Dressing room view on Sunderland's promotion ambitions

Max Power hopes it’s a case of third time lucky for Sunderland this campaign but is anticipating a ‘real tough season’ in the battle for promotion.
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Sunderland, who have twice failed to win promotion back to the Championship under Stewart Donald’s ownership, are once again among the early favourites to go up.

The Black Cats were beaten by Hull City on penalties in the Carabao Cup on Saturday and a young side will take on Aston Villa Under-23s in the EFL Trophy tonight ahead of the League One curtain raiser this weekend.

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Sunderland host Bristol Rovers in a behind-closed-doors 3pm KO at the Stadium of Light.

Max Power in action for Sunderland.Max Power in action for Sunderland.
Max Power in action for Sunderland.

Ahead of the game, Power said: “The season I signed at Sunderland I fully expected us to go straight back up and we lost the play-off final and then obviously last season the season was curtailed early because of coronavirus.

“So I’m hoping it’s third time lucky. It certainly won’t be any easier than previous years, I think you only have to look at the teams in the division this year to see that it’s going to be a real tough season.

“Obviously everyone in the North East is desperate to get back up to the, mimimum, Championship and then a club of this size is obviously fighting to get back into the Premier League.

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“It’s hard to get away from the fact that when you play for a club like Sunderland, when you’re in the North East, you realise how big of a club it is and how important the club is to the city. It’s everyone’s sort of religion, the football up here.

“There’s no escape from how big the club is, they are desperate to get back up the divisions. Especially with the rivalry with Newcastle, being two divisions apart, that’s what eats away at the fans the most I think.

“First and foremost we need to try and get out of this division, like I said it’s not easy,” Power told EFL presenter Colin Murray.