It was the 89th minute, and Sunderland needed a goal. New signing Enzo Le Fée stepped up to take the corner, firing a short pass towards Wilson Isidor, who flicked it on for Dennis Cirkin to equalize in front of a raucous Stadium of Light crowd. As a result of their 2-2 draw vs. Watford, Sunderland have kept their unbeaten home record alive (9 wins and 5 draws), narrowly eking out a point that may very well prove vital at the end of the campaign.

Sunderland currently sit fourth in the EFL Championship table, seven points behind league leaders Leeds United, five behind Sheffield United, two behind Burnley, and 12 above West Bromwich Albion. The Black Cats find themselves five points away from the automatic promotion spots with 15 matches left, but they nevertheless are on course to finish in the top six and contest the promotion playoffs for the second time in three years.

Boasting a star-studded line-up featuring the likes of Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham, Le Fée, and Isidor, Sunderland are looking to pull off one of the toughest feats in football: escape the doldrums of the second tier and return to the Premier League. It’s easier said than done, but it also isn’t without precedent. Today, we’re taking a look at Sunderland’s history of promotions.

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1995/96

Although they have won six top-flight titles in their 146-year existence, Sunderland didn’t participate in the modern Premier League until 1996. Sunderland’s lack of attacking output had landed them in a relegation battle in 1994/95, with Peter Reid replacing Mick Buxton for the final weeks of the campaign and just about guiding them to safety, prompting them to give him the permanent job.

Expectations were low after their 20th-place finish, doubly so after two defeats and two draws from their first five matches, but Sunderland would nevertheless hit their stride by avoiding defeat in their next 11 fixtures.

On December 9, they faced off against Millwall in a battle between first and second, with Craig Russell banging in four goals in a 6-0 thrashing as Sunderland took the top spot. They failed to build on that momentum with just one win in their next nine, but they would bounce back by winning their next nine matches and eventually finishing atop the division.

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1998/99

After being sent packing to the Second Division in 1997, Sunderland looked set to make an immediate return to the Premier League after making it all the way to the promotion final, only for Charlton to prevail on penalties.

Despite this, they were able to keep hold of attacking talisman Kevin Phillips, who proved instrumental in the following season with 25 goals across all competitions.

He scored in six of Sunderland’s first seven matches and helped set the foundations for a stellar start to the campaign. Sunderland avoided defeat in their first 18 matches and demolished the competition throughout the campaign with a monumental 91 goals scored and +63 goal differential.

There was never any doubt when Sunderland returned to the promised land, finishing 18 points clear of second-placed Bradford City and claiming a then-league record 105 points.

2004/05

Mick McCarthy replaced Reid in 2002 and oversaw their relegation to the second tier as well as their third-place finish, with Crystal Palace edging them on penalties in the semifinals.

The pressure started to mount on McCarthy after just one win in their first six matches, but they arrested their slide in September with four wins on the bounce. A loss to Sheffield United and a draw to Derby County would follow before edging Millwall 1-0 on October 16.

From that point onwards, Sunderland never dropped out of the top six, mainly hovering around third place. They remained consistent and kept their eyes on the prize, and with pace-setters Ipswich Town suffering a decline in form at the worst possible moment, Sunderland were able to take advantage and ascend to the top of the table during the home stretch.

They confirmed their promotion with just two matches remaining, with Steven Caldwell scoring in the 60th minute to secure a comeback win vs. Leicester City.

“We were in a tight fight with Ipswich and Wigan for the top two promotion spots, and we went on our best run at the most important time, winning 11 of our last 13 league matches,” stated Caldwell. “When it came to that Leicester game, it was still in the balance. We were drawing 1-1 and not playing well, but to score the decisive goal was amazing. I’m very proud to have a significant role in Sunderland’s history. It was one of my proudest moments. Out of all the 16 goals I scored in my career, it was by far the most important.”

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2006/07

Sunderland were immediately sent packing to the second tier after finishing bottom with 15 points, and at first, it seemed that they were at risk of suffering back-to-back relegations.

They began the 2006/07 campaign with four defeats in a row before finally managing to beat West Brom 2-0 on August 28. That same day would see Roy Keane appointed as their new manager, followed by a busy deadline day featuring six new signings.

After a promising honeymoon period, Keane’s side would lose five of eight before drawing 1-1 to Southampton. Nevertheless, they would turn the tide in January, beating Leicester 2-0 on New Year’s Day and quickly finding their stride under the Irishman.

After kicking off 2007 with 14 wins and 3 draws, Sunderland would slip up and lose 3-1 at Colchester United, before bouncing back with a 3-2 win vs. Burnley. A 5-0 shellacking of Luton Town on the final day would see Sunderland win the Championship title and return to the Premier League, where they remained for 10 straight seasons before dropping down.

And after eight years of toggling between League One and the Championship, Sunderland are chasing a return to the top-flight of English football.

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