Sunderland are looking to buck the trend with Wembley victory

EVENTY per cent of promotion-winning clubs since Stoke City were relegated to the Championship have been in receipt of parachute payments.

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The problem for Stoke is that they threw so much money at trying to get straight back up to the Premier League in 2018 that, when that transfer business flopped - and the EFL rules were tweaked, they spent the rest of their time with parachutes and beyond preoccupied with making sure they did not breach Financial Fair Play rules.

They cut budgets and saved up to bankroll a major squad overhaul in 2023 but that one - overseen by Alex Neil, Ricky Martin and Jared Dublin - didn't go to plan either and led to more furious scraping back by their successors.

It has all led to seven bottom-half finishes in a row - but success in the Championship isn't as impossible as the Potters have made it seem at times. Even Gary Rowett, who had been in charge in that 2018 transfer frenzy, is now targeting a top 10 finish with Oxford United on a much smaller budget.

And there have still been six clubs since 2018 who have pulled off a near-miracle and won promotion without parachute payments. Sunderland will be hoping to make it seven as underdogs in a play-off final against Sheffield United.

A sprinkling of managerial genius, team spirit and savvy recruitment - and, crucially, big gambles paying off - have beaten the trend and here is how.

SHEFFIELD UNITED (2018/19)

Secured automatic promotion under manager Chris Wilder by finishing second.

Wilder had guided Sheff Utd up from the depths of League One with tactical innovations including overlapping centre-halves and the core of the group stayed together. He beat Pep Guardiola to that year's LMA manager of the year award.

Strike pair Billy Sharp and David McGoldrick scored a combined 38 goals and cost a combined £635,000.

"I would like to think we have struck a blow for recruitment, training ground, teaching and all the other stuff which goes on behind the scenes - there is no chequebook culture," said Wilder at the time.

LEEDS UNITED (2019/20)