Football Season Review

Sunderland found themselves in the unfamiliar depths of League One after suffering back-to-back relegation, and entered the season with their sole goal being to bounce straight back up. They had a summer clear-out and signed Jack Ross as their new manager, with the general consensus being that they are too big a club to be in the third tier. Moreover, their fans decided to back them in numbers, as they constantly enjoyed crowds of a size never seen at this level. They started the season by scoring a stoppage time winner to beat Charlton 2:1, but ironically, missed out on promotion after a last-gasp goal condemned them to a defeat at the hands of the same opponents in the play-off final. The Black Cats spent the majority of the campaign battling for direct promotion and were inside the top two for a good chunk of the campaign. They slowed down in the late stages of the season, with their football becoming increasingly dull and pragmatic and ended up finishing as low as fifth in the table. They beat Portsmouth with an aggregate scoreline of 1:0 to reach Wembley, but were edged out by Charlton in the final despite being gifted the lead by the Addicks. Moreover, it was the second Wembley defeat they suffered in a space of only a few months, having also been beaten by Portsmouth in the EFL Trophy final. Given the size of the club and the quality available to Ross, Sunderland's season will unanimously be seen as a failure. It remains to be seen if their manager will be given another shot at delivering promotion.

Player of the Season: Aiden McGeady