Quinn: Black Cats’ tails up again
SUNDERLAND legend Niall Quinn is convinced his former club have rediscovered their soul and are now on a journey that will take them back to the Premier League.
That was the Black Cats’ natural habitat during his days alongside Kevin Phillips in one of the top flight’s most fearsome double acts.
And it was where they returned as chairman, appointed Roy Keane as manager and, as Quinn famously said, “embarked on a magic carpet ride”.
It is now a decade since the Irishman left Sunderland, a period of doom, gloom and despair for the club’s long-suffering fans.
But Quinn sensed a mood shift at Wembley two months ago when Alex Neil’s side shattered their play-off hoodoo, beating Wycombe 2-0 to end their League One exile.
“Anyone who witnessed those emotional scenes at Wembley will know Sunderland are alive and kicking again,” said the 55-year-old. “To see the expression on my son Michael’s face on the final whistle after enduring so much heartache, was a wonderful moment.
Take-off
“And watching almost 50,000 joyous fans celebrating promotion brought it all back to me. It was a timely reminder what this wonderful club means to them and to me.
“Everything seems in place for take-off. Hope is in the air again and there is a bond between club and fans, which has been missing for far too long. That’s vital because a divided club is invariably a struggling one.
“After far too many stalled starts, Sunderland are on a journey again and I’m feeling confident again.
“No one deserves success more than the North East public.
“Newcastle are well on their way to achieving that and I hope it won’t be too long before Sunderland and Middlesbrough join them again in the Premier League.”