Very few would have predicted a campaign like it for Sunderland. A top-six finish after four years of struggle and strife in League One, so plaudits must go to former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie for hitting the nail on the head.
The Sky Sports pundit had the Black Cats down to finish in the top-six come the end of the season, having won the League One play-off final so comfortably last time out. The majority, if not all, Sunderland supporters would have been content with a year of consolidation, but as the season wore on, optimism rightly grew.
Speaking back in June, Hendrie told Sky Sports: "I've got them in my top-six. The way I look at Sunderland is that they've been out of the Championship and they're destined for top flight football.
