Luke O’Nien has claimed it was a ‘dream come true’ to lead Sunderland out onto the field in the Tyne-Wear derby.
Michael Beale’s side were beaten 3-0 by Newcastle United in the FA Cup on Saturday lunchtime.
It was the first time the sides had met in eight years as the electric atmosphere inside the Stadium of Light matched the occasion.
For Luke O’Nien, it was a special moment.
In the long-term absence of midfielder Corry Evans, O’Nien has captained the Black Cats and he had the responsibility of leading his side onto the pitch against the Magpies.
Since arriving at the club from Wycombe Wanderers in 2018 when Sunderland were struggling in the pits of League One, the 29-year-old has become their longest-serving player.
In almost six years at the club, he’s amassed almost 250 appearances and knows exactly what it means to pull on the red and white jersey.
The majority of supporters love O’Nien because he’ll do a job wherever you put him. Despite joining as a central midfielder, he’s played as a right-back, holding midfield and has now settled into a central defensive role alongside Dan Ballard.
Although the result didn’t go their way against their arch-rivals, the Sunderland captain has praised the electric atmosphere inside the Stadium of Light and wants that to be the case weekly.
Luke O’Nien praises special atmosphere and outlines Sunderland’s aims
Sunderland are always a well-supported club whatever division they are in.
In League One, they broke the attendance record as their match against Blackpool on Boxing Day 2018 attracted 46,039 spectators, eclipsing the 38,256 who watched Leeds United vs Gillingham in May 2008.
Against Newcastle, however, the atmosphere was deafening and O’Nien has called for supporters to reach those levels weekly.
“Leading the boys out in a Wear-Tyne Derby was a dream come true, one that the 4-year-old me who started the game could never have imagined possible,” O’Nien said on Twitter.
“Encountering this level of atmosphere and being part of the magnitude of this game was a glimpse of what we want weekly. We aim to take this club back where it belongs, making it our daily mission for the fans and the city.
“Although we didn’t get the desired result, it fuels our daily motivation to bridge the gap until this club matches the fans’ passion and history once again.”
Can O’Nien lead Sunderland to the Premier League?
After getting a taste of what the atmosphere would be like in the Premier League, O’Nien is craving more and has made it his mission to lead his side back to the promised land, though it won’t be easy for them to achieve that this season.
Sunderland need to hold onto Jack Clarke, invest in a new striker and hit a purple patch of form to at least stand a chance of going up.
Given they are in sixth position, a finish in the top six looks promising, but even if they do, nothing is ever guaranteed in the lottery of the play-offs.