Micky Gray has had his say on Sunderland’s promotion to the Premier League.
Regis Le Bris’ side sealed a long-awaited return to the top flight on Saturday afternoon, seeing off Sheffield United in dramatic fashion as Eliezer Mayenda and Tommy Watson struck late to secure a 2-1 win at Wembley.
Watson’s stoppage time goal marked the second successive game in which Sunderland had downed an opponent with a last gasp effort, having previously booked their spot in the final courtesy of a late Dan Ballard header against Coventry at the Stadium of Light.
At the time, Gray expressed his disdain for the wild celebrations that followed Ballard’s strike, highlighting the face that the Black Cats still had a long way to go before they had finished the broader task at hand.
What did Micky Gray say about Sunderland’s celebration vs Coventry City?
Speaking as part of his commentary duties for talkSPORT at the Stadium of Light earlier this month, Gray said: “Look, I don't want to finish this on a bad note, but I don't like to see the Sunderland players going and celebrating. I didn't like that at the end. You're not there yet, lads. You've got another game to go before you get to the final.
“Yeah, you celebrate because you're getting to Wembley. But I think that's it, you know. You stay as a group. But then all the supporters, which I didn't like to see either, they started to, like, pile onto the pitch as well. The tannoy came across four or five times to tell them to get back in their seats. You know, the pitch is for the players, basically. So it took a little bit of time to get the supporters back into the stands.
“Look, they're overjoyed. They're overwhelmed. Of course they are. They've over-celebrated a little bit. But then the players go across to the supporters at the end, and they're all celebrating, jumping around. There's a couple of them that got sunglasses on their face and everything. Look, you're not there yet.”
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What did Micky Gray say after Sunderland’s Championship play-off final victory?
Following Saturday’s success at Wembley, however, the former defender took to social media to post a photo of himself wearing sunglasses in the press box, alongside a caption reading: “We can celebrate now Sunderland, and yes, it’s ok to wear your shades too.”
What did Ally McCoist say in response to Micky Gray’s comments?
Reflecting on Gray’s comments in the aftermath of the Coventry City victory, talkSPORT pundit Ally McCoist said: “Micky, calm down, son. Come on. It was the way it happened. He's right, but in normal circumstances, I don't think anybody would have behaved like that, right? Of course they wouldn't.
“I mean, if a goal had gone in in the, I don't know, 80th minute, for example, I don't think you see those... I genuinely don't think you see those scenes at the end. I genuinely don't. I just think the timing of the goal, the extra time - effectively, it was the last touch of the ball, and the whole place goes crazy. I get it. I don't have a problem with that at all.”
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