half is when they truly came to life and played the football of their more established peers. A poor shot from Watmore that the keeper easily caught sparked life into the game late on as both teams looked to punish with set pieces yet the game remained level. A strike from Power almost opened the scoring and as it whistled past the post, the cloud of extra time loomed over the Stadium of Light. It was in the 90th minute when a wild ball from Conor McLaughlin picked out substitute Chris Maguire at the back post. His fresh legs saw him meet the pass with vigour as he thumped it home with his head. Sunderland fans rejoiced as a late winner finally came their way for once. Ruud's risks paid off as his back-up brigade sealed passage to the 2nd round.



After seeing of Burton, Sunderland were looking forward to who awaited them in their next EFL Cup fixture. They didn't have to wait long as the draw commenced a day later. As they and all the other first round victors were joined by the giants of the Premier League, Sunderland would be visiting one of the new additions as they were drawn away to Norwich City.

While not ideal, there were definitely some much harder opponents to overcome that could have been sent Sunderland's way. And an away day to a Premier League ground is always great for the fans who can surely hope for an upset based their team's recent performances.

And before the excitement of the cup had even died down, Sunderland were diving straight back into league action and possibly their biggest test so far. Welcoming Portsmouth all the way from the south coast justifiably filled the minds of some home fans with dread. Flashbacks to the similar trip they'd made the year before down to the nation's capital where Pompey handed them their first Wembley loss of two last season were still fresh in the mind. But those harsh memories only inspired the Sunderland players who'd felt the pain of defeat and were determined not to be burdened with it a second time.


6 of the players from the previous season's EFL Trophy final clash returned to the starting line-up against the 4th placed Blues. Embleton received a second start in a row due to Chris Maguire being marked as a possible injury risk.

Attempting to avoid the mistakes that cost them so dearly last time, Sunderland set up strong and made sure the ball moved quickly around their back line. When the ball went forward in the opening moments, it went forward well and Sunderland were almost in the lead within 7 minutes as De Bock tested MacGillivray in the Pompey goal. Sunderland had a few more close chances throughout the first half but their dominance of the ball provided no dominance in the scoreline as the half ended 0-0. Their strong showing continued into the second half and Portsmouth were held under pressure for long periods. A shot by Max Power worthy of his surname forced a great save in the 69th minute but it was through Lynden Gooch that they finally found a lead after a quick series of passes saw him in the six yard box to punish the opponent. Despite some shaky defending at the death which had the Sunderland faithful thinking that the ghosts of Wembley had travelled north were, the lads saw the result out and got a well deserved three points to continue their dominant opening run.




So after three games in the league and a successful cup appearance, the team appear to be playing extremely well. While not blowing opponents away on the scoreline, 4 wins from 4 games is never something to turn your nose up at and the games have been won well and without a single goal conceded by a Sunderland keeper.


In terms of league position, Sunderland's stint at the top proved short-lived as a Peterborough team enjoying a great vein of form overtook them just a couple of hours later on goal difference. Regardless, the club are well on target for this point in the season and can be happy with where they are. They will need to keep an eye on Peterborough though, as they look to be a seriously dangerous outfit.

So next time, I'll be playing through the second half of Autumn as we continue in the league and also aim to reach the chairman's minimum target of a third round appearance in the League Cup against Norwich. Culminating in our first TV appearance of the season against currently first place Peterborough, this could really prove to be a huge month in the future of Sunderland AFC, so make sure to check in next time. Thank you for joining me in opening our first season of this Sunderland save and as always, ha'wey the lads!

As the members of the Sunderland first-team have been catching the eye with their strong start to the season, it seems that some members of the youth ranks have had a few eager eyes looking their way. Before our opening game of the update against Rochdale, we have a transfer update for three Academy of Light fixtures in Andrias Edmundsson, Connor Slack & Lee Connelly. The club wants to see the same desire and determination that has been produced by their senior counterparts as Andy and Connor head off to Gateshead and Lee makes his way to Torquay.

The three young loanees leave behind a Sunderland side that is under massive pressure to perform in their next few matches.

With a top of the table clash scheduled for the month's end and a cup mismatch just three days earlier, the red and white brigade are in for a tough run, starting with a rough and ready Rochdale side.



Rochdale are in 19th as the game gets set to kick-off but there current league standing is no reflection of the team that Sunderland are up against. Up for a scrappy game of football with the best of them, the manager opts for a strong 11 to try and guarantee a result in what could be an early slipping point for Sunderland's title hopes.

The game pans out just as you would expect early on as both teams try to dominate the game with everything they have. Sunderland almost have an early lead through Grigg but a close range header from the star striker crashes off the bar to his disappointment. The pendulum of control swings the way of Sunderland as they take the game by the horns. Gooch is embarrassingly denied from 3 yards out by the keeper as Rochdale hold firm but their hard work is undone as Grigg is ragged to the floor in the midst of the resulting corner. Grigg puts the team ahead in the 36th minute which only seeks to infuriate the home side. In front of a raucous home crowd, Rochdale take their frustrations towards the referee out on the opposition as the match degrades into a series of petty fouls and challenges. Sunderland are forced to sit back off their opponents just to calm the game down. Just as they seem happy to take their goal and leave, a powerful ball up to Gooch on the right opens up an opportunity for the travelling unit. Sensing their chance, Gooch fires a ball in to a marauding Grigg. His header is wild and flies backwards where it is picked by the fresh Embleton. His quick pass back to the front man allows Grigg to get in close to the keeper and power the ball past him for his second of the night. A resolute defensive job by Sunderland sees them over the finish line with another clean sheet, despite a few frantic forays forward by a Rochdale side desperate for a goal. Another impressive win on both fronts by Sunderland as they head home with 2 goals and denied Rochdale a single shot on their goal.




On the back of their triumph against a rather hostile Rochdale team, disappointment spreads around the camp as the first serious injury of the campaign arrives. After a miskick in training, Dylan McGeough is ruled out of action for at least two weeks. Not the start the Scottish midfielder will have hope for as it will likely see him miss a few games he would have likely started in.

But the team marches on and not to be disheartened, head into their next game against Wimbledon in high spirits.



While Wimbledon have started their season well and find themselves in 8th place, a catastrophic 6-2 loss to Fleetwood Town has left a small black cloud over what could lead to be a bright season for the might Wombles. Eager to pile on another disappointing loss to their 19/20 record, Ruud Bhoy sends out a near full first-team lineup with youngsters Bali Mumba and Elliot Embleton looking to make their mark against the Kingsmeadow outfit.

Early chances are plenty for Sunderland in this one and Watmore should have taken his first but blasts a cross from Lennard Sowah down the keeper's throat. Wimbledon soon rallied to fight back but the wind was taken from their sails as Jordan Willis headed home from an Ozturk free kick. On his birthday no less, the centre-back did what he does best and rose like salmon on helium to clobber an excellent free kick from his Turkish counterpart to beat Wimbledon's goalie for the first time in 241 competitive minutes. The lead was increased just over 15 minutes later as Watmore made up for his earlier blushes by thumping a second Sowah cross into the net with his head to consolidate the team's lead before the first half.

The dominance from the Black Cats continues into the second half as their threat to the Wimbledon back line shows no signs of letting up. A dangerous ball in towards substitute McNulty forced a kamikaze challenge from Nightingale which forced the referee to give Sunderland their second penalty of the season in as many games. Duncan Watmore made a beeline for the centre-spot and justified his confidence with a thunderous spot kick to make it 3. Not wanting to be shown up for a second time so soon this season, the Wombles fought hard in the last 20 minutes to get something from the game but it just wasn't their day. An incredible five misses for Folivi, who probably wishes he'd stayed back on the bench, capped off a terrible performance for Wimbledon as they succumbed to a brilliant Sunderland performance.







Sunderland were riding such a huge wave of momentum into their midweek EFL Cup game. And fortunately for them, the same couldn't be said about the team they were making their way to play. With three losses in their first three games on return to the Premier League, Norwich had a point to prove as they welcomed the Black Cats and sought to kick-start a season that was barely sparking. Knowing that elimination at this stage would mean a cross word with chairman Stewart Donald, Ruud Bhoy looked to stack further misery on Farke's boys with a full first team heading out onto the pitch.

The resulting game was a hard affair for the casual but was played like a chess match between two sides who knew one mistake could open the floodgates to a skilled opposition. Possession ebbed and flowed throughout the tie as both teams seemed hesitant to pull the killswitch. Sunderland thought they might have taken the lead just before half time as a mad scramble saw Will Grigg fire the ball over the line but a linesman's flag denied him the satisfaction of a first cup goal. Almost egged on by this, Norwich came into the second half a different outfit altogether. Pushing Sunderland to the limit for the first half, their Northern opposition hold firm and deny a flurry of chances that come their way. The Mackems return the favour towards the end of the match with a few attempts of their own but Norwich keep them out until the final whistle.

A dreaded penalty shoot-out will make the decision that the 90 minutes couldn't. A good start from Will Grigg is followed up by two exceptional saves from Jon McLaughlin, plucking the ball from the air like a cat often does with canaries. Bali Mumba was presented with a chance at a star-making moment but caved under the pressure as his tame penalty was saved. The opportunity was passed to Maguire who made sure it was taken as his penalty rippled the bottom corner of the net. In the most heart-breaking fashion, Norwich's early-season woes were deepened as Sunderland looked on to the 3rd round.



By the narrowest of margins, Sunderland had booked their spot in the next round of the EFL Cup and hoped for a slightly less stressful go of it come next month. As the balls were drawn, their prayers were somewhat answered as they received a home tie against Blackburn Rovers.

Certainly not a walkover game but much better than getting the likes of Chelsea or Arsenal or a match against Manchester United that they couldn't back out of. I'm not even still mad about it, I really don't get why you guys keep bringing it up.

And to cap off what had been an already incredibly successful month for them, Sunderland had another away day to the Midlands against Peterborough United.



In possibly their toughest test so early in the season, Peterborough are on a run of form that somewhat mirrors Sunderland;s own. While they found themselves out of the League Cup in the 1st round, this Peterborough side has achieved a 5 match unbeaten run in which they'd only conceded in one game. It looked this may be a case of the irresistible force colliding with an immovable object. Another worry for Ruud Bhoy was the toll the Norwich game had taken on his first choice 11. A hard fought mid week game forced him to make changes that Peterborough didn't as Kimpioka and a recently recovered Flanagan stepped into the side.

The boys in blue made no bones about where their early success had come from as they took the opposition to task. A dominant display from the hosts in the first few minutes piled pressure onto Sunderland, who's only real response came from a shot through Lennard Sowah who forced a spillage from the keeper. The clearance by Peterborough's defence didn't get far and found it's way to Grant Leadbitter only 20 yards out. His strike looked set to put his side in front until it clipped the head of Grigg. Stood in an offside position, he gave the linesman no choice but to rule out what would have been an incredible opener. Coming so close to taking the lead seemed to buoy the Sunderland team and they breathed new life into their game and began to produce the head-on clash many pundits had been expecting. As the first half ended, both teams their keepers tested but the game remained goalless. After the break, Sunderland kept turning the dial as their chances kept coming and the pressure now sat on Peterborough's shoulders. In a disappointing final 30 minutes, Peterborough sat their men back and sought to break up Sunderland's play with a series of tactical fouls. Sunderland pulled the game infield to reduce the impact of the opposing wing backs. As the final whistle went, more than a few fans felt they'd been robbed of a good game here by a Peterborough side that had a lot more to offer.



Overall, a draw against a team that had previously gone unbeaten is alright but is still disappointing when the team had the chances to take that could have won it. To make the whole thing more disappointing, a draw sees us overtaken at the top of the table by Wycombe who won their game to continue their undefeated streak against Wimbledon. Although it's only on goal difference, this picture isn't exactly what we were hoping for at the start of the month.

And as we end the month, as well as the transfer window, I think we can feel confident for the season based on our performances. Some of the teams we've come up against have even seem scared to actually play football against us. But after going six unbeaten in the league and advancing through two rounds of the League Cup, the building blocks of the future for this Sunderland team are really coming together.


So in the next update, we'll be continuing our journey through the league with matches against our vanquished cup rivals Burton Albion, relegation candidates Accrington and grossly underperforming Rotherham. But before then, we have our first venture into the EFL Trophy this season as we welcome Liverpool's Under 23 side in what should be an interesting match-up. Thanks for joining me for the end of August, I'll see you in the next update and as always, ha'wey the lads!