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“Sunderland’s Secret Weapon Revealed Ahead of Wembley Showdown – Sheffield United Won’t See This Coming
Sunderland have received a significant morale boost ahead of their Championship play-off final clash against Sheffield United—before even stepping onto the pitch.
The high-stakes match, set for Saturday, May 24 at 3pm, will see the winner promoted to the Premier League.
For Sunderland, the final comes on the heels of a dramatic last-minute semi-final victory over Coventry City at the Stadium of Light.
Adding to the excitement, Regis Le Bris’ side have been handed the West Stand allocation at Wembley Stadium—a position that has historically brought them good fortune.
Remarkably, Sunderland have won all four of their previous Wembley appearances when stationed on the west side.
Their first west-side triumph came in 1937, when they captured their maiden FA Cup title with a 3-1 win over Preston North End, thanks to second-half goals from Bobby Gurney, Raich Carter, and Eddie Burbanks.
In 1973, they were again on the west side for their iconic FA Cup final victory over Leeds United. Bob Stokoe’s underdog side secured the win with an Ian Porterfield goal and a legendary double save from goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery.
Sunderland then endured a long stretch of disappointment, being placed on the east side for their next seven Wembley appearances—none of which ended in victory.
However, fortunes shifted in 2021 when they returned to the west side for the Papa John’s Trophy final, albeit behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Black Cats defeated Southend United 1-0, with Lynden Gooch scoring the winner and ending the club’s 38-year Wembley curse.
A year later, they were again allocated the west stand for the League One play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers.
Sunderland rose to the occasion, claiming a 2-0 win with goals from Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart to seal their return to the Championship.
Now, with four wins from four when based on the west side of Wembley, Sunderland are aiming to extend their perfect run and secure a long-awaited return to the Premier League after an eight-year absence.
