EFL boss recalls ‘unbelievable’ Sunderland fans after huge game, he’s ‘never heard a sound like it’.
Sunderland fans will love what former Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth has had to say about them.
Gareth Ainsworth was in the Wycombe Wanderers dugout when they played Sunderland in the 2022 League One play-off final at Wembley.
Sunderland under Alex Neil had finished in 5th place of the final League One table that season, whilst Wycombe had crept into 6th.
Both teams won their semi-final clashes with Sunderland beating Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe Wanderers beating MK Dons.
The Black Cats went on to win the final at Wembley 2-0, with goals coming from Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart.
Soon after the start of the 2022/23 season, Sunderland sacked Neil and Tony Mowbray came in at the Stadium of Light, whilst Ainsworth would eventually leave Wycombe to take charge of QPR.
Earlier in November, the 51-year-old landed the Shrewsbury Town job in League One.
Gareth Ainsworth remembers Sunderland fans at Wembley in League One play-off final
Speaking on Undr the Cosh recently, Ainsworth reminisced about the League One play-off final in 2022.
And speaking about Embleton’s opening goal on 12 minutes, Ainsworth recalled the sheer noise of the Black Cats faithful inside Wembley.
He said: “What a team they are, Sunderland. And when that goal went in, that first goal… I’ve never heard a sound like it.
“90,000, 95,000 [fans] there. There must have been 89,000 Sunderland there because it was unbelievable, that noise.”
The official attendance that day was 72,333. But Sunderland fans eventually made up 43,960 of the total attendance due to a higher demand for tickets.
Sunderland average attendance so far this season
Sunderland were held to a 2-2 draw Coventry City in their last outing at the Stadium of Light, and there were 43,374 fans there to witness that two-goal comeback by the Sky Blues.
Regis Le Bris has been very well-supported by the Black Cats faithful so far this season with Sunderland boasting the league’s highest average home attendance (41,102), beating Leeds United in 2nd by almost 5,000.
And on the road, Sunderland remain equally as supportive, having sold out the upcoming trip to Millwall this weekend despite what is a 10-hour round trip by car.
Ainsworth’s comments will certainly go down well with Sunderland fans who are passionate and vocal about their team.
And that day out at Wembley certainly lives long in the memory of fans who could yet be tasked with another play-off final again this season.
