Trai Hume spoke warmly about the departing trio, insisting Sunderland’s Premier League position would not be possible without them
Trai Hume has paid an emotional tribute to Sunderland’s departing promotion winners, describing them as “heroes” after the Black Cats’ 3-0 win over Burnley – while also reflecting on the performance, the squad’s mentality and his own near-misses in front of goal.
Hume, himself a double promotion winner, reserved his strongest words for those who have recently moved on from Wearside, with Dan Neil, Anthony Patterson, and Patrick Roberts all having played central roles in Sunderland’s rise from League One to the Premier League.
Hume told The Echo: “Yeah, 100%. They’re heroes, in my eyes. They brought us from League One to where we are now. Without them, none of this is possible. I can’t thank them enough. They’ll be a big miss, but I wish them nothing but the best.”
The comments underlined the respect within the dressing room for players who helped transform the club’s recent history, with Hume making clear that their legacy will not be forgotten despite Sunderland now entering a new chapter.
On the pitch, Sunderland delivered an emphatic response to the previous week’s disappointment at West Ham, something Hume felt was essential given the standards the group now set for themselves. “Yeah, I think tonight was a very professional performance, to be honest. I thought we dominated the whole game from start to finish. We limited them to very few chances, and we created a lot of chances ourselves.
“We were disappointed after last week. I think we knew, to a man, that we weren’t good enough, and that wasn’t us playing. That’s what we spoke about before the game – just getting back to doing what we do and what we want to do. That’s what we’ve done tonight.”
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Hume also spoke about the mentality that continues to drive Sunderland forward, insisting the togetherness built during last season’s promotion push has carried seamlessly into the Premier League campaign. “It’s how we apply ourselves day to day – how hard we work on the training ground, on the pitch and off it. There’s a togetherness that’s been there since last year, and it’s carried through. All the new lads have been fantastic. Win or lose, we’re not too high or too low. We stick together and grind it out.”
And while Hume’s focus remains firmly on collective success, he admitted with a smile that his continued search for a goal has become something of a running joke among teammates. “Yeah, it’s become a bit of an ongoing joke with the lads that I can’t score. I keep getting into positions, but can’t quite get one. I’ll keep practising during the week, and hopefully one comes soon. There’d be no better place to get one than the Emirates.”
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