Lee Johnson has this clear message as Sunderland kick off their fourth tilt at League One promotion

Lee Johnson insists his Sunderland squad are ready to deliver a performance fans will be proud of.
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On what is set to be an emotional day on Wearside, over 30,000 fans are expected to return to the Stadium of Light for the clash with Wigan Athletic.

Many of those will not have been back in the ground since a 2-2 draw with Gillingham in March 2020, with attendance capped at 10,000 when Lincoln City visited earlier this year.

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Leam Richardson's side will provide stern opposition, having recruited aggressively over the summer.

Sunderland head coach Lee JohnsonSunderland head coach Lee Johnson
Sunderland head coach Lee Johnson

A trio of former Black Cats are expected to be involved, with Charlie Wyke, Max Power and Jordan Jones all making the move to the DW Stadium.

While there is anticipation for the campaign ahead, there is also some anxiety in the home support given that Johnson is still lacking depth in a number of key positions.

Most alarmingly, he will be starting the game with at least one midfielder in the full back positions where he currently has no natural option.

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Johnson, though, believes he has a team that can stir those putting their faith in a fourth tilt at promotion.

"I think people will be proud of our team tomorrow, 100%," he said.

"We will put in maximum effort and we will play.

"We're going to play a brand of football we think people will enjoy.

"We want the fans to aid us in that and we know that they will.

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"I'm starting to build an understanding of this fanbase now, I think. People talk about the pressure for success but I get that this is a fanbase that wants to be entertained, and wants to have a group of players they can rely on to give their all every week.

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression and these new signings, it's going to be a real positive for them."

Johnson had joked, tongue firmly in cheek, after a win at Harrogate Town that Sunderland' s extended search for new full backs was bringing him closer than ever to his dream of fielding eleven central midfielders.

With a wry smile, he admitted on Friday that this might indeed be the closest he gets.

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Whether he sticks with both Carl Winchester and Dan Neil remains to be seen, but he is firm in the view that while reinforcements in the long run are an absolute must, those players can bring something to the side to hurt the opposition.

"Look, there's one thing for sure, we're certainly going to play total football," he said.

"That's what we've got at the moment but do you know what, I'm really looking forward to it.

"You've got to find the solutions and I've really enjoyed that part of it, and I actually think the lads the lads have as well.

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"And one thing it has given us, having those lads there, it ain't half hard to get the ball of those lads because they are good footballers.

"When you drop in those extra two ball players, if you like, plus you have lads like Callum Doyle who is a very good footballer, then that can be quite exciting in your build phase, definitely."

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