Today marks the birthday of our former manager Jack Ross, a figure whose time on Wearside continues to divide opinion among supporters as to whether it was a successful tenure or not. While his reign ultimately ended in disappointment, Ross also played an important role in stabilising the club during one of the most turbulent periods in its history.
Appointed by new owner Stewart Donald in May 2018 following our relegation to League One, Ross arrived with the task of trying to rebuild a club that had suffered back-to-back drops from the Premier League to the third tier. Naturally, expectations were enormous, but the Scotsman quickly brought a sense of calm and stability to a dressing room and fanbase that had been rocked by years of decline and disappointment.
One of the biggest positives of Ross’s tenure was his ability to restore the team’s pride in their performances and, crucially, start winning games again. Sunderland lost just five league matches during the 2018-19 campaign and finished fifth with 88 points. The team reached the League One play-off final at Wembley, where they narrowly lost 2-1 to Charlton Athletic in heartbreaking fashion. Ross also guided the Black Cats to the final of the EFL Trophy, although they were defeated on penalties by Portsmouth.
Ross deserves credit for creating a side that was difficult to beat and capable of grinding out results. Players such as Aiden McGeady thrived under his management, while the club regained a level of professionalism and organisation on the pitch that had been lacking in previous seasons.
However, there were significant criticisms too. Despite Sunderland’s decent points tally, many fans felt the team lacked attacking ambition. Too often, winning positions were surrendered and matches ended in frustrating draws, particularly 1-1 stalemates.
Appointed by new owner Stewart Donald in May 2018 following our relegation to League One, Ross arrived with the task of trying to rebuild a club that had suffered back-to-back drops from the Premier League to the third tier. Naturally, expectations were enormous, but the Scotsman quickly brought a sense of calm and stability to a dressing room and fanbase that had been rocked by years of decline and disappointment.
One of the biggest positives of Ross’s tenure was his ability to restore the team’s pride in their performances and, crucially, start winning games again. Sunderland lost just five league matches during the 2018-19 campaign and finished fifth with 88 points. The team reached the League One play-off final at Wembley, where they narrowly lost 2-1 to Charlton Athletic in heartbreaking fashion. Ross also guided the Black Cats to the final of the EFL Trophy, although they were defeated on penalties by Portsmouth.
Ross deserves credit for creating a side that was difficult to beat and capable of grinding out results. Players such as Aiden McGeady thrived under his management, while the club regained a level of professionalism and organisation on the pitch that had been lacking in previous seasons.
However, there were significant criticisms too. Despite Sunderland’s decent points tally, many fans felt the team lacked attacking ambition. Too often, winning positions were surrendered and matches ended in frustrating draws, particularly 1-1 stalemates.
12 days ago
