Sunderland fans will be loving pitch-side footage of manager Alex Neil celebrating the club’s win that takes them into League One play-off final.
After beating Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 at home in the first-leg, the Black Cats made the return trip to Hillsborough just needing a draw to get into the final stage of promotion.
However, Wednesday striker Lee Gregory cancelled out the away team’s lead 74 minutes into the game. With the match looking destined for extra time, though, Patrick Roberts then scored a winner in the 93rd minute.
As soon as the ball hit the back of the net, manager Neil was caught on camera displaying his pure emotion.
There has been a lack of passion shown at the club at times in the past and things weren’t looking great when Alex Neil first took charge as the Black Cats had lost their last three, but there now seems to be that real positive spirit, grit and determination installed into the players. It’s a credit to Alex Neil for the work he’s done in such a short space of time and you can already tell how much it means to him to have Sunderland one step closer to the Championship.
Neil only joined Sunderland on a rolling 12-month contract back in February this year, with the team in fourth place in the league. While he no doubt would have been hoping to close the game on the automatic promotion spaces, he’ll be delighted now to have lead his new side into the League One play-off final.
The Black Cats have not played in the Championship since the 2017/18 season when they had just been relegated from the Premier League the campaign prior – and have failed in their past three attempts to get back up a division.
Will Alex Neil guide Sunderland back into the Championship?
Yes
No
With that in mind, this was a huge moment in the club’s recent history and their supporters will be delighted to see it means as much to their manager as it does to them with his most exuberant celebration.
