Stelling ‘couldn’t agree more’ after what Lee Clark’s said about Sunderland on air
Sunderland are building up to one of the biggest days in the club’s recent history as they prepare for the Championship play-off final.
Sunderland’s meeting with Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium will be their first chance of returning to the Premier League since they were relegated in 2017.
Players, managers and pundits are talking about the game in what promises to be a close affair between the third and fourth-placed sides.
Jeff Stelling and Lee Clark both have the North East in their veins and discussed the upcoming clash.
Jeff Stelling and Lee Clark speak ahead of play-off final
Stelling and Clark polarise opinion in Sunderland. The former is a well-respected Hartlepool supporter who often speaks highly of the Black Cats, whereas Clark is a lifelong Newcastle fan.
For those supporters who are not familiar, Clark donned a controversial t-shirt mocking the Wearside faithful before Newcastle United’s FA Cup final appearance in 1999.
Considering he was a contracted Sunderland player at this time, it understandably did not go down well.
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Newcastle United | 260 | 27 | 28 |
| Sunderland | 78 | 16 | 0 |
Ahead of next weekend’s crunch game in the capital, the pair discussed the game live on talkSPORT (19 May, 8:56am) alongside another former Black Cat, Ally McCoist.
When jokingly asked whether he would want Sunderland to win the final by McCoist, Clark was assured in his response.
Clark said: “Do you know what Ally? I am, and I’ve said this all the time, and my pals will tell you this, whoever spoke to us, I want Sunderland in the Premier League.
“[I want the] derby games back. I would love Middlesbrough in the Premier League; I want the North East clubs back… let’s get the North East football back on the map.”
Stelling replied: “Couldn’t agree with you more Lee, couldn’t agree with you more.”
Premier League better with Sunderland in it
This phrase gets thrown around a lot, but it could not be more true: Sunderland are a sleeping giant.
With six top-flight titles to their name, only six clubs have been crowned English champions more times than the Wearsiders.
Of course, it has been some time since the North East club lifted one of those trophies, but their status in the English game is etched in the history books.
On top of that, they possess one of the largest and most passionate groups of supporters in the entire country.
As Clark and Stelling alluded to, the North East derby has been sorely missed, and even the neutral would be drooling at the prospect of that encounter next season.
While Sunderland’s return to the Premier League is not guaranteed, it would be welcomed after an eight-year absence.