I would love dan neil to repeat my 'unbelievable' wembley achievement

FORMER BLACK CATS SKIPPER CORRY EVANS HAS RELIVED HIS MOMENT OF GLORY CLIVE YOULTON 17:00, 20 May 2025 Dan Neil will be hoping to join the select band on Saturday and join Northern Ireland

international Corry Evans as one of the few Sunderland captains to have lifted silverware at Wembley. For Evans, it was a moment that not only defined a season but cemented the 34-year-old’s

place in the club’s rich history. A commanding central midfielder, Evans’ leadership and composure helped guide the club back to the Championship after four years in the country’s third

tier, as documented on the Netflix documentary ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die.’ On a sun-drenched afternoon in May 2022, it was Elliot Embleton’s thunderous strike from distance that calmed the

nerves and sparked belief. Ross Stewart’s cool finish later sealed a 2-0 victory over Wycombe Wanderers, sending a sea of red-and-white into euphoric celebration, both in the capital and

across the globe. Reflecting on that unforgettable League One play-off final victory, Evans speaks with pride and emotion as he recalls the sheer scale of the occasion. “Firstly, it’s pride

as a professional player – to get that chance to walk out at Wembley,” he told safc.com. “It was my first time playing there in my career. “You’ve got all your family and friends in the

stands. It’s quite a unique thing. It’s an occasion rather than just a game. You have to treat it like a normal game. There’s so much talk around what the game means - not just to the

players, but the club as well. It’s hard not to get caught up in it, but you have to try to distract yourself from everything else going on.” Even so, the enormity of the day hit hard in the

opening minutes. “In the first 15-20 minutes, I went to control the ball and it went under my foot. I told Lynden Gooch, ‘my legs are heavy here, they’re gone.’ The whole day just takes it

out of you. Afterwards, you’re absolutely drained. “I remember walking up the stairs to collect the trophy, looking out and seeing a big sea of red-and-white on one side. It was unbelievable

– the size of Wembley is like nothing else. At the heart of Sunderland’s promotion push was Alex Neil. Appointed in the second half of the season, the Scotsman’s tactical clarity and

composure proved decisive. “When he came in, Alex knew we were sort of just losing our way a little bit,” added Evans. “We were still around the play-offs – I think we might even have been

second or third at the time.” A 3-0 away win at Wigan proved the spark that reignited the campaign. “That was massive for us as a team,” he recalled. “From there, we just snowballed, got our

momentum, and everything just fell into place. “Alex Neil was so good tactically, especially for one-off games, like the two-legged semi-final against Sheffield Wednesday. “He’s one of the

best managers I’ve come across in terms of setting teams up to stop the opposition and preparing us to exploit their weaknesses.” Now, a new generation is writing its chapter, one brimming

with young talent and fearless ambition. The current squad boasts remarkable experience for its age – Dan Neil, just 23, has already played nearly 200 games for his boyhood club. Chris Rigg,

still only 17, has featured in more than 70 senior fixtures, while Jobe Bellingham, at 19, passed the 100-game mark in the Championship in February. Evans sees a kindred spirit in Neil, who

is now set to lead Sunderland out at Wembley – following in his footsteps. “I love Dan, I think he’s brilliant,” he added. “To see what he’s become now, how much he’s progressed both on and

off the pitch, it’s great to see. He’s obviously leading his club out at a Wembley final, one game away from the Premier League.” That Premier League return is the dream Sunderland fans

have held close for years and one Evans believed in from day one. Article continues below “It felt like the first step of getting the club back where it belongs – in the Premier League,” he

said. ““That was my aim when I joined: to get promotion in the first season and build on it. “I absolutely loved my time there. The highs at Sunderland are unbelievable. I never really knew

the size of the club until I got there. I spoke to my brother who played there previously, but until you’re actually living in the area and you’re involved in it day to day, you don’t

realise or appreciate how big and how much it means to the people.I’ll always look back on my time there with great memories.”