Sunderland secured an historic return to European football next season as Northern Ireland international Trai Hume inspired the Black Cats to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Chelsea at the Stadium of Light at the weekend.
Hume opened the scoring for the home side with a spectacular 25th-minute volley. This crucial opener, combined with a Manchester United victory over Brighton, allowed the newly promoted Black Cats to leapfrog from 10th to 7th place in the final Premier League standings, thus qualifying for next term’s Europa League.
It has been an incredible journey for the former Linfield defender, who has been an integral part of the Wearsiders’ rise from League One to European football in just four years.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the 24-year-old said: “At the start of the season, I don't think anybody would have given us a chance to stay up, never mind to do what we've done.
“I signed here when we were in League One, and if you’d told me four years ago that I’d be here in the Europa League, I wouldn’t have believed you.
“It’s a credit to the owner and the staff throughout the years, all the players, everyone that we’ve signed, everyone that’s left, they’ve all been fantastic.
“Like I said, we work our socks off every day, and this is what we deserve.”
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Justin Devenny completed the full ninety minutes for Crystal Palace as they went down 2-1 to champions Arsenal at Selhurst Park.
One of Northern Ireland’s last remaining EURO 2016 players, Paddy McNair, will be back in the Premier League next season after Hull City defeated Middlesbrough 1-0 after extra time in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
Despite missing the League One play-off decider at the weekend through injury, defender Eoin Toal was still celebrating as Bolton Wanderers secured their place in the Championship with a 4-1 win over Stockport County, who had former international Ollie Norwood in their starting XI.
There was disappointment, however, for under-21 international Shea Kearney as Dunfermline Athletic lost the Scottish Cup final 3-1 to Celtic at Hampden to clinch a record-breaking 22 league and cup doubles.
Meanwhile, Lauren Wade and Joely Andrews were celebrating as Hearts Women clinched their first-ever SWPL title despite a tense 2-0 final-day defeat to fierce rivals Hibernian.
Hearts were handed the trophy after second-placed Rangers, who were without the injured Laura Rafferty, suffered an astonishing 6-0 defeat to Glasgow City.
Finally, Ellie Mason will be joining Rebecca McKenna and Rebecca Holloway in the WSL next term, after she scored, what turned out to be the decisive penalty, in Charlton Athletic’s promotion play-off shoot-out victory against Leicester City.
