Size of task facing the Black Cats

SUNDERLAND’S principle aim next season will be to earn promotion straight back to the Championship following relegation this term.

The Black Cats have endured a dreadful campaign resulting in them suffering a second successive relegation that will see them play in the third tier of English football for just the second time in their history.

However, with a takeover close to completion, there is fresh hope that Sunderland finally have the basis for which to rebuild and turn their recent fortunes around.

But how likely is it that they will come straight back up next season?

We’ve worked out that since 2000 just under a quarter of teams relegated from the Championship have returned straight away.

In total, 13 of the 54 teams that have dropped from the second tier have achieved promotion at the first time of asking. That does include this season where Wigan and Blackburn have both already sealed promotion having been relegated last term. The figure could rise to 14 sides with Rotherham guaranteed a spot in the play-offs. If they were to win them then they would take the average to over a quarter at 26%.

A further six made it back up in their second season in League One, which means over a third of teams were back in the Championship within two seasons.

Some teams have struggled when making the drop to the third tier though. Six were relegated for a second successive season (11%) - a fate Sunderland will hope to avoid because for them that would be three relegations on the bounce.

Another six were relegated in their second season in League One.

Overall, 30 of the 54 relegated sides were promoted to the second division at some point, 24 are yet to make it back to the Championship.

So what of clubs of comparable size to the Wearsiders who have played in the third tier since the turn of the century?

As well as Blackburn and Wigan (twice), Leicester, Wolves and Norwich are examples to follow as they all made it back to the Championship in their first season.

Southampton’s spell in League One lasted two years between 2009-11, while Nottingham Forest and Leeds United spent three seasons each in League One.

The one example Sunderland will hope to avoid is Sheffield United. They were relegated to League One in 2011 having been in the Premier League as recently as 2006. It took them six seasons to get back up, achieving promotion last term under manager Chris Wilder.