You’ve all probably seen “Sunderland Till I Die,” a Netflix documentary series about then-Premier League club Sunderland AFC. The producers intended to show the club’s everyday life and its loyal fans, but instead, it all went downhill for the Black Cats.By the time of the premiere on the Netflix platform, Sunderland were already relegated to the EFL Championship and we were actually provided with the insight of an actual club going seriously down.Sunderland till i die saison 4 pic.twitter.com/LWpM4hEuHf— Optimist Chels (@CFCRagh) May 13, 2025 It all happened during the 2016-17 season, and ever since then, they were out of the Premier League. However, things are finally about to change as Sunderland are in the EFL Championship playoffs final, on the brink of returning to the top flight after eight long years. On Tuesday late night, Jobe Bellingham’s side defeated Frank Lampard’s Coventry City 3-2 on aggregate thanks to Yet Ballard’s stoppage time goal in the second overtime.The Sunderland club commentary on THAT goal is even better than you’d expect 🤣👏 pic.twitter.com/1IslV41t5K— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) May 13, 2025 Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris admitted he was even beginning to formalise a list of players to take his side’s spot-kicks before that winner, which caused a true volcano-like eruption in the stands.”I was just so determined, I can’t remember what happened, it just happened like that – some feeling that,” Ballard told Sky Sports immediately after the game.”It’s what dreams are made of really. The fans today were absolutely incredible.”It was just feeling like it wasn’t going to be our day and all the lads were desperate to try to give them something to celebrate.”##NAJAVA_MECA_8925875##Teammate Luke O’Nien said he was “lost for words”.”Just looking around and what this man has done for this team. It’s incredible,” he said.Sunderland will face Sheffield United in the Wembley final, and the winner will join Leeds United and Burnley in the EPL next season.”It’s really fantastic because this scenario was absolutely incredible,” Le Bris told Sky Sports.”We were probably too nervous for the first part of the game. During extra time, we were good. We played our football and we just enjoy it now.”🗣️ “They don’t deserve it.”🗣️ “I’m so disappointed for the club.”Watch Frank Lampard’s full post-match interview after missing out on a Wembley spot in the Championship play-off final 😬 pic.twitter.com/9IzlIf66tv— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 13, 2025 On the other hand, Frank Lampard was gutted after such a painful ending.”If anyone watched the two games, we dominated at home, we made a mistake and they scored,” Lampard told Sky Sports. “I think we dominated huge periods of this game [too]. We played, controlled and in the second half it was wave after wave.”The players have given everything from where we’ve come from – 17th in the league in December and the players have been brilliant in the second half of the season.”We’re not bitter, and congratulations to Sunderland, but we were the better team over the two football matches and that’s why they’ll be so happy going to Wembley,” concluded he.
