Ballard opens up on career turning point ahead of Sunderland’s play-off final
Sunderland defender Dan Ballard has revealed a key turning point in his career and his reasoning for moving to the North East.
Ballard was the hero in the Black Cats’ play-off semi-final against Coventry City, scoring a 122nd-minute winner to send Sunderland to Wembley.
The Northern Ireland international was signed in 2022 from Arsenal and has been a major success in his three seasons at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland travel to Wembley on Saturday (May 24) to take on Sheffield United, with Ballard set to be key in his side’s chances of ending an eight-year spell out of the top flight.
Ballard opens up on Arsenal career and decision to join Sunderland
At age 16, Ballard was released by Arsenal for the second time and was close to joining his hometown club, Stevenage, with an offer on the table.
The Gunners offered the defender a chance against Bayern Munich in a friendly in his preferred centre-back role, and it convinced the club to re-sign the youngster.
Talking to the Northern Echo (23 May), Ballard said: “That was a really pivotal point in my career.
“I’d sort of been a right-back for a long time, then moved into midfielder but I was never a natural midfielder. I’ve always been a defender at heart.
“I had a really good game against Bayern and I got offered a scholarship to go back.”
Ballard went on to have a breakout year in the Arsenal academy, captaining a side including Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe to the 2018 FA Youth Cup final.
The defender said: “That was really the first year I started to improve and really started to play in the team.”
In 2022, Ballard was given two sides to choose between to leave the Gunners for, Burnley and Sunderland.
But whilst Burnley could offer the chance to work under Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany, there was only one team Ballard wanted to join.
He said: “I just saw the size of the club.
“It’s an amazing football club and when I look back at the last three years in terms of my personal growth and my journey, I’m just so glad it’s happened the way it’s happened.
“I don’t think there are many clubs, not just in England but in the world, that have fans who can produce an atmosphere like that.”
Ballard reacts to Coventry heroics
Following the semi-final against Coventry, Ballard revealed he had not stopped watching his winning header.
He said: “I must have watched the goal back 100 times.
“It just seems to have been all over social media. Every time I go on my phone it’s there – and if the opportunity is there to watch it I watch it every time. It’s great to see all the angles and just what it means to everyone.
“And now we have the opportunity to get to the Premier League.”
The Northern Ireland international will almost certainly be included in the Sunderland XI at Wembley on Saturday.
Ballard never got his opportunity in the Premier League with Arsenal, having never made a league appearance for the club before his move to the North East.
Should the Black Cats be victorious against the Blades, the defender will get his chance to prove himself in the top flight, whilst writing himself in Sunderland folklore forever.