Six Sunderland players still at club who won 2021/22 League One play-off final, including current club captain

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Only six players remain at Sunderland who were part of their last play-off final victory under Alex Neil in the 2021/22 League One promotion decider against Wycombe Wanderers.

Following the 2024/25 second tier final day, Sunderland will face Coventry City in the upcoming Championship play-offs semi-finals.

Regis Le Bris’ side head into the season-defining fixtures on the back of a five-game winless run prior to the season curtailing.

However, Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues beat Middlesbrough 2-0 thanks to a Jack Rudoni brace, to secure fifth-place and book a semi-final clash against Sunderland.

Sunderland’s last, and only, play-off final win across the English Football Leagues came in the 2021/22 season. In the three years since, many of those modern-day Sunderland heroes have moved on.

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Sunderland players still at club who won 2021/22 League One play-off final

Now-Millwall boss Alex Neil was the mastermind behind Sunderland’s promotion from League One back into the second tier of English Football. After replacing Lee Johnson, Neil turned the tide on Sunderland’s barren play-offs record, and guided the Black Cats to a 2-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers.

An early long-range strike from homegrown talent Elliot Embleton set the win in motion, before a composed finish from now-Southampton forward Ross Stewart ten minutes from time settled lingering Sunderland nerves, and sent the 45,000-plus travelling support into ecstatic celebrations.

Some familiar faces remain on Wearside who earned a third tier play-off final winners medal. Namely, current club captain Luke O’Nien, who started the final in central-midfield but has now become one of the Championship’s most-progressive centre-backs.

Current first-team regulars Anthony Patterson, full-back Dennis Cirkin, and right-winger Patrick Roberts – who scored the infamous semi-final winner in the dying embers at Hillsborough – all started the game alongside O’Nien.

Now-Sunderland team captain Dan Neil was an unused substitute in the League One play-off final win despite making 39 third tier appearances across the campaign.

Sunderland starting XI vs Wycombe Wanderers in 2-0 League One play-off final win

Jack Clarke, who scored 15 league goals for Sunderland last term before his autumn move to Premier League Ipswich Town, replaced goalscorer Embleton on the hour-mark to help get Sunderland over the line.

Notable absentees from today’s Sunderland squad include Blackburn Rovers stalwart Danny Baath and Saints fringe man Stewart. Many other departees since that final have had varying degrees of success away from Wearside, including one now-retired Sunderland icon.

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Where are ex-Sunderland players not at club now who won 2021/22 League One play-off final

Sunderland icon Aiden McGeady was an unused substitute at Wembley, and after spells at Hibernian and Ayr United following his departure following the final win, the Irishman has now retired.

California boy turned Wearsider Lynden Gooch started at full-back under the arches, helping his adopted boyhood club back to the Championship, and transferred to Stoke City last season.

Centre-back Bailey Wright now plays for Singapore Premier League outfit Lion City Sailors FC.

Ex-Sunderland captain Corry Evans moved to National League Oldham Athletic this season, and former Norwich City ace Alex Pritchard now plays for Turkish Super League side Sivasspor.

Former head coach Neil left Sunderland in dubious circumstances to join Stoke, but was sacked in 2023 after 66 games in charge. Scotsman Neil almost snuck Millwall into the play-offs this season, but the Lions’ 3-1 loss at Burnley on final day saw them finish in eighth.