‘So proud’
Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham jumped onto a video call with big brother Jude in the dressing room at Wembley.
The Real Madrid star shared an image of the call to his social media followers.
Bellingham ‘understands’ the doubters
Sunderland’s five-game losing run towards the end of the regulation season never worried Jobe Bellingham – or so he claims.
Play-off glory erased memories of that winless streak.
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And Bellingham said: “I know people doubted us. It was understandable. We lost a few games, people talk about momentum.
“But I think we did enough and showed enough in the season for people to give us some credit going into the play-offs.
“People say we are inexperienced but you get experience by failing and we have failed together so many times and in the end we’ve come good.
“Every single player has made a name for themselves here. Really proud.”
Jobe joy as he says he never lost faith
Jude Bellingham’s younger brother Jobe can’t wait to play at the top club level himself.
After helping Sunderland to promotion, the midfielder told Sky Sports: “It means everything to everyone here for all the staff, for everyone involved.
“It’s all the club have been aiming to achieve for eight years.
“Every single player has spoken about it when they have come here to get this club back to the Premier League and so many have failed.
“But I take a lot of pride in saying that I am one of the players who has helped this great club get back to where it belongs.
“I always believed, you have to believe, when you have supporters like this and a group of lads like this, you have to believe.”
‘We were too loose’
Chris Wilder has identified where he reckons it went wrong for his Sheffield United side – after they seemed in control for so long.
Tom Watson’s 95th-minute winner capped Sunderland’s comeback route to play-off glory and the Prem.
Wilder said: “Defining moments in the game I get. Of course they’ve got to open up and try and get back into the game we just needed to be better on that turnover.
“I think the biggest thing for us was we were too loose second half. We have that ability to sit in.
“They’re piling people forward and then we go and kill them on the counter attack and we never found that moment, we were loose.
“It was disappointing to concede the second goal in the 95th minute, I know we were down to 10-men but it goes up to the centre-forward and it’s loose again and they find the two moments.”
Chris Wilder’s woe contrasted with joy for counterpart Regis Le BrisCredit: Shutterstock EditorialPain will last says Wilder
Gutted Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder says falling at the final hurdle will be “tough” to accept for a long time.
And with the Blades leading from the 25th to 76th minute, Wilder insisted: “We never really felt in danger even sort of second half.”
He told Sky Sports: “It’s going to take quite a while to get over, for the players, the staff and most importantly the supporters.
“Congratulations to Sunderland, the manager and the players for the achievements this season and going into the Premier League.
“It’s a tough one to take from our point of view.
“Everyone talks about stats, I think we had the biggest chances but stats doesn’t win you the game.
“They found their moments and we haven’t found our moments.”
Black Cats man of the match in shock
Keeper Anthony Patterson is struggling to take in rising from League One to the Prem with Sunderland.
The Tynesider, 25, has an England Under-21 cap and has been with the Black Cats all his career, save for 2021-22 on loan with Notts County.
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
He told Sky Sports: “Honestly it’s in incredible, I don’t think I can put it into words.
“So proud of the boys, they stuck in right until the end and we got our rewards. I’m so happy.”
And asked about his progress through the leagues, he said: “Honestly I’ve not even thought about it.
“It’s not even sunk in what’s happening but I’m gonna enjoy every moment now.”