They're back and this time they mean business. Sunderland celebrated their return to the Premiership after an absence of two years last night with a 5-2 win over Bury and vowed they would be a force to be reckoned with in the top flight next season.
The heartbreak of their penalty shoot-out defeat to Charlton in last year's play-offs all but forgotten, Sunderland's elated captain Kevin Ball promised: "We're going to make Sunderland a force."
There was even a smile on manager Peter Reid's face. "It's a fantastic feeling. I'm really pleased for the players. They've been brilliant. They've shown tremendous character," he said.
"We're in the Premiership next year and we're going to enjoy it. But we've got a game on Friday (away to Barnsley) so we're going to wait until after that for the main enjoyment."
Republic of Ireland international Niall Quinn, enjoying his most prolific season yet in English football, notched up his 20th goal of the season at Gigg Lane last night. "I'm just delighted for all the lads. We've all done our little bit," said the self-effacing striker.
Quinn's partner up front, Kevin Phillips, overtook him as the club's leading scorer however, his amazing four-goal tally taking him to 22 for the season. 99391380 Kevin Phillips blasted Sunderland back into the Premiership with a four-goal blitz as the Wearsiders turned on the style against Bury at Gigg Lane.
Phillips struck from the penalty spot after just 10 minutes and then added two more in a dazzling 23-minute burst as Peter Reid's side raced into a 4-1 lead.
Niall Quinn's 20th goal of the season, sandwiched in between Phillips' first two, looked to have completed Sunderland's promotion campaign, and virtually assured the Division One title as well, in front of 4,492 travelling supporters in a crowd of 8,669.
With Sunderland itching to leave the ardours of first division football behind them, Fulham were only too glad to take their place when a 3-0 victory over Gillingham at Craven Cottage last night returned the Londoners to the top two divisions for the first time in 13 years.
Manager Kevin Keegan is finding that the day job is working out just fine. Of course, this success should represent only the start of the adventure, provided Mohamed Al Fayed does not deliver his chief operating officer (or rather his chief dream-maker) to the English FA in Lancaster Gate in a box marked "Gift to the nation" just yet.
A year remains on Keegan's contract and countless millions are available to try to propel the club into the Premiership.
"We will definitely be looking to buy," Keegan said. "I've spent £12 million already thanks to Mr Fayed and we are not going to stop now." That expenditure meant anything other than a top-two finish would have been humiliating, but even the most rabid Fulham haters must admit Keegan has done it in style. Ten points from the last six matches would take them past Swindon's record of 102 points in a season.
