Mel Reay answers the big Super League question and explains Sunderland's added motivation in title race

Mel Reay believes Sunderland will back her team’s bid to reach the WSL, but has said her full focus is currently on the final two games of the campaign.

The Black Cats know they will win promotion if they take six points from their final two fixtures, but they must then be awarded a licence to join the top division. That will require the club to put forward an application that meets the league’s stringent criteria, and will likely require significant investment from the ownership.

While Reay is hopeful that the early indications are good on the front, it is not at this stage something she has dedicated too much time to. For even though the maths are simple in terms of going on to win the league, the reality is far more difficult. Sunderland play Charlton Athletic, currently third in the table and still very much in the title race, on Sunday afternoon at Eppleton. Should they win that, then they will then almost certainly need to beat Crystal Palace, the current league leaders, away next weekend. It’s a challenge that Reay says demands her full attention, and means that no one inside the Academy of Light is looking beyond Sunday’s game.

“I think so, I've heard all the right things that I need to hear,” Reay said of the club’s Super League ambitions.

“At the same time, my full concentration has to be on the team and the next two games. Ultimately if we don't win the next two games then the application and all those meetings that need to take place are irrelevant. So at the moment, it's still a case for me of just keeping all eyes on the grass and making sure the team is fully prepared. It’s all eyes on Charlton. We know we can’t slip up or we know that might be it done. The full focus for our last three weeks has been on this game coming up on Sunday.”

Sunderland know that Charlton will provide a stern test even on home turf, with the two teams currently separated in the table by just one point and little else besides.

“I think we're a very similar team to Charlton, they've got an abundance of talent in their squad,” Reay said.

“They've conceded the same number of goals as us, they've scored pretty much the same number of goals as us. It's going to be a tight game, there's not going to be much in it and it's about winning your individual battle on the pitch. If we can do that then we'll get a good result.”

Sunderland’s head coach says the mood is calm behind the scenes, with the Black Cats exceeding all expectations to make it to this stage of the campaign with their promotion ambitions very much in place. There is added motivation, however, to send Grace McCatty into retirement as a champion. McCatty joined the club after their enforced double relegation six years ago, and has been a leader for the young group that have brought Sunderland back to the brink of the top tier.

“We've had a couple of conversations with Grace over the last couple of weeks,” Reay said.

“She's been absolute role model for the football club, I remember when we got demoted from the Super League, I had the disappointment of being relegated two divisions and losing almost a full team. I was tasked with bringing the development players into the first team and I remember taking a phone call from Grace and she wanted to come, she believed in that vision to get back to the Super League. Six years later it's something we could do and what a way for Grace to bow out if we can win the next two games. It's a little bit of added incentive of the squad to go and do out.

“She's a leader, a true role model who has helped pave the way for the youngsters in the squad. We have young players who probably weren't even born when Grace started playing but she's paved the way for those players to have professional contracts. She's been a massive part of the women's game. She announced it to the group the other day and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. It was a really emotional speech that Grace delivered to the team and her message was, can we go win the next two games? She wants to bow out a champion, it was her vision to get the club back to where it was. It will certainly be getting mentioned on Sunday as added motivation for the team.”

While the future looks bright regardless of how the final two games pan out, there is no doubt that opportunity knocks for Sunderland. With Newcastle and Portsmouth already confirmed as promoted for next season, a tough league is only growing stronger. “It's been six years since we were in the WSL and it has always been the target of mine, to get the club back into the top flight and that's what we're trying to do,” Reay said.

“We know it would be huge to do it, it's where the club was and where it wants to be. It's a fantastic opportunity for our young players and their pathway, to have an exit route to the very top of the game. It will showcase the club in a bigger light in terms of the coverage the WSL gets, you're on Sky Sports etc. You can attract bigger crowds, play at bigger stadiums... That's the ambition, whether that happens this season or the near future - that's where we want to be.

“It's why we play football, it's exciting and it's why we all love the sport. If it does go down to the wire then what an exciting story for the Championship. I think it's going to get tougher again next year, that's certainly been the case this year and it's an exciting and challenging league to be part of.”

For now, though, all eyes on Charlton. And Reay has called on Sunderland’s supporters to make it an atmosphere to remember.