'I must confess, I had a tear or two'

BBC News

25-05-2025

We asked you earlier what you thought of your side's promotion-winning performance on Saturday and, unsurprisingly, it looks like you're feeling pretty pleased with your young squad.Here is what you had to say:Martin: Great day yesterday and hopefully the positive feeling will last. Next season may be hard. Careful recruitment will be needed to improve the squad but maintain the ethos.John: If ever a club deserved to be in the Premier League, it is Sunderland! Phenomenal support base, great stadium and top notch training facilities. Real passion all over the club.Jeff: Greatest night of my 50 years supporting SAFC.....cried my eyes out at the final whistle!!! Need a couple of proven Premier players to give it a real go next season!Craig: This is what Sunderland do: we get written off and ridiculed but slowly, steadily, we keep fighting. The play-off semi and the final were both evidence of that: we should have lost both games but our players (and the fans) wouldn't have it. Hopefully we can do the same next season when we were told we're coming straight back down before we even went up. KTF.Gary: Amazing to see the club finally back up in Premier League. The fans have been amazing and the support was clearly visible on Saturday. The stadium is ready, we just need the investment to enhance the team and keep them up.Chris: What a great achievement, over the moon. Credit to Regis Le Bris for substitutions that changed the game . We kept going To The End. The whole squad and manager are now legends, Premier League here we come.Tommy: Not sure we're ready but we'll give it a go.Alan: Crazy season from such a talented bunch of young players. I knew they had the potential to do it but never in my wildest dreams did I think they would achieve it so soon. Le Bris has done wonders to bond this group together and get them pulling in the right direction. Watch out here we come Prem. Haway the lads.AJT: Someone tell me there was a camera in the dressing room at half time...Unbelievable turnaround from the (actual) lads. Working for each other, sticking to the plan, taking the opportunities when they came.They'll have grown as footballers in those 90 minutes, but they're going to need some help next season. A lot of it.James: I believed from the moment Brown scored that fluke goal against Leeds that anything was possible with this manager and group of players.David: After an awful first half where we were definitely second best, the improvement following the substitutions made by Regis Le Bris brought an immediate impact. We simply got stuck in and had a greater sense of urgency. The spirit of everyone, fans and players alike never diminished and when young Tommy Watson beautifully curled in the winner, the crowd erupted and we knew we were home. At last, I'd been at Wembley and seen my side, whom I've supported for 63 years, win! Our fans were fantastic! It was a privilege to be there and I must confess I had a tear or two in my eyes. It's been a painful eight years, but we're back.