John Wilson says…
I feel most individuals would have Ross Stewart of their checklist of favorite League One gamers. What a purchase that lad was. He turned nearly a cult hero for us, scoring targets from all angles and all variations. Among the finest scouting finds, even amongst the current scouting finds, he’ll at all times be welcomed again to the Stadium of Gentle.
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My second alternative could be Aiden McGeady. Each time we wanted some magic or some spark from someplace, Aiden would typically be that spark. It was a pleasure to observe his trickery, typically when there was no different pleasure available. Thanks, Geeds.
My third alternative could be Alex Pritchard. A diminutive determine, however with a fantastic footballing mind. He might spot a move and hold the sport ticking. A intelligent participant who at all times gave every part for the facet. It was the suitable determination to let him go after we did, however he was definitely a minimize above in League One.
Three nice gamers we had at that degree – however I’m so glad we’ve moved on!
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND – JANUARY 06: Alex Pritchard of Sunderland gestures through the Emirates FA Cup Third Spherical match between Sunderland and Newcastle United at Stadium of Gentle on January 06, 2024 in Sunderland, England. (Photograph by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Pictures)
Mark Wooden says…
In no explicit order, I’m going to go for:
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Ross Stewart
The Loch Ness Drogba had no straightforward job in our final season in League One, as he needed to fill the boots of Charlie Wyke, who, in lastly getting his act collectively on his personal final yr on Wearside, had hit 30 targets in all competitions in 2020-21. Not solely did he fill Wyke’s capturing boots, he instantly confirmed he was an improve in his total play. He might maintain the ball up and lead the road, he had some tempo to get behind defenders, he was good within the air – all of the issues that Wyke, who was extra of a poacher, wasn’t that nice at (sorry, Charlie). We reckoned in Stewart we had the very best striker in League One, and we have been most likely proper. Within the brief house of time he was match within the Championship, he was simply as efficient.
Alex Pritchard
It will most likely be a controversial alternative for some as a result of nature of his departure from Wearside, however when he joined in the summertime of 2021, he was a former £10 million Premier League participant who had been run out of Huddersfield, and we had picked him up on a free switch. No payment, no gamble in that respect, however he was nonetheless a threat, as the best way his profession was going at that time, he might have disappeared from the footballing radar if it had gone badly on Wearside. As an alternative, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than experiences have been coming from coaching that he seemed like a Premier League participant, and as soon as totally match, he turned a key participant for us all through a season during which we have been ultimately promoted. I keep in mind we performed Arsenal on the Emirates, and in a recreation the place we ended up getting turned over 5-1 ultimately, he was the one who actually gave the house staff a recreation. He was a category No.10 in League One, with a lot of our attacking play coming by means of him.
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Aiden McGeady
I used to be tempted to go for Dion Sanderson, who I assumed was a category act in his temporary run within the staff, however that will be a complete disservice to McGeady, who carried Sunderland for lots of his time when he was within the first staff. Whereas my first two selections get all of the glory for his or her one season which obtained us promoted, McGeady offered the bread-and-butter in that respect for a lot of the three years earlier than – even when Phil Parkinson banished him for a yr.
In our first season in League One, it was his play and a good few targets from Josh Maja which made a distinction to a reasonably common staff. He was our inventive menace, the talisman in Jack Ross’s staff, and I’ll always remember his gorgeous free-kick to place us forward at Wembley towards Portsmouth. Phil Parkinson handled him appallingly as a result of, for all that anybody could make of it, they only couldn’t get on collectively, however when he got here again below Lee Johnson, he confirmed us what had been lacking from our play. His annihilation of Doncaster full-back Brad Halliday in a 4-1 win on the Stadium of Gentle in February 2021 was as full a wing efficiency as you’ll ever see.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND – JUNE 30: Aiden McGeady pictured after signing a contract extension for Sunderland AFC at The Academy of Gentle on June 30, 2021 in Sunderland, England. (Photograph by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC through Getty Pictures)
Cal Mills says…
League One was a darkish time in our historical past, however fortunately there have been some shining lights while within the doldrums of English soccer. In no explicit order, my prime three favorite gamers from that period are Ross Stewart, Patrick Roberts, and Bailey Wright.
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Ross Stewart
Ross Stewart, AKA The Loch Ness Drogba, was an absolute discount from Ross County. Undecided the payment even reached 1 / 4 of 1,000,000 kilos. He did have a reasonably fast impact with a header away to Accrington Stanley. That summer time, we misplaced our 30-goal-a-season striker in Charlie Wyke, however his departure was rapidly forgotten about as The Scottish Drogba was bagging targets for enjoyable with a wonderful array of ending! His targets propelled us up the league and into the Championship, the place, if he wasn’t struck by damage and we’d had him for THAT play-off run, I really feel we’d have been promoted to the Premier League ahead of we ultimately have been.
Patrick Roberts
Patrick Roberts, AKA Mini Messi. Some known as him a cheat code in League One, and it’s onerous to argue that. Fleet of foot, wonderful shut ball management, and a penchant for a nutmeg, he lit up the league. It was at all times humorous to see somebody line up with quantity 77 on the again of their shirts like a Huge-Time Billy, however with how he would take the sport to the opposition, it was rapidly forgiven. He stuffed a void left by McGeady, for my part. An unbelievably inventive participant who might discover house in a telephone field with Gemma Collins. The injury-time equaliser away to Sheffield Wednesday, sending us to Wembley, won’t ever be forgotten. Very similar to Ross Stewart, he carried that kind on into the Championship, and we obtained to see arguably the very best link-up play with Amad since Grey and Johnson!
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Bailey Wright
Bailey Wright. Completely no-nonsense defender that you can depend on 9 occasions out of ten. I feel if he himself didn’t end the sport with a bandage spherical his head, he noticed it as a disappointment! To get him on an preliminary mortgage from Bristol Metropolis, on the time, was a stroke of genius, as he was a fan favorite and ever-present in The Robins’ beginning eleven. From powerful tackles to lengthy diagonal passes, he simply seemed a minimize above different defenders in League One. His first season was minimize brief by damage and Covid, however for the rest of our time within the league, he was an absolute stalwart on the again. Nice to see him having a wonderful profession over in Singapore, the place final season he scored seven targets as a centre-back! He didn’t rating as many with us, however what he was signed to do, he did with ease.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 21: Ross Stewart of Sunderland celebrates with the trophy after securing promotion to the Championship through the Sky Guess League One Play-Off Ultimate match between Sunderland and Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley Stadium on Could 21, 2022 in London, England. (Photograph by Marc Atkins/Getty Pictures)