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Former Sunderland winger and Wearside favourite Aiden McGeady has looked back fondly on his five-year spell at the Stadium of Light, recalling the challenges he faced when he first arrived, his special relationship with the supporters and some unforgettable Wembley moments.
McGeady spoke exclusively to Roker Report on Tuesday 22 September, reflecting on his time at Sunderland and the experiences which have ensured the club remains
close to his heart.
The Republic of Ireland international called time on a 19-year professional career at the end of the 2023/24 season, retiring with Scottish club Ayr United.
Having started his career at Celtic, McGeady went on to play for Spartak Moscow, Everton, Sheffield Wednesday, Preston North End, Sunderland, Hibernian and Ayr United.
But his five years on Wearside produced some of the most memorable moments of his career.
Joining Sunderland in July 2017 following relegation from the Premier League, McGeady remained with the club as they dropped into League One and subsequently became a key figure in the rebuilding process.
He registered 35 goals and 36 assists during his Sunderland career, producing 71 goal involvements and establishing himself as a firm favourite among supporters.
‘There was a hangover effect from the Premier League’
McGeady’s arrival came at a turbulent time for Sunderland.
Having just suffered relegation from the Premier League, the club was attempting to rebuild while also dealing with a squad which contained players on Premier League-level contracts.
“Players were earning really good amounts of money, who weren’t wanting to stick around for the Championship, understandably so,” McGeady explained.
“But there were a lot of players the club couldn’t get rid of.”
Despite that, McGeady arrived expecting Sunderland to bounce straight back.
“When I signed I thought we’re going to have a go, we’re going to go straight back up,” he said.
“No disrespect to any of those players, but it didn’t strike me as a going-straight-back-up squad.”
In fact, McGeady believes Sunderland should never have suffered a second successive relegation.
“We should never have gotten relegated with the squad we had.”
The drop into League One, however, ultimately marked the beginning of a rebuild which McGeady found himself at the centre of.
“I guess that was the start of the rebuild and the next year and a half I really enjoyed my football and I actually enjoyed the first season [2017/18] personally.”
When Jack Ross arrived, McGeady found himself enjoying his football even more.
“I enjoyed playing for the club and, like I said, the following season the rebuild began, Jack Ross came in and I enjoyed my football,” he said.
“We should have been promoted, I don’t know how we didn’t get promoted, we kind of threw it away.”
‘I absolutely loved my time’
Despite the difficulties surrounding the club when he arrived, McGeady’s overall memories of Sunderland are overwhelmingly positive.
“Over the course of the five years I absolutely loved my time,” he said.
“I enjoyed playing in front of the fans, I think the fans took to me, I took to them, I enjoyed living in the area.”
The pressure of playing for Sunderland was something McGeady actively enjoyed.
“I loved playing for such a massive club with the same expectation of probably when I was at Celtic,” he explained.
“You felt like you had to win every single game. I really enjoyed that, I thrived in it and I had a really good rapport with the fans.”
That relationship with the supporters would become particularly evident during Sunderland’s memorable trips to Wembley.
‘Wembley is such a special thing’
McGeady experienced both the heartbreak and glory of Wembley during his Sunderland career.
The first came in the 2019 Checkatrade Trophy final against Portsmouth.
Although Sunderland ultimately lost on penalties, McGeady’s late equaliser ensured the game went to a shootout – and remains one of his fondest memories of his time on Wearside.
“I know we lost the first final against Portsmouth, but that’s a day I’ll remember forever,” he said.
“If you look at that Wembley day it was half and half – 80,000, 83,000 for a Checkatrade Trophy final.”
Sunderland were trailing 2-1 when McGeady stepped up in the closing stages.
“We were 2-1 down, but personally for me to score that goal in the last minute to take it to penalties and I just remember watching videos of it and the TV camera shaking.”
“It kind of gives you shivers to be playing in front of that and having the support from the fans.”
Sunderland would then suffer further Wembley heartbreak in the League One play-off final.
But the following season finally brought success.
“Obviously we ended up winning it [the following season],” McGeady said.
“It was the first win at Wembley for however many years. We obviously lost the Checkatrade final and the play-off final, then we won it the next time.”
The 2020 Papa John’s Trophy final was played behind closed doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning the occasion lacked the enormous Sunderland support which had made the previous Wembley trip so memorable.
Nevertheless, McGeady still treasures the achievement.
“Unfortunately in front of no fans,” he said.
“Obviously it’s always nice and it’s something I’ll have with me forever that I managed to win a final at Wembley with Sunderland.”
McGeady’s favourite Sunderland moments
With 35 goals and 36 assists to choose from, we asked McGeady to pick out his favourite goal and assist from his Sunderland career.
His favourite goal came in that first Wembley meeting with Portsmouth.
“The one I’d probably say is the free kick against Portsmouth at Wembley,” he said.
“The magnitude of the game and the atmosphere and to do it in a final was amazing.”
His favourite assist, meanwhile, came in a League One meeting with Tranmere Rovers, when he set up Lynden Gooch.
“The assist would probably be for Goochy [Lynden Gooch] against Tranmere, one of the best passes of my life to be honest with you.”
McGeady then couldn’t resist taking a swipe at the idea that his game was all about dribbling.
“They think I was just a dribbler, but I could pass as well.”
“So it’s probably that goal and that assist that straight away stick out to me.”
And those two moments perfectly capture McGeady’s Sunderland career: Wembley drama, creativity, goals and a player who developed a genuine connection with the supporters.
This interview was conducted exclusively with Roker Report on Tuesday 22 September.
