Part One: The Vision Nobody Saw
There was a ruthlessness about Kyril Louis-Dreyfus from the very beginning, though few recognised it at the time. When he removed Phil Parkinson from the dugout and replaced him with Lee Johnson, it wasn’t just a managerial switch — it was a signal. A sign that Sunderland, once creaking under the weight of its own drift, would no longer tolerate inertia. Here, finally, was someone willing to make hard decisions with calm precision. He hadn’t been involved in SAFC long but immediately realised we needed better than being happy to draw with teams in League One.
To some, Louis-Dreyfus was just a name. To others, a caricature: the young heir in expensive trainers, son of a billionaire, parachuted into the North East with soft hands and softer ambition. The cynics didn’t hesitate — “he’s pocketing the money,” they claimed, “he’s a mummy’s boy,” “he’s skint,” — as if legacy and vision couldn’t exist without shouting or spending recklessly. What they missed, of course, was that KLD had grown up under the pressure of Marseille — a city where football doesn’t breathe, it burns.
At the Stade Vélodrome, football is a religion with a volatile congregation. His father, Robert Louis-Dreyfus, was once at the centre of it all — a target of expectation, criticism, and scrutiny. Kyril saw the demands of top-flight football long before he ever stepped into the boardroom at Sunderland. He knew the stakes. And more importantly, he knew the difference between noise and necessity.
While others demanded immediate transformation, KLD quietly laid foundations. He didn’t posture. He planned.
Sunderland v Lincoln City - Papa John’s Trophy Photo by Andrew Vaughan - CameraSport via Getty Images
Part Two: From Ruin to Reason
Sunderland’s squad was in a unique predicament — a hangover of players who had long since accepted they would never play for a club of Sunderland’s stature again. The club was a giant of the English game, stranded in the third tier, and the fans had understandably become disillusioned.
Gone were the days when attending games was a celebration. Instead, supporters found themselves going through the motions, watching teams that played negative football, time-wasting from the first minute, and celebrating draws or narrow wins as if they were miracles. Meanwhile, clubs like Bournemouth, Brentford, and Brighton surged ahead, light years away in both ambition and achievement.
Yet the club began to make shrewd moves. The signings of Alex Pritchard, Corry Evans, Trai Hume, Danny Batth, Jack Clark, Patrick Roberts and Dennis Cirkin weren’t headline-grabbing, but they were the right pieces to begin restoring balance. More crucially, the appointment of Kristian Speakman marked a break with the past. No longer were positions given as favours under previous ownership — here was a football man, brought in from another club with a clear vision.
The Beale appointment was a glaring misstep. Rolling out the red carpet for Newcastle United — Sunderland’s fiercest rivals — was a shameful episode that threatened to derail all the progress. But the club learned quickly. Beale’s tenure was short-lived, sacked swiftly, with the board ignoring the noise and taking their time to appoint the right successor in the summer.
Huddersfield Town v Sunderland - Sky Bet Championship Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Part Three: The Quiet Architects
Speakman has been misunderstood at times. Some think he’s too close to the players, others accuse him of speaking only in corporate buzzwords. And if every signing doesn’t pay immediate dividends, the critics say he’s failed.
But Speakman’s real achievement has been the quiet transformation of the football department. He has pulled together the infrastructure — scouting, recruitment, coaching, sports science — and aligned them toward one goal. It’s a system that works behind the scenes, away from the headlines and social media noise.
Speakman, like Louis-Dreyfus, doesn’t let emotion drive him. He’s steady. Measured. Neither getting too high in success nor too low in setbacks. And it’s this level-headedness that is slowly pulling Sunderland toward excellence.
Spending big and hoping for success is the easy story — one many clubs still chase. But football now demands more than just money. It demands intelligence, discipline, and long-term vision. That’s how Brentford can finish above Manchester United and Spurs.
Look around the EFL graveyard: Sheffield Wednesday, Derby, Stoke, West Brom, Middlesbrough, Watford — clubs with rich histories that fell by the wayside because they gambled without a plan. Sunderland refused to follow that path.
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Part Four: A Club Reborn
The first ten games of this season were a revelation. Sunderland had a coach who could give clear, coherent instructions. A young team that needed guidance, not just tactics, but psychological support. A manager who understood youth football’s demands beyond the pitch, Regis Le Bris.
Eliezer Mayenda is the standout example. A player who had little impact north of the border at Hibs, yet blossomed here. RLB influenced recruitment too — with signings like Wilson Isidor coming in, Enzo Le Fee in January, and quick decisions on players like Ekwah and Ba who didn’t fit the plan.
The Academy of Light, once a millstone around the club’s neck, has been revived. Previous owners viewed the academy as a cost to be cut or a quick cash source, with bright prospects like Dan Neil and Anthony Patterson the exceptions rather than the rule. Players felt the grass was greener elsewhere, and it was easy to understand why.
Now, there is a clear pathway. If a player is good enough, he will get the chance to develop — at Sunderland or beyond. It’s a culture that respects potential and nurtures it. That’s progress.
Sheffield United v Sunderland - Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images
Part Five: Undoing years of neglect
Feeling the club is on its way back hasn’t just come from promotion. It’s there in the numbers, the atmosphere, the shirts on the backs of fans worldwide.
Off the field, Sunderland has become a modern football operation. The club is now partnering with world leaders in ticketing systems, sound systems and is now fan-focused. Shirt sales are soaring, like nothing we’ve seen in two decades. Bespoke kits, crafted with identity in mind, have reignited pride. Partnering with global platforms like Fanatics wasn’t just smart business — it was an acknowledgement that Sunderland belongs on the global stage again.
The social media team, once lagging behind, has found its rhythm. The club’s voice online now mirrors its energy on the pitch — sharp, passionate, and forward-looking.
At the Stadium of Light, change is visible. The playing surface is now state-of-the-art — fast, true, Premier League-ready. Hospitality areas have been refurbished, not just for profit, but to elevate the matchday experience. The relocation of the club shop is another nod to the future — integrated, accessible, modern.
Then there’s the Academy of Light — once a warning sign, now a symbol of intent. Massive investment has turned it from an afterthought into a cornerstone again. It’s a pipeline, not a showroom. A place where potential is polished, not sold off for scraps.
This isn’t just promotion. This is a full-club rebuild — sustainable, smart, and unapologetically ambitious.
There’s still a lot to do but Premier League, Football, money and focus will accelerate this.
Sheffield United v Sunderland - Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Part Six: Vindication and the Road Ahead
Watching Sunderland promoted is vindication. Despite the online vitriol, fans who could see the plan were rewarded. It was a long, difficult journey, but the results prove the patience right.
To those who doubted, maybe they have learned a lesson: they aren’t the bad guys. Many would kill for the opportunity Sunderland has been given.
To those who kept the faith, I salute you. Your belief kept the club moving when the noise was deafening.
From here, it’s about building on strength. The club has indicated they’ll tweak the model — not abandon it. There is a vision for Sunderland to be a regular top ten Premier League club.
It’s not fantasy. It’s planning.
Why is it never us? Made famous by Netflix - I can tell you, being badly run for the best part of 60 years, bar the odd few seasons.
And after years of wandering in the wilderness, Sunderland are finally on the right road again.