Sunderland strike back to seal dramatic play-off win

There are ways to say goodbye. Tommy Watson's last few minutes as a Sunderland player proved the club's last few in the Football League.

- RICHARD JOLLY

Their eight-year exile from the top flight was ended by a player who was just 11 when they were last relegated from the Premier League. As they won the £200m match, the richest game in world football, they may not need the millions they will bank from Watson's impending move to Brighton.

But if he is going to the Premier League, he departed by dragging them up with him, a 96th-minute winner transporting the Roker Roar, the sound of the Stadium of Light, to Wembley.

It was quite a comeback by Sunderland: on the day, after Sheffield United dominated the first half to lead, and over the last four seasons.

They have come a long way in a short time. Three-and-a-half years ago, Sunderland lost 6-0 at Bolton in League One and sacked Lee Johnson. Then, given their history, fanbase and stadium, they were arguably English football's greatest underachievers.

Three weeks ago, no club had ever gone into the play-offs in worse form than Sunderland, with five straight losses. But they have become specialists in turnarounds. Regis Le Bris, an unknown French appointment, has proved an inspired choice as manager, and they are a Premier League club again.

One of the grand old clubs have done it with youth. Kyril LouisDreyfus is the boy king of an owner. Eliezer Mayenda was the youngest scorer in a Championship play-off final for 32 years.

The 20-year-old had that status for all of 19 minutes, until the 19-year-old Watson surpassed him.