For sheer talent, no one can touch Aiden McGeady in League One

I was reading ex-Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott’s comments about McGeady being the best player in League One and he is right.

For sheer talent, there is nobody to touch him.

League One is full of players with energy, work rate and great attitudes but there is a lack of real quality, so every manager at this level would love to have Aiden McGeady in their starting line-up as Charlton boss Lee Bowyer admitted after the game at The Valley in January.

With 11 goals so far, his strike rate is right up there and as creating chances and providing assists are what he is best known for, his importance to Jack Ross can’t be underestimated.

My favourite McGeady goal so far was his stunner against Wimbledon, it showed great technique and composure and more importantly was the winning goal in an otherwise underwhelming team display.

When the team is not firing, as Sunderland certainly weren’t against the Dons, just one moment of magic can turn what would have been another dismal home draw against the league’s bottom team – and all the alarm bells that would have set off – into three precious points as McGeady got Sunderland out of jail that day.

That is the difference match winners make and they’re never more important than when the rest are having an off day.

The higher you go up the football league ladder, the more comfortable players are on the ball, that is not the case in the bottom two leagues, were players have to compensate with other things because they just don’t have that quality, but in McGeady’s case he has and that is what sets him apart.

As this crucial season in Sunderland’s history ticks down, every single player in the squad will have a role to play, but some are more important than others – it is just the way it is.

The rest of the players will know that, when inspiration is needed, they will look to McGeady to provide it.

He is Sunderland’s go-to man when the team needs something special.