Being named captain was a huge moment in my life – George
Ross was facing a difficult balancing act. Running the rule over academy products, trying to assess who from the previous squad would be able to contribute, and bedding in the signings that were gradually beginning to arrive.
For Honeyman, though, all ofthatuncertaintyandoutside noise fell away the moment he arrived at Victoria Park, and the major impression he had made on his new manager in this challenging early weeks became clear… I walked into the changing room and saw the armband on my peg.
I didn’t have a clue beforehand; it hadn’t even crossed my mind and it’s an image that willstickwithmeforever.Even leading the team out in a preseason friendly meant the absolute world to me.
It was just that feeling of seeing that captain’s armband on my peg, I’ll never forget that moment. That was the first time I really thought, ‘come on, I want to make this mine’.
With or without the armband, I always like to think I help my team-mates, lead by example and put my point across when I need to.
It was a bit of a surprise, purely because of the number ofbignamesandexperiencein the squad. It didn’t really cross my mind that it was an option but it was a dream come true.
Withthatarmbandonyour arm,youfeellikeyoucouldrun through ten brick walls. It’s a feeling I don’t think you could ever properly get used to.
It’s great motivation to take your game up another level.
The week before the first league game against Charlton, Jack Ross pulled me in his office and asked me if I wanted to be club captain and, as you can imagine, I couldn’t say yes quick enough.
By that point I had an inklingbecauseI’dbeencaptainof every pre-season game. It was a huge moment in my life, all pretty special.
Mymainobjectivethenwas to do it justice. I wanted to be a captain that my team-mates, staff and the club would be proudof.I’dliketothinkIwent the extra mile for my teammates when they needed me.
Sunderland: McLaughlin (Stryjek, 66); Matthews, Love, Flanagan (Taylor, 81), Hume; McGeouch (Mumba, 73), Honeyman (Molyneux, 81), Cattermole (Robson, 66); McManaman (Nelson, 81), Gooch (Kimpioka, 81), Maja (Maguire, 66). Goals: Muir, 19 Kimpioka, 90. reshuffled and what followed feltlikethestartofanewdawn.
The feeling of leading the lads out for the first time at the Stadium of Light with 30-odd thousand there was hairs on the back of the neck stuff.
There had been a lot of change at the club. New owners came in the very last game ofthepreviousseason,wehada newmanager,quitealotofnew playing staff. I definitely felt a bit of pressure.
There were a lot of experienced players who fans probably expected to be given the armband, but it was given to me. Being captain of a club like Sunderland is already huge pressure because of the amount of fans and expectation, with us being in League
One as well.
You go into a season and you’re not sure who are going tobeyourrivalsforpromotion. Charlton ended up being one of them so it was a really good victory.
LyndenGoochscoredalastminute header and the place was absolutely rocking. I remember saying: ‘This is what we can do to the place. This is what it’s like when it’s rocking.’
For players who had only beenthereayearortwo,they’d seen the Stadium of Light as a pretty hard place to play. The atmosphere had been really tough for a few years so it was nice to start with a win and get the Stadium of Light rocking again.
After all the pain of the year before, to win in the last second,withanewowner,new manager,myfirstgameascaptain,itfeltlikeanewdawn.The feeling around the place after the game was the most special thing. It felt like a fresh beginning for the club and I was at the forefront of it.
The feelgood factor around the place was huge. When you get that place bouncing, I imagine there’s no better place in the world.
Sunderland: McLaughlin; Love (Oviedo, 26), Ozturk, Loovens, Matthews; Mumba, Honeyman, O’Nien (Sinclair, 46 (Molyneux, 90)); Gooch, Maguire, Maja. Subs not used: Ruiter, Baldwin, Embleton, Hume. Goals: Taylor (10, pen) Maja, 65 Gooch, 90.