Phil Bardsley has thrown his support behind Sunderland ahead of Saturday’s Championship play-off final, insisting the club is poised to return to the “Promised Land” of the Premier League.
The 38-year-old, who made over 170 appearances for the Black Cats between 2008 and 2014, spoke passionately about the club’s recent resurgence and believes their dramatic victory over Coventry City in the semi-finals shows they have the mentality to finish the job at Wembley.
“It would mean everything to get back into the Premier League, it’s the ‘Promised Land’ for them,” Bardsley said in an exclusive interview with SportsBoom. The former Scotland international described the semi-final win as a “mammoth effort”, praising the squad’s determination to secure their place at Wembley with a dramatic 122nd-minute winner in extra time.
While Bardsley acknowledged that Coventry had been unfortunate across the two legs, he believes Sunderland’s sheer willpower was the deciding factor.
“It just goes to show the attitude and desire Sunderland had to get into the play-off final and, ultimately, the Premier League,” he said. “For a club of that size and the support that they generate week-in, week-out, well they deserve to be in the Premier League.”
Sunderland were relegated from the Premier League in 2017 and then suffered the ignominy of back-to-back relegations the following year, dropping into League One. Under head coach Regis Le Bris, the club have slowly rebuilt and now stand 90 minutes away from ending a seven-year absence from the top flight.
Reflecting on his own time at the Stadium of Light, Bardsley recalled the highs of playing under Roy Keane and the bond shared between the squad and supporters.
“There were challenging seasons, but we had great team spirit. The chemistry and togetherness were brilliant, and the fans were always behind us.”
Sunderland’s route to the play-offs wasn’t without difficulty. A five-game losing streak at the end of the regular season threatened to derail their promotion bid, but Le Bris’ side clung on and have rediscovered their form when it matters most.
“They tailed off a bit, but thankfully they did enough to get over the line,” Bardsley added. “To beat Coventry, a really good side, shows the character of the group and what the manager demands.”
Writer’s View
Phil Bardsley’s endorsement captures the optimism now surrounding Sunderland after years in the wilderness. The Stadium of Light faithful have endured more than their fair share of frustration since relegation in 2017, but under Regis Le Bris, a sense of belief has returned.
Victory over Sheffield United would complete a remarkable turnaround—and judging by their semi-final grit, few would bet against the Black Cats roaring back to the Premier League. Wembley awaits.
