The EFL Championship is now in its 20th year (branded as the Championship), and SAFC have got off to a flying start. But how does our start compare to the previous 19 winners, and do you reckon we can actually do it this year?
In the previous 19 iterations of the EFL Championship, since 2004-5, there have been 13 different winners, and twice our beloved Sunderland AFC have finished top. The first of these title winning sides was led by Mick McCarthy in the new-look EFL Championship's inaugural season. McCarthy is one of only two managers to win the new-look competition twice, once with us, the other with Wolverhampton Wanderers. The only other manager to do so being Sunderland's recent opponent, Leeds United manager Daniel Farke. During this campaign SAFC didn't relinquish their top spot from March 19th onwards, following victory over Coventry City... the side that shot-putted us to rock bottom following an opening day 2-0 defeat.
The other Championship conquest came in the 2006-7 season, under the tutelage of Mr Roy Keane. During this season, SAFC spent a measly 12 days at the summit of the league table, spending a proportion of the season midtable. Remarkably, we were in 12th position when Santee came down the chimneys of Wearside and the team, led by captain Dean Whitehead, spent less days at the top of the league than any other title winning side in the last 20 years. So, how does our season thus far compare with previous winners? And what are our chances of actually pulling off the perfect season with such a young squad?
There's no denying that our start to the season has come as a bit of a surprise to every SAFC fan, yet the tests our youthful squad have overcome so far have been stern and challenging; Cardiff, Burnley, Pompey and Boro to name a few that have been put to the sword. We look extremely solid defensively, and somewhat dangerous when attacking. We all know that keeping this form up throughout a 48-game Championship season will be a tough task, and were we to do so, our projected points total would be 97 points, enough to win all but five of the 20 EFL Championship seasons. The main question on everyone's lips is; “can the youngins keep it up all season?” I looked at the stats of previous squads to hopefully transform myself into some sort of literary Mystic Meg.
From Championship promoted sides in the last four seasons, an average of nine first team squad players had been brought in during the summer transfer window. Sunderland brought in, you guessed it, nine. Of those nine new signings, three were used in the most-used eleven players of promotion squads, SAFC currently have: Isidor, Browne and Mepham, all of whom will arguably end the 24-25 campaign in SAFC's top 11 most used players. These three signings also bring with them more exciting correlations with previous promotion sides due to them being in their mid-to-late 20’s, opposed to just finishing their GCSEs like the rest of the squad. Now I know every media outlet loves to hype up the SAFC youth-train, and Alan Hansen's famous quote has come to mind a number of times whilst writing this article, however, our squad has played together for quite a while now, at least more than the 1.5 season average that promotion squads have played together in recent Championship seasons. Another thing to note is that the percentile of squad members in each age bracket for SAFC's squad are not too dissimilar to those of the previous nine promoted sides (see table below). Our squad is starting to mature, also, time really does pass by quickly, and maybe we are ready.
Unfortunately, however, there are some discrepancies with how SAFC do things, and how the other promoted sides in recent years go about their business. Most notably the amount of money spent on staff wages and player fees. With most promoted clubs gambling financially for a number of seasons with the hope that one day they will unfurl the golden-egg that is promotion to the English Premier League. In fact, in two of the last four seasons, the top two highest spending clubs in the transfer market have finished first and second come the end of the season. In the other two of the last four seasons, the top two spenders have finished 1st and 3rd. Basically, it seems you have to spend big to go up automatically, however, there is the odd anomaly. Ipswich Town shocked English football last year by achieving the unthinkable; back-to-back promotions, and all with a summer budget of £3.5 million, opposed to 1st placed Leicester City’s £44.1 million. See, it can be done. Comparatively, SAFC spent £5.75m in the summer of 2024, much to the annoyance and bemusement of the Red ‘n’ White Army. My thinking is, maybe KLD is onto something.
With everything taken into consideration, our high-flying, youthful, exuberant, cheap and passionate Red and White athletes, have a huge task on their hands, but one that actually, with a bit of luck and hard graft, seems moderately achievable. Mind you, after the 96th minute against Leeds United, I worry we have used up every ounce of our share of luck in one game...
We've got off to a flying start, and with Chris Rigg in the middle and Dr Regis Le Bris at the helm, it really does seem like anything is possible. I’m not a gambling man, but I said to my better half prior to the season kicking off that we should put 20 quid on SAFC to win the league. We didn't. Now we feel stupid. So d’ya reckon we can do it? Here's to hoping.
