The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Sunderland were relegated to England’s third tier for the first time in 30 years on Saturday as the Championship’s bottom club lost 2-1 to fellow strugglers Burton.
Chris Coleman’s side have crashed into League One only a year after being relegated from the Premier League.
They have played only one season outside the top two tiers of English football in their entire history, winning promotion from the old Third Division in 1987-88.
⏰ FULL TIME: Despite taking an early lead in the game through Paddy McNair, #SAFC fall to defeat at the hands of Burton Albion, thanks to two late goals. pic.twitter.com/rLIegniWeN
— Sunderland AFC ?⚪ (@SunderlandAFC) April 21, 2018
Burton striker Darren Bent returned to haunt his former team with an 86th-minute equaliser to cancel out Paddy McNair’s opener on 34 minutes at the Stadium of Light.
Liam Boyce headed second-bottom Burton in front in second half stoppage-time before Sunderland had a late equaliser disallowed to provide a fitting finale to their wretched season.
Sunderland are six points from safety with only two matches left and the remaining fixtures of their relegation rivals make it mathematically impossible to avoid the drop.
Coleman, who took over from Simon Grayson in November, said: “Firstly I would like to apologise to everyone for coming up short, ultimately not having what was needed.
“It’s a brutal experience and the disappointment is huge. Forty-four games we are into the season and we haven’t been good enough.
‘It’s a horrible feeling’
Chris Coleman delivers his verdict from the @StadiumOfLight ? https://t.co/ghJhlRu4tZ pic.twitter.com/1ptOlPON4H
— Sunderland AFC ?⚪ (@SunderlandAFC) April 21, 2018
“I don’t know where this club goes. We have not been told what’s what. I don’t know what the plan is.
“Right now it’s very raw, it’s just happened. It’s brutally painful.
“I have been here two minutes, the supporters have been here for years I can only imagine how they are feeling.”
