Embleton has sent quite a message back to Sunderland
BLACKPOOL’S promotion to the Championship via the League One play-offs was a bitter pill to swallow for Sunderland fans last season.
Elliot Embleton was at the heart of the Tangerines midfield that shot up the League One table and defeated Lincoln City in the play-off final.
The on-loan Black Cats midfielder scored one of the goals of the season at Bloomfield Road against Oxford United in the second-leg of the play-off semi-final. The Sunderland academy graduate was sending a message to those back at the Stadium of Light.
Embleton was told he needed firstteam football in order to continue his development, but the fact his performances surpassed those back on Wearside left Sunderland supporters staggered. It was very much a lesson learnt.
On the other hand, had Embleton not embarked on a loan spell to Bloomfield Road then you could argue Sunderland would not have the player they do today.
The 23-year-old was one of the bright sparks earlier in the season, establishing a great relationship with Ross Stewart.
The Durham-born playmaker has found himself rotated in and out of the team since Alex Neil’s arrival, but he possesses promotion experience that the majority of the Sunderland squad is lacking.
He’s already shown his ability to stand up and be counted in a highpressure environment and the Black Cats will need that over the semi-final tie against Sheffield Wednesday.
Embleton has scored some cracking goals this campaign and has the ability to produce a moment of magic.
He’s one of a number of players at Neil’s disposal that could be pushed higher up the field to accommodate for Nathan Broadhead’s absence, which could prove vital in Sunderland’s quest to reach a second League One play-off final in four years.