CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF FINAL GRABBAN

Striker Lewis hopes Villa promotion can erase his memories of playing a part in Sunderland’s relegation

LEWIS GRABBAN aims to fire Aston Villa to promotion tomorrow to wipe away the stain of being involved in Sunderland’s relegation.

The Bournemouth striker spent the first half of the season on loan at the Stadium of Light (below), scoring 12 times.

But in January he opted to switch to Championship high-flyers Villa.

It has proved a shrewd move. He is preparing to lead the line tomorrow at Wembley with a place in the Premier League at stake, while the sorry Black Cats completed back-to-back relegations and are now in League One. Grabban, who has eight goals for Villa, reflected: “That is one of the reasons I came here, to try and get a promotion.

“If we do that it will be a successful season. Hopefully the relegation won’t go down too much on my record.

“I’ve tried to get away from that but it happens. I don’t think anyone thought at the beginning of the season Sunderland could do that. I certainly didn’t. “They’re in a semitransitional phase and need to start again and get back to where they probably should be.

“With their relegation, the inevitable happened. Everyone expected it after a certain amount of time. It didn’t look like anything was going to change. It happens to big clubs.

“They’re not the first and won’t be the last. Leadership from the top of the club is important, so is investment.”

Grabban is preparing for his fifth play-off final after previously winning with Millwall and Norwich.

But he has also tasted the misery of defeat with the Lions and Reading.

Yet, he is optimistic going into the Wembley showdown, believing Villa have the big-game experience to thrive.

He added: “The team itself has so many players who have played there – whether it be for their country, team or in the play-offs.

“I know that the occasion won’t get to the majority of the lads. We’ll be fine, we’ll get through it.

“Everyone will have some sense of nervousness. That will quickly be put aside, though, and then it’s about the game.

“When you lose, you just want to go home, get out of the stadium as quickly as possible.

“When you win it’s one of the happiest days of your career.

“Winning with Norwich was the best day of my career, certainly in terms of joy, achievement.

“It’s a bigger achievement going up through the play-offs than automatic promotion.

“You do the season, then you’ve got the pressure of three games to get through.

“It’s a longer achievement, and more satisfaction.”