I’ve come away for a camping weekend, and at times like this, when I’m nice and relaxed (despite the spit of rain as I set up the caravan yesterday evening), I find myself in quite a reflective mood.
The reflection this morning, sipping my coffee and listening to the lovely early birdsong, was how I wish we had finished this season a little better than we have.
I say that not because I am unhappy or ungrateful for the league position we will have after the Chelsea game finishes, but because I genuinely
think Regis and the lads deserve to be a few spots higher in this league, and to have European footy secured already.
We could still finish 7th on 54 points if all the results go our way, which would likely get us extra fixtures against similar teams around Europe next season, but we need all the luck and performance fairies to bless us for that to happen. A mid-table finish is very close though, and that itself is crazily good.
It feels like the boys have been robbed of something a little bit better than they are likely to get though. That really sits uncomfortably in my mind, as when underdogs do well, you want them to do really, really well. Especially when the underdogs are your own team.
Before I carry on, let me be crystal clear: I would have snapped your hand off for this situation this time last year. Coming up through the play-offs, the experiences against Coventry and Sheffield Utd at Wembley, buying loads of players (and spending so, so well in the market) and embedding them all so well and so quickly etc, all being led by an owner who loves us, is investing in the stadium and the fan experience, and a coach that just “gets us”. That’s all incredible.
We all know that we were relegation fodder according to all the pundits and so-called experts before a ball was kicked. We have shown the same people exactly what level of expertise they possess, and to be fair most of our pre-season critics have acknowledged the SAFC season has been huge compared to general expectations.
Our manager has been nominated for coach of the season in recognition of our progress, and had he secured some sort of European ticket already he would surely be a strong contender for that honour.
One of the underlying reasons for the weird feelings in my gut though is after the first half of the season we had, Regis and the lads had a chance – and potentially deserved – to achieve our best Premier League finish ever. But there are notable differences between this season and some of our very best in the Premier League era that I feel are part of the logic of where we are at.
The best this club has done in my lifetime of fandom over 45 years, and in the period that the Premier League has existed, is 7th. Twice. And neither got us a ticket to any continental competition.
The first of those two 7th-place seasons under Peter Reid occurred when I was in my prime Sunderland-supporting years as a lad in his late twenties, and that season was sublime.
We were a very different side then – we scored goals for fun. It felt like we were on fire weekend after weekend. Phillips was unstoppable with Quinny alongside him, with balls being fizzed into Kevin and Niall from the likes of Summerbee, Kilbane and even a bombing-forward Micky Gray.
We had experience from the likes of Bould and Schwarz managing the defence and midfield. Tommy Sorensen looked after the nets, who is in my experience as a fan the only keeper who has donned the shirt and been similar in goalkeeping class and potential to Robin Roefs (who, granted, has a long way to go yet too). Monty is a legend of course, but I was too young to experience his talents. Tommy and Robin are our two most incredible goalies for me.
I went to games back then not wondering if we would win, but guessing how many we would score, especially Phillips and Quinn. Reidy and the lads achieved that Premier League PB outcome with something that we may never see again though – a striker with the potency and skill to win a European Golden Boot.
And I think that’s what we need to focus on this summer in the transfer market, to take the next step up and qualify for some sort of European footy for 2027 – 28.
Regis and the coaching team have achieved what they have from a Championship-based standing start, and the development from 5th in the Championship to now is astounding. But if we had a natural goalscorer in good form this season, I shudder to think where we may be right now.
This season has been so wide open as a Premier League competition, what could have been really sticks in my throat, despite the reality being absolutely class and our cracking progress.
Brian Brobbey has done very well, and he may well develop into even more of a goal machine as he gets more experience and coaching. The issue is between him, Wilson, Enzo, Chemsedine and Nordi we have a total of 22 goals. Eight less than that amazing season from Super Kev.
Our main downfall has been that we haven’t converted enough of the chances we create. Last weekend against Man Utd is a prime example. We absolutely should have won that game.
Eli Mayenda has had very little chance to chip in, but clearly is behind both Brian and Wilson in the pecking order, and they simply haven’t kicked on quite well enough.
Of course, 30-goal strikers like Kev will not come around every year, but even if we had a 15-goal striker and support from a few others with sevens and eights, we would be in a better position to nick that European prize we are so close to. We may well see that prize fully slip away this weekend unless we can succeed at Everton’s shiny new gaff and also complete the double over Chelsea.
The flip side is, we probably aren’t ready for Europe right now, and what I don’t want is our forays into that experience to put too much risk on the perpetuity of our Premier League status. Look at how Forest have struggled this season. They look pretty safe now, but it was very touch-and-go, and they have had more managers than I’ve had hot dinners, a gamble which easily could have gone the other way.
So I suppose the point of my morning reflection is, I really want Regis and the lads to give it all for the last two games to see where we can get to, and I really want Florent Ghisolfi and his team to get busy with attacking options for next season, which I expect and hope they are already.
If we can add a 15 – 20 goal Premier League-level striker to the squad we have and retain most of this group that have done so wonderfully well, the sky could be the limit in 2026 – 27.
This season has been amazing, but with the right adjustments, our dreams of European away days could come around even sooner than we hoped.
Crack on Ghisolfi. Your time is now, and with the right transfers, we really could fly from here.
