Match Day Thread Sunderland v Charlton Athletic - Sunday 26th May - KO 15:00

Sunderland v Charlton Athletic in the League One Play-off Final at Wembley Stadium

Last time out Sunderland drew with Portsmouth and Charlton lost to Doncaster.
Sunderland will be waiting on the fitness reports for Aiden McGeady having missed both of the semi-final games against Portsmouth.
This will be Charlton’s first trip to Wembley in 21 years since beating Sunderland on penalties after a 4-4 draw in the Division One Play-off final.
If the scores are level after 90 minutes on Sunday the game will go to extra-time, and if the scores are level after the additional half-hour, the final will be decided by a penalty shootout.
Jack Ross:
"There's satisfaction in that we've answered a fair bit of criticism to get through this game.
"The times we've played here this season, it's been a proper atmosphere and a real test, so to come through it is very pleasing, but now my work comes about who we will face in the final and that work starts tomorrow.”
"We have another opportunity now to go to Wembley and achieve ultimately what we set out to do at the start of the season.”
"The fact that it's at Wembley is an addition, and the fact that we've been there recently just takes that little bit of the occasion away from it and it just becomes a really important game for us."
"Aiden McGeady will have a chance of being involved in the final. The fact that the first leg was last Saturday and the final is just over two weeks from that game, gives him that extended break again. We'll assess him in the week leading up to the final."
"We needed big performances from all the players. In particularly, Jon McLaughlin has been brilliant for us all season. He is a terrific goalkeeper and a great character and professional, so I’m delighted he’s played such a big part in getting us into the final."
Lee Bowyer:
"I said it would be a proper football match, with two teams who put their bodies on the line, and both sets of players gave their all.”
"We were so tired, but the players kept going through extra time. No-one has done to us this season what Doncaster did tonight. I was OK through the penalty shoot-out. You just hope that your keeper guesses right, which he did.”
"To lead this unique set of players out at Wembley, with our fans singing their hearts out like they do, I think it will be an emotional time for me."


Prutton predicts: Charlton to win on penalties

Match Appointments:
Referee: Andy Madley
Assistant Referees: Nick Hopton and Andrew Fox
Fourth Official: Peter Bankes
Reserve Assistant Referee: Tim Wood

Team Line ups
Sunderland: McLaughlan, O’Nien, Flanagan, Ozturk, Oviedo, Leadbitter, Cattermole, Honeyman, Maguire, McGeady, Wyke

Subs: Ruiter, Matthews, Dunne, Gooch, Power, Watmore, Grigg
Injured: tbc

Charlton Athletic (4-3-1-2): Phillips, Dijksteel, Purrington, Bielik, Bauer, Sarr, Cullen, Morgan, Taylor, Parker, Aribo
Subs: Williams, Pratley, Maxwell, Forster-Caskey, Lapslie, Solly, Pearce
Injured: tbc

Betting Odds:
Sunderland 6/4 Charlton 7/4 Draw 23/10

My two pence:
One game away from promotion back to the Championship. Charlton have been on a good run and I really didn’t expect them to be forced into extra-time against Doncaster. They showed that they are vulnerable at the back if teams attack them – a lot like us really.
I wouldn’t mind if it’s a boring game but one where we are in control and we somehow manage to end up as winners for a change.
My guess is a 2-1 win
Whatever happens I plan to have a great day out and Que será será

Ha’way the Lads

 

Nice one again RTB.
A seasons finale at Wembley doesn't come any bigger than this, we need to put our stamp on the game get ahead and see the game out.
Sounds simple but it won't be, no score prediction from me just a Sunderland win.

 

Time to shut the ugly puss of Boyer?! A prized c u n t if there ever was one!!

2-0 to the lads.

Bart

 

Great thread as usual mate, you should've had the knighthood they hoyed away on that Jock tennis player.

Charlton should let us win as we've saved them having to tolerate Portsmouth scumbags shouting at them on the tube.

It's impossible to predict so I'll say 3-1 to Sunderland ... our defence is coming together while theirs seems to be falling apart.

I took some stick for suggesting Ozturk was the answer but he was my MOTM at Portsmouth and he could be the key at Wembley.

Whatever happens this is a chance to show future signings/sponsors/investors that Sunderland is a club they should be queuing to get involved with ...

... a far cry from the poisoned chalice Donald took on.

It's easy for people to say that he's there to make a quick buck, but if we'd been mid-table with half the crowds he'd have been stuck with a demoralised club, disappointed supporters and a financial crisis.

This is our club again, let's sing our hearts out at Wembley.

 

I wonder if Bowyer still beats up Asians in his spare time. Seemingly going to be a good manager but a **** house of a bloke.

Thanks for all the threads this season. I really appreciate the effort that you put into them. I think we'll win this one. I wouldn't be devastated if we don't go up. It's a new squad thrown together another season together down here could be a blessing in disguise (as long as we'd trounce the league season after). Don't get me wrong though. I'd prefer to go up 100%.

 

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Good post, let's hope we do the business.

I am nor Andy Murray's greatest fan... but to survive Dunblane and become a great tennis player is not bad

 

Did he really, I never knew!

 

Yep he was only a bairn and like many others was told to hide under his desk!

I recall at the time taking my son and a mate of his for their school blazers and reading a paper with a school class photo highlighting the children that had died.. tears in my eyes!

 

Might be a prized c u n t but think he’ll make a very decent manager personally. Worked wonders with Charlton

 

Who's the bloke with the rattle?

 

I think its a craik mate, he must have lost his Ross-ettte.

 

Will be playing in red and white

 

no mate we are playing in the black strip, they finished higher, so they get to choose and they chose their red strip

 

I quite like the black strip

 

Im suprised Bowyer has made it into managment. He was deemed as being below average intelligent from the judge after his assault on an Asian student in 2001.

 

Personally I don’t think you have to be very clever to be a manager, I think leadership and man management is more important

 

Very true. Him and the village idiot Barton have both done well this season as gaffers.

Both ****ing morons.

 

You also have to be able to count to 11