Second seasons in the Premier League are tough enough without more games being added to a stacked schedule, so should that be a source of concern on Wearside? When that question was put to Reid, who took Sunderland up twice and picked up a couple of seventh-place finishes himself between 1995 and 2002, the former Black Cats boss – speaking at the world’s biggest World Cup-themed auction courtesy of BUDDSthe UK’s leading specialist auctioneers of sports memorabilia – told GOAL: “Believe it or not, I was at the play-off games when they went up. Coventry were the better side in the two play-off games – semi-final. Sheffield United, arguably, in my opinion, were the better side. But they found a way.
“What I loved – everyone was saying Sunderland were going down. The recruitment, Xhaka, they have been superb. And I mean superb. The way the club’s structured now and the fan base, it wouldn’t surprise me if they go again. If the recruitment is anything as good as it was last summer, I think they’ll have the ammo.
“I was at the Tottenham-Everton game, the last game of the season, big game – Sunderland getting in Europe, the scenarios were there, but I thought there’s not a prayer. They’ve done it.
“I’m delighted for the fan base because they’re just unbelievable. Fantastic. All credit to them. Massive football club, great history. The recruitment is crucial. But certainly, they’ve done brilliant. I think they can go on. But as we know, it’s really tough.”
