Fans deserve return to the national stadium, says Ross

A WEMBLEY final will be a fitting reward for Sunderland fans who have stuck by their club through the dark times, according to Jack Ross.

The Wearsiders booked a date with Portsmouth in the final of the Checkatrade Trophy after seeing off Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium last night.

It is just five years since the Black Cats were last at Wembley when they lost out to Manchester City in the final of the EFL Cup, on a day which saw tens of thousands of Sunderland fans descend on the national stadium.

And a sense of excitement at the possibility of a return has been steadily building as Sunderland progressed through the knockout rounds of the Checkatrade Trophy.

Now they have secured a place in the final and, with supporters having suffered the pain of back-to-back relegations in the last two seasons, Ross says another trip to Wembley will repay them for their loyalty.

“The players haven’t been thinking about it until after the game at the weekend, but you have to be honest and say you can’t block out all the external noise surrounding the club,” said Ross.

“And as I’ve said before, to reach Wembley would be a reward for the supporters for the loyalty they have shown over the course of this season on the back of the previous two seasons.

“We are aware of the responsibility we carry in that sense.”