Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Sheffield United – Championship Play-off Final - Saturday 24th May 2025 - KO 15:00

I was about 3 rows in front of my seat!! Flattening 2 kids and an old fella in the chaos! All of them in floods of tears (and me!) but only because of the goal. Utterly amazing scenes

 

This one picture shows we had won it at that second, players knew

 

That's bloody great mind.

That goal is one of those events where, in the future, we'll all know exactly where we were, what we did, how we felt and how we carried on at the time.

I was in the house with Mrs Rowley who wasn't watching,(forbidden by my lads who were at Wembley!). I went absolutely nuts, raving like a madman who shouts at the rain. I caught sight of myself in a mirror on my journey flying through the house, the second time I'd done this in ten days. I was beetroot red and as wild eyed as an escaped lunatic. Then I became seriously dizzy and had to park myself back to watch the last few minutes.

I doubt any of us will ever forget that moment and how it felt. Literally unforgettable.

 

Yep. They were blew out after the equaliser really, but that picture shows the end of them.

 

It was an odd one as I think I celebrated the first goal more. It was just sheer relief. I never thought about how fantastic a goal it actually was it was jus pure relief for myself and every other one of out fans that we got to at least have that moment.

I mean i obviously celebrated the winner like a madman and hugged about 40 people around me but for me the equaliser was that amazing moment. Must have been the tension and knowing how badly we needed it but was such pure emotional release. Can't really explain it but the winner felt amazing but somehow different if that makes any sense.

 

Big Dan's header had me go even more mental actually. I thought my head was going to explode!

 

Amazing that the only player with PL experience replaced O'Nien ...

... and brought our average age even lower.

 

I will always remember Big Dan's header. The clock ticket to 120 and the 4th official held up 2 minutes. I thought I'm gonna beat the rush and nip for a quick slash before the pens. As I was putting the little guy away I heard a noise from the crowd like a loud "come on" I thought we've got a corner here so ran back up the access. I saw the clock and will always remember it saying 121.47 and thinking this is literally the game so I stood at the access next to a couple of stewards in the North stand fully 120 yard away. I saw Le Fee put the ball in and a few players leap up. I briefly saw the ball hit the bar and bounce down then nothing. It was probably half a second at most but felt like an hour till I saw the limbs in the south stand and heard the roar. At that point I ran around jumping up and down screaming until I thought I wanna get back to my seatand celebrate with the guys around me. I ran jumping up every step and shuffled along the row hugging everyone on the way until I got to my seat then was embraced in a massive bear hug with about 7 people.

It's moments like that we will remember forever and when life gets tough I will hopefully be able to take myself back to that moment and everything will feel OK and life will seem worth it.

 

I was in the South Stand, on the front row, as Enzo placed the ball.

I've no idea why but I left my seat and clutched the hand rail ...

... I hit the concourse a split second before Ballard smashed in the ball off the crossbar.

No idea how, I just knew it was going in.

 

Finally for Tommy's winner when he was driving towards the box I was thinking don't shoot play someone in. For some reason I didn't trust his shooting. Then when he hit it I my brain went through a load of thoughts such as that's got a chance to nah far too weak the keepers gonna throw his cap on it to maybe to no chance to wow when it tickled the side netting. No idea how I had the time to have all of those thoughts but I know my brain went through all of that. Further credence to my theory that for myself and several other fans time did slow down at that point. I know that sounds corny and physically impossible but it's the only thing that makes sense.

Perfect view. I didn't even see it hit the net but the other 40 odd thousand certainly let me know it had

 

Asked the grandson last night which match he thought had the best atmosphere - SOL against Coventry or Wembley. I thought I knew the answer but I was wrong - he picked SOL. He's going to have more good memories from there this season if these links come good

 

What do you mean if the links come good? We’re not in for anyone. Facebook and Twitter told me so. Everyone panicking cos we haven’t signed the next Messi and Wrling Haaland isn’t signing!!

it’s ****ing ridiculous the way some fans go on!!

 

Don't have Facebook or Twitter simply because it's full of absolute morons.

Actually I tell a lie, I have a twitter account purely for transfer windows and just for notifications from some journalists

 

Getting on for 60 years supporting the lads where probably nothing will beat 73 cup win (I carry my final ticket round with me in my wallet) but the last few years are running it close. Firstly, the relief of the Wycombe win, then the Big Dan scenes but to follow it up with getting back to the Premiership is an early 70th birthday present for me
As with you to be there with my family made it even sweeter (3 sons and 3 young grandchildren), where we cried together

 

As a singer I can’t avoid social media. It is a great source of advertising and gigs!! Times I wish I could just pack it the **** in have been numerous!!

 

Those are the moments you remember forever ever CM!!

 

Brilliant mate, emotions were definitely high. My son got his first season ticket the season we dropped out the Prem so he had a rough start as a Sunderland supporter with the double relegation and the seasons in league one. Was great seeing him cry for the right reasons for once.

 

I think everybody who went to London that weekend came away with great memories even if they didn't go to the match. I know the wife and step daughter did, they couldn't get over seeing all the Sunderland fans at Trafalgar Square on Friday night - the sheer amount of people wearing Sunderland strips and those bike rickshaws with Wise Men Say blasting out. They kept an eye on the score while they were out shopping and then the wife watching the end of the game on the tube back to the hotel and shouting "YES" with tears in her eyes with Sheffield Utd fans in the same carriage will live with the daughter forever. The grandson loved the whole weekend, so much so he wanted to get into the middle of Trafalgar Square! Even the son in law was blown away and admitted in the hotel after the match, he can see why Sunderland get under your skin.

And me? It was probably the best weekend I've ever had following Sunderland away from home. It reminded me of the reason why I loved going to away games 20 odd years ago - the spectacle of the amount of fans, noise and just sheer connection to the club really hammered it home

 

I will not forget the look on my daughters face (not when she met @Smug in Boots ) but the look at realising we were going up. In the semi against Coventry with 3 minutes to go she said "dad you told me fairy tales happen in Sport" - at the time I said perhaps it might not be our fairy tale - how that comment changed on Dan's goal. Memories I will cherish for ever