Regis Le Bris has made quite the impact at Sunderland already, and he now has a record comparable to the great title-winning team of 1998/99.
Coming into the English game for the first time with Sunderland, it would have been easy to write Regis Le Bris off at the start of the season, but he’s proving his doubters wrong.
After 16 games, Sunderland are in second place in the Championship table, just behind promotion favourites Leeds United on goal difference after results at the weekend.
Le Bris has already highlighted the challenges that come with the Championship, but he seems to be doing a pretty good job, and the record books prove it.
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Sunderland’s best start to a season since 1998/99
Sunderland’s current haul of 32 points from 16 games is the club’s best return at this stage of the season since the imperious Division One-winning side of 1998/99.
Peter Reid’s team back in the 1990s included Sunderland legends like Kevin Phillips, Niall Quinn, and Gavin McCann, so it’s no surprise they went on to lift the title that season.
After 16 games at the start of the 1998/99 campaign, Sunderland had 34 points on the board, and were unbeaten at that stage. They went on to lose just three games all season, finishing up with a whopping 105 points and a positive-63 goal difference.
| Team | Season | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 2005/06 | 106 |
| Sunderland | 1998/99 | 105 |
| Newcastle United | 2009/10 | 102 |
| Leicester City | 2013/14 | 102 |
| Fulham | 2000/01 | 101 |
| Burnley | 2022/23 | 101 |
That Sunderland side recorded the second-best return of all time in the second tier, just behind Reading’s 106-point title-winning team of 2005/06.
Suffice to say, if Le Bris can get close to matching that tally this year, he will go down in Sunderland folklore.
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Championship title could be one step too far for Regis Le Bris
Sunderland will need to step up their efforts if they are to match that 105-point return. Indeed, they will need to avoid defeat for almost the whole season now if they are to even cross the 100-point boundary.
Winning the title this season will be a huge challenge, and Leeds United certainly look like the team to beat. Having narrowly missed out last year, the Yorkshire outfit will be desperate to make amends and return to the top flight.
Le Bris has got the Black Cats playing nice football and getting results, though, and there’s no reason why Sunderland can’t remain genuine title contenders until the end of the season.
While the title may be a step too far, Sunderland will definitely be looking at automatic promotion, and with the start they’ve made, even finishing in the play-offs would be somewhat disappointing.
The Championship is wildly unpredictable, and Le Bris will need to see an incredible level of consistency across the next 30 matches if he is to help Sunderland return to the big leagues.