League One to Europa League in four years – Sunderland defy oddsFigure caption, Sunderland beat Chelsea to qualify for Europa LeagueByAdwaidh RajanBBC Sport journalistPublished56 minutes agoSunderland were a League One outfit when Trai Hume joined for £200,000 in January 2022. He signed a four-and-a-half-year deal and mentioned he had been assured the club were “aiming for bigger and better things”.
He would not in his wildest dreams have thought he would be scoring – four and a half years later – to help send the club into Europe.
But that is exactly what the former Linfield defender did on the final day of this Premier League season.
The Black Cats came good on their need to beat Chelsea at the Stadium of Light to cap off an impressive return to the top flight with a spot in next season’s Europa League.
Northern Ireland international Hume’s first-time volley past Robert Sanchez got the celebration started at the Stadium of Light, and it reached a pinnacle at full-time when the club’s return to Europe after 53 years was sealed.
Promotion into the Championship in Hume’s first season with Sunderland was followed by last season’s ascent to the top flight, both steps up the ladder coming via the play-offs.
“Last year was emotional for me as it was a dream to play in the Premier League,” Hume told BBC Match of the Day.
“I didn’t think we could get here and make Europe, but we have done it. We will give it everything next season.”
Sunderland’s rise from the third tier of English football to the Premier League and now Europa League in just four years is nothing short of remarkable.
Head coach Regis le Bris told BBC Match of the Day after Sunday’s 2-1 win over an expensively assembled Chelsea: “It’s amazing. Outstanding.
“The stadium is crazy now and the fans deserve this. The planets aligned today but we needed to do the job. We were only focused on our game – even at half-time.”
But how did Sunderland do it? Here is a look at their remarkable journey.
