View: Luke O’Nien key for Sunderland – six years since first goal
Sunderland hero Luke O’Nien scored his first goal for the club six years ago on 20 October and has been a monumental figure ever since.
When it comes to strange happenings at Sunderland, signing a League Two attacking midfielder whilst in England’s third division and seeing him blossom into a leading Championship central defender years later is certainly up there.
O’Nien has been a mainstay in the Sunderland side under various managers and this season is no different. Alongside Dan Ballard for most of his time, also Chris Mepham as late, O’Nien has barely put a foot wrong and he has quickly become an icon on Wearside.
Why has Sunderland been the perfect fit for Luke O’Nien?
Quite simply, O’Nien is one of the most humble, hardworking footballers you’re likely to see and those two attributes are often the key to being a success at Sunderland.
He arrived at the club as a midfielder, an attacking one at that, scoring his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Shrewsbury in 2018 but very quickly saw himself utilised in many other areas of the pitch.
Right back, left back and of course centre back which is the position he finds himself thriving in now.
His attitude has been a crucial component as to why he remains a regular in Regis Le Bris’ side, an attitude that was demonstrated in an interview with Sky Sports in 2021 where he explained the reasoning behind everything he does.
Sunderland have had a great start to the campaign so far, with players such as Romaine Mundle and Chris Rigg among many others standing in the spotlight, however, O’Nien may be the biggest unsung hero in the squad and any chance of promotion may hinge on his availability throughout the season.
In other Sunderland news, Sunderland rising star Chris Rigg is just two goals away from surpassing the five that Gareth Bale scored in the EFL before turning 18.
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