had been a League One outfit when joined for £200,000 in January 2022. He signed a four-and-a-half-year deal and mentioned he had been assured the membership had been “aiming for larger and higher issues”.
He wouldn’t in his wildest goals have thought he could be scoring – 4 and a half years later – to assist ship the membership into Europe.
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However that’s precisely what the did on the ultimate day of this Premier League season.
The Black Cats got here good on their have to beat on the Stadium of Gentle to cap off a formidable return to the highest flight with a spot in subsequent season’s Europa League.
Northern Eire worldwide Hume’s first-time volley previous Robert Sanchez obtained the celebration began on the Stadium of Gentle, and it reached a pinnacle at full-time when the membership’s return to Europe after 53 years was sealed.
Promotion into the Championship in Hume’s first season with Sunderland was adopted by final season’s ascent to the highest flight, each steps up the ladder coming through the play-offs.
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“Final yr was emotional for me because it was a dream to play within the Premier League,” Hume advised BBC Match of the Day.
“I did not suppose we may get right here and make Europe, however we’ve got performed it. We’ll give it every thing subsequent season.”
Sunderland’s rise from the third tier of English soccer to the Premier League and now Europa League in simply 4 years is nothing in need of exceptional.
Head coach Regis le Bris advised BBC Match of the Day after Sunday’s 2-1 win over an expensively assembled Chelsea: “It is wonderful. Excellent.
“The stadium is loopy now and the followers deserve this. The planets aligned immediately however we wanted to do the job. We had been solely centered on our recreation – even at half-time.”
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However how did Sunderland do it? Here’s a take a look at their exceptional journey.
‘An enormous collective achievement’
4 years in the past, Sunderland beat Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 within the League One play-off last at Wembley Stadium to start a journey few may have predicted.
Nevertheless it was not till in 2024 after sixth-place and Sixteenth-place finishes within the Championship that their trajectory actually modified.
Within the French head coach’s first season in cost, Sunderland completed 24 factors behind and within the computerized promotion spots and managed simply 58 objectives in 46 video games.
They required an injury-time winner to edge previous Coventry Metropolis within the play-off semi-final and had been clear underdogs within the last in opposition to Sheffield United.
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However the Black Cats got here from behind at Wembley, scoring one other injury-time winner by way of Tom Watson to safe a Premier League return for the primary time in eight years.
Precisely one yr later, Sunderland are sitting fairly among the many elite.
Not many anticipated Sunderland to outlive within the high flight, by no means thoughts thrive.
In every of the earlier two campaigns, all three promoted groups had been relegated straight again to the Championship.
However ‘ facet bucked the development and have gone neck-and-neck in opposition to the extra established sides.
“It is a large collective achievement,” Le Bris mentioned.
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“What we confirmed final season and this was being collectively. We may be bold, however we’ve got to work exhausting. The followers are actually essential – they’re an enormous a part of this membership. It is a group and we’re proud to signify them.”
Sunderland completed seventh with 54 factors – simply six behind Liverpool within the Champions League locations – after 14 wins, 12 attracts and 12 defeats.
Their tally is probably the most by a newly promoted facet since in 2020-21 (59 factors), whereas their seventh-place end is the perfect by a newly promoted staff since Wolves in 2018-19 (seventh).
They’re additionally solely the tenth newly promoted Premier League facet to qualify for Europe and simply the fifth to take action through a league end after (1993-94), (1994-95), Ipswich City (2000-01) and Wolves (2018-19).
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The win over Chelsea on the ultimate day accomplished a league double over the Blues.
Chelsea suffered the identical destiny as Sunderland’s north-east rivals Newcastle, who had been crushed each house and away by the staff led by Le Bris.
Sunderland additionally held champions , runners-up and to creditable attracts – to call however a couple of spectacular outcomes.
“The fortress that’s the Stadium of Gentle, the environment, choosing up the quantity of factors that they’ve there’s unbelievable,” mentioned former striker on BBC Ultimate Rating.
“These followers going away in Europe subsequent season, they should be buzzing.”
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Summer time funding pays off
Trai Hume was a part of the facet that beat Wycombe within the League One play-off last in 2022 [Getty Images]
Sunderland spent £161m on 15 new gamers after gaining promotion to the Premier League.
The season earlier than, the three promoted sides – Leicester, Southampton and Ipswich – spent a mixed £276.5m however returned to the Championship with the bottom mixed factors whole of relegated sides in Premier League historical past.
Basically, spending huge isn’t any assure of survival. However spending huge and spending effectively is what Sunderland achieved.
“A variety of gamers got here in final summer time and there have been questions, however Le Bris created that tradition and philosophy,” mentioned White.
He has managed to seamlessly embed these signings into his system and extract the perfect from them – making a squad that appears far larger than the sum of its elements.
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, for a reported £21.6m payment, has proved a key addition up entrance with a club-high seven Premier League objectives, whereas defender , , has introduced management and expertise.
The seems to be like a steal now as the previous Arsenal man has dictated in midfield, whereas has been excellent.
‘s vitality and skilful ball-carrying capability have additionally been essential, underlining Sunderland’s good recruitment as they constructed a squad able to competing on the highest degree.
“It hasn’t sunk in but,” Hume mentioned. “Coming as much as the beginning of the season, I do not suppose anybody gave us an opportunity to remain up, not to mention Europe.
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“We have labored our socks off and absolutely deserve that. A particular point out to the followers who’re the heartbeat of the membership and so they have been by way of some robust occasions.”
Former Premier League striker added on Ultimate Rating: “Le Bris has performed a unbelievable job at Sunderland getting the gamers collectively and making all of them imagine that they’ll do it, and so they can do something they put their minds to.”
With Europa League added to their schedule subsequent season, the take a look at now could be whether or not Sunderland can carry this momentum on to the continental stage.