Whilst we’re all dusting off our passports and getting ready for a European adventure in 2026/27, it’s easy to forget about the players who’ve helped, in some way, lay the foundations. Although the news that broke directly from Dennis Cirkin – that he would be leaving the club when his contract comes to an end – was not necessarily surprising, it does still sting.
Simply put, Cirkin is part of a unique group of Sunderland players who, alongside the fanbase, have experienced some of the lowest and highest
points in our recent history. You can see from the sheer number of public messages from the entire promotion-winning squad that Cirkin was a really popular figure and that he will be a big miss.
Had fate dealt us a different hand and we found ourselves on the losing side against Sheffield United, Cirkin was one of the players I thought would move on to a higher level. As a naturally left-footed left-back, he possesses qualities that go well beyond the Championship. When Cirkin is fit, it’s a pleasure to watch him play.
Unfortunately, in the Premier League there is very little room for sentimentality, as we’ve seen with Dan Neil and will inevitably see with Anthony Patterson. If you stand still, others move at a rapid pace, and we couldn’t really afford to be in a position where we were relying upon a left-back who, sadly, has been plagued by injuries throughout his time here.
This season, Reinildo has nailed down the left-back position. Even when Reinildo was too busy destroying the lineage of Aston Villa players to play, we saw Trai Hume fill in there effectively. Understandably, Régis Le Bris chose to focus on players who had more of a long-term future at the football club. Cirkin’s contract situation certainly didn’t help proceedings either.
However, I don’t want to focus on the negatives. This isn’t about statistics. It’s about his character and resilience.
When called upon in the Premier League, Dennis Cirkin certainly didn’t look out of place. He played a vital part against Manchester City at home, helping us secure a valuable point. As Cirkin mentioned himself in his statement on social media, he arrived as a young boy who wanted an opportunity. Seeing him play against some of the best players in the world and hold his own is a fitting end to his time at the club and something that I hope he’s proud of.
An attacking left-back of his quality is quite a rare thing, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed some of the overlapping runs that were something of a trademark in League One and the Championship. That’s without even mentioning the absolute thunderbastard of a goal he scored against Coventry, where he channelled his inner Messi before leathering the ball into the top corner from what felt like 65 yards away.
It’s also a testament to his character that, despite several significant injuries, Cirkin was still able to make more than 100 appearances for the club. It is the sort of resilience that has helped this team reach the heights we now find ourselves at.
It’s also exciting to think, at the age of 24, where he could end up. Personally, I hope that, at the very least, it’s at the upper echelons of the Championship and that we see a third promotion appear on his CV.
As has already been mentioned by so many people – whether players, journalists or supporters – Dennis Cirkin leaves the club with our very best wishes. On a personal level, I’m always going to be particularly grateful to the players who took a chance on us when we were lingering in League One and were instrumental in our success.
Like many others, I will be keeping a keen eye on his career going forward, and I look forward to seeing more Cirkin thunderbastards in the future. It’s certainly a bittersweet exit, but it’s important that we thank Dennis Cirkin for his time at the club and wish him the very best as everyone moves forward.
