This can be the start of a great journey - boss

LEE Johnson is proud to be the man who has ended Sunderland fans’ Wembley ‘heartache’ and at last delivered a trophy to Wearside.

Lynden Gooch scored the only goal as the Black Cats defeated Tranmere Rovers to lift the EFL Trophy - the club’s first silverware of any variety since they won the FA Cup in 1973 - and ended the run of eight winless games at the national stadium.

The downside was the final was played behind closed doors due to the ongoing pandemic - but Johnson says he and his players could sense that everyone back home was right behind them.

He said: “It is an amazing feeling. I feel very proud of everybody, so very, very happy for the fans because it has been a long time coming.

“I am delighted for the staff, the board, the players.

“They were energised by the messages from home from our supporters and we felt it.

“I am happy to be a small part of putting a trophy in the cabinet.

“History is very important for a club like ours and we have made a little bit of that today.

“We missed the fans in terms we have not had that feeling of close interaction with everybody yet but you can feel their power.

“If we can get it right and be aligned from fanbase to ownership to management to players, it can be so powerful and this was a little step up the ladder to keep building those relationships.

“I know how much heartache the fans have had over the years and we are just so pleased to be able to give them something back for all their efforts, their money spent, the history throughout their families, the ribbing from other clubs, the difficult moments they have had.

“Hopefully this is the start of our journey.

“We have to keep it going now. This should just be the start, not the exception to the rule.

“We have to keep driving forward and making good decisions but what this has done is build that bit of belief.

Johnson spoke to the media minutes after full-time, but he had already been in touch with his dad and mentor Gary - who manages National League Torquay United - and other members of his family.

He added: “There is a lot of pride, but it is not just about me - it is about the efforts of the whole club today.”