Watching Luton Town celebrate promotion to the Premier League at Wembley hurt for Sunderland fans. It was very much a case of 'what if' as the side which ended their promotion dream in the play-off semi-finals went a step further with a penalty shoot-out victory over Coventry City.
But while any Black Cats supporter could be forgiven for imagining what would had happened if they had held on to their first-leg lead at Kenilworth Road, the truth is very few were even thinking about promotion 12 months ago.
That Tony Mowbray and Co managed to mount and sustain a top-six push was remarkable, especially given the hand the club was dealt when it came to injuries. A new season will bring new challenges, of course, with some interesting sides relegated from the Premier League - and strong outfits promoted from League One.
