Former Newcastle United star relishing Sunderland's Premier League return

Sunderland’s return to the Premier League is great for the North East - according to one former Newcastle United star.

The Black Cats brought an end to their eight-year absence from the top flight of English football last month when they came from a goal down to secure a 2-1 win against Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final. A neat finish from Blades striker Tyrese Campbell gave Chris Wilder’s side the upper-hand under the Wembley arch - but second-half strikes from Eliezer Mayenda and Tommy Watson ensured it was Sunderland that returned to the Premier League and allowed fans to look forward to some eye-catching occasions next season.

After years of travelling to grounds across the Championship and League One, the Black Cats faithful will relish the opportunity to return to the likes of the Emirates Stadium, Anfield, Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium when the new campaign kicks off in August. The return to the top flight also means a renewal of one of the most historic rivalries in English football as the Black Cats face Newcastle United in the Premier League for the first time since 2016 when the North East rivals battled to a 1-1 draw at St James Park just weeks before the Magpies were relegated into the second tier.

Players on both sides of the divide have already spoken of what the return of the derby means to them - and former Newcastle defender Steve Howey believes fans on Wearside and Tyneside will relish the return of the fixture in the top tier.

For Wearside-born Howey, who made four Tyne-Wear derby appearances during his time with Newcastle, Sunderland’s return to the Premier League is a positive for the area - and he warned Newcastle can not afford to underestimate their local rivals due to the unpredictable nature of a derby.

“You just never know” - Warns Newcastle United legend

He said: “When I was playing, you always looked at who was the first game of the season and then it was when are the two derby games. It was the same when I was at Manchester City and it’s great for the fans. It’s not only great for the area that Sunderland have been promoted but it’s great from the financial side of things too.

“Newcastle fans will feel extremely confident but it’s a derby so you just never know. It’s always difficult for a team that have just been promoted, we have seen that over the last couple of years where the sides that have come up have been relegated straightaway. But a derby is a derby, it’s different. Both clubs will have money to spend this summer but it’s about doing it right and doing it properly. As long as they do that well, it will be good to see competitive derbies, you don’t want one-sided, it will be good to see it competitive and equal.”

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