Nineteen-year-old Tom Watson etched his name into Sunderland folklore, scoring a stunning 96th-minute winner to fire the Black Cats back into the Premier League after eight long years, crushing Sheffield United’s hopes in a dramatic Championship play-off final at Wembley.
In a pulsating finale befitting the occasion, Watson, on the brink of a move to Brighton, seized a fleeting chance against a ten-man United to curl home a low finish that sent Wearside into ecstasy. His celebration was as raw as it was raucous, sprinting toward the fans who had endured heartbreak after heartbreak in recent years.
Sunderland had been second best for large periods, struggling to contain a confident Sheffield United side. Tyrese Campbell’s thunderous first-half opener gave the Blades a deserved lead, and they looked in control as Wembley’s tension simmered.
A second for United looked imminent when Harrison Burrows found the net, only for VAR to intervene with an offside call. That moment proved pivotal.
Sunderland refused to go quietly. With 14 minutes left, Eliezer Mayenda produced a brilliant individual goal, darting through defenders and finishing coolly to level the score. Suddenly, belief flooded back into the red-and-white faithful.
The game tilted again when United’s Anel Ahmedhodzic suffered a head injury. With all five subs used, the Blades were down to ten men. That sliver of vulnerability was all Watson needed.
It was a fitting end to Sunderland’s long road back. From Premier League exile and a stint in League One, this moment marked not just promotion but redemption.
