# 2020–21 Sunderland A.F.C. season

The 2020–21 season was Sunderland's 142nd season in their history and the third consecutive season in EFL League One. Along with League One, the club also participated in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy. The season covered the period from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.
The club finished fourth in the league and would miss out on promotion after losing 3–2 on aggregate to Lincoln City in the play-off semi final. They were winners of the EFL Trophy, beating Tranmere Rovers 1–0 in the final, in the club's first win at Wembley since 1973.

## First team squad

| Squad No. | Name | Position(s) | Age | Ends | Signed from | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers |||||||||
| 1 | Lee Burge | GK | 31 | 2021 | Coventry City | 22 | 0 |
| 20 | Remi Matthews | GK | 30 | 2021 | Bolton Wanderers | 6 | 0 |
| 43 | Anthony Patterson | GK | 24 | 2021 | Academy | 1 | 0 |
| 51 | Adam Richardson | GK | 21 | 2024 | Academy | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders |||||||||
| 2 | Conor McLaughlin | RB | 33 | 2021 | Millwall | 30 | 0 |
| 3 | Tom Flanagan | CB | 33 | 2022 | Burton Albion | 76 | 4 |
| 4 | Jordan Willis | CB | 30 | 2021 | Coventry City | 50 | 2 |
| 5 | Bailey Wright | CB | 32 | 2022 | Bristol City | 20 | 1 |
| 16 | Dion Sanderson | CB | 24 | 2021 | Wolves (loan) | 3 | 0 |
| 19 | Arbenit Xhemajli | CB | 26 | 2022 | Neuchâtel Xamax | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | Callum McFadzean | LB | 30 | 2021 | Plymouth Argyle | 3 | 0 |
| 33 | Denver Hume | LB | 26 | 2021 | Academy | 64 | 2 |
| 35 | Ollie Younger | CB | 25 | 2021 | Burnley | 1 | 0 |
| 40 | Brandon Taylor | CB | 25 | 2021 | Academy | 6 | 0 |
| 54 | Patrick Almond | CB | 17 | 2021 | Academy | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders |||||||||
| 6 | Max Power | CM | 31 | 2021 | Wigan Athletic | 98 | 9 |
| 7 | Chris Maguire | AM | 35 | 2021 | Bury | 98 | 25 |
| 8 | George Dobson | CM | 27 | 2022 | Walsall | 44 | 2 |
| 11 | Lynden Gooch | AM | 28 | 2022 | Academy | 136 | 21 |
| 13 | Luke O'Nien | CM | 30 | 2021 | Wycombe Wanderers | 109 | 10 |
| 14 | Josh Scowen | CM | 31 | 2022 | Queens Park Rangers | 17 | 1 |
| 17 | Elliot Embleton | AM | 25 | 2021 | Academy | 12 | 0 |
| 21 | Jack Diamond | RW | 24 | 2024 | Academy | 9 | 1 |
| 23 | Grant Leadbitter | CM | 38 | 2021 | Middlesbrough | 165 | 14 |
| 24 | Dan Neil | CM | 23 | 2022 | Academy | 4 | 0 |
| 26 | Carl Winchester | CM | 31 | 2023 | Forest Green Rovers | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | Aiden McGeady | LW | 38 | 2020 | Everton | 86 | 22 |
| 29 | Cieran Dunne | LW | 24 | 2021 | Falkirk | 1 | 0 |
| 34 | Jake Hackett | CM | 24 | 2022 | Academy | 3 | 0 |
| 36 | Sam Wilding | DM | 24 | 2021 | West Bromwich Albion | 1 | 0 |
| 38 | Vinnie Steels | LW | 23 | 2021 | Burnley | 1 | 0 |
| 39 | Stephen Wearne | AM | 23 | 2021 | Middlesbrough | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Josh Hawkes | AM | 25 | 2022 | Hartlepool United | 1 | 0 |
| Forwards |||||||||
| 9 | Charlie Wyke | ST | 32 | 2021 | Bradford City | 77 | 19 |
| 10 | Aiden O'Brien | ST | 31 | 2022 | Millwall | 12 | 1 |
| 12 | Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka | ST | 24 | 2021 | IK Sirius | 14 | 3 |
| 22 | Will Grigg | ST | 33 | 2022 | Wigan Athletic | 56 | 8 |
| 27 | Jordan Jones | LW | 30 | 2021 | Rangers (loan) | 10 | 2 |
| 31 | Ross Stewart | ST | 28 | 2023 | Ross County | 1 | 1 |
| 46 | Mitchell Curry | ST | 25 | 2021 | Middlesbrough | 0 | 0 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| 30 July 2020 | LW | Aiden O'Brien | Millwall | Free transfer |
| 2 August 2020 | CB | Bailey Wright | Bristol City | Free transfer |
| 15 August 2020 | DF | Bobby Beaumont | Wrexham | Free transfer |
| 15 August 2020 | DM | Sam Wilding | West Bromwich Albion | Free transfer |
| 15 August 2020 | LW | Vinnie Steels | Burnley | Free transfer |
| 21 August 2020 | CB | Morgan Feeney | Everton | Free transfer |
| 21 August 2020 | GK | Remi Matthews | Bolton Wanderers | Free transfer |
| 28 August 2020 | RB | Kenton Richardson | Hartlepool United | Free transfer |
| 1 September 2020 | CF | Will Harris | Burnley | Free transfer |
| 4 September 2020 | CB | Arbenit Xhemajli | Neuchâtel Xamax | Free transfer |
| 7 September 2020 | CF | Danny Graham | Blackburn Rovers | Free transfer |
| 9 September 2020 | AM | Stephen Wearne | Middlesbrough | Free transfer |
| 15 September 2020 | AM | Josh Hawkes | Hartlepool United | Undisclosed |
| 16 September 2020 | CF | Mitchell Curry | Middlesbrough | Free transfer |
| 16 September 2020 | CB | Ollie Younger | Burnley | Free transfer |
| 21 October 2020 | LM | Callum McFadzean | Plymouth Argyle | Free transfer |
| 10 January 2021 | CM | Carl Winchester | Forest Green Rovers | Undisclosed |
| 31 January 2021 | CF | Ross Stewart | Ross County | Undisclosed |

### Loans in

| Date from | Pos. | Name | From | Date until |
| 16 October 2020 | CB | Dion Sanderson | Wolverhampton Wanderers | End of season |
| 29 January 2021 | LW | Jordan Jones | Rangers | End of season |
| 29 January 2021 | LB | Jake Vokins | Southampton | End of season |

### Loans out

| Date from | Pos. | Nam | To | Date until |
| 29 September 2020 | CF | Lee Connelly | Alloa Athletic | End of season |
| 22 January 2021 | DM | George Dobson | AFC Wimbledon | End of season |
| 1 February 2021 | CM | Elliot Embleton | Blackpool | End of season |
| 2 February 2021 | CF | Will Grigg | Milton Keynes Dons | End of season |
| 27 March 2021 | CF | Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka | Torquay United | End of season |

### Transfers out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| 1 July 2020 | GK | Ahmed Abdelkader | Unattached | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CB | Jack Bainbridge | Southport | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CB | Jack Baldwin | Bristol Rovers | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | GK | Adam Cameron | Whickham F.C. | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CB | Michael Collins | Unattached | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | FW | Lilyan Compper | Unattached | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CM | Jack Connolly | Cabinteely | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CB | Andrias Edmundsson | Águilas | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | DM | Kane Evans | Newcastle Benfield F.C. | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | RB | Owen Gamble | York City | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | MF | Nathan Greenwood | Unattached | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | RW | Ryan Leonard | Sunderland RCA | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CB | Joel Lynch | Unattached | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CF | Kyle Lafferty | Reggina | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | GK | Jon McLaughlin | Rangers | Free transfer |
| 1 July 2020 | LB | Liam Miller | Unattached | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | GK | Jack Newman | Dundee United | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CB | Harry Ord | Pickering Town | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CM | Ethan Robson | Blackpool | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | DM | Ruben Sammut | Dulwich Hamlet F.C. | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CF | Connor Slack | Esh Winning F.C. | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CB | Tommy Smith | Colchester United | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | RB | Tom Smith | Whitley Bay F.C. | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | RW | Duncan Watmore | Middlesbrough | Released |
| 1 July 2020 | CB | Alim Öztürk | Ümraniyespor | Released |
| 3 July 2020 | CF | Cole Kiernan | Middlesbrough | Free transfer |
| 18 July 2020 | CF | Joe Hugill | Manchester United | Undisclosed |
| 18 July 2020 | LB | Logan Pye | Manchester United | Undisclosed |
| 27 July 2020 | RB | Jordan Hunter | South Shields | Free transfer |
| 27 July 2020 | DM | Bali Mumba | Norwich City | Undisclosed |
| 8 January 2021 | MF | Jay Turner-Cooke | Newcastle United | Undisclosed |
| 20 January 2021 | CB | Morgan Feeney | Carlisle United | Free transfer |
| 1 February 2021 | ST | Danny Graham | Retired | Retired |

## Competitions
### EFL League One
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Hull City (C, P) | 46 | 27 | 8 | 11 | 80 | 38 | +42 | 89 | Promotion to the EFL Championship |
| 2 | Peterborough United (P) | 46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 83 | 46 | +37 | 87 | Promotion to the EFL Championship |
| 3 | Blackpool (O, P) | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 60 | 37 | +23 | 80 | Qualification for League One play-offs |
| 4 | Sunderland | 46 | 20 | 17 | 9 | 70 | 42 | +28 | 77 | Qualification for League One play-offs |
| 5 | Lincoln City | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 69 | 50 | +19 | 77 | Qualification for League One play-offs |
| 6 | Oxford United | 46 | 22 | 8 | 16 | 77 | 56 | +21 | 74 | Qualification for League One play-offs |
| 7 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 70 | 56 | +14 | 74 | |
| 8 | Portsmouth | 46 | 21 | 9 | 16 | 65 | 51 | +14 | 72 | |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 1 May 2021. Source: BBC

#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | H |
| Result | D | W | W | D | W | W | L | D | W | W | L | D | D | D | L | W | D | D | D | W | L | W | W | D | D | L | W | W | W | D | W | W | W | W | D | W | W | D | L | L | L | D | D | L | W | D |
| Position | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Points | 1 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 36 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 41 | 44 | 47 | 50 | 51 | 54 | 57 | 60 | 63 | 64 | 67 | 70 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 73 | 76 | 77 |

#### Matches

Win  Draw  Loss  Postponed
The 2020–21 season fixtures were released on 21 August.

### FA Cup

Win  Draw  Loss
The draw for the first round was made on Monday 26, October.

### EFL Cup

Win  Draw  Loss
The first round draw was made on 18 August, live on Sky Sports, by Paul Merson.

### EFL Trophy

Win  Draw  Loss
The regional group stage draw was confirmed on 18 August. The second round draw was made by Matt Murray on 20 November, at St Andrew's. The third round draw was made on 10 December 2020 by Jon Parkin. The Quarter Final draw was made on 23 January 2021 by Sam Parkin. The Semi Final draw was made on 5 February 2021 by Adebayo Akinfenwa.
| Pos | Div | Teamvte | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L1 | Fleetwood Town | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L1 | Sunderland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 6 | +8 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L2 | Carlisle United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Aston Villa U21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 14 | −12 | 0 | |

### Appearances and goals

    As of 22 May 2021
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | League One | League One | FA Cup | FA Cup | EFL Cup | EFL Cup | EFL Trophy | EFL Trophy | Play-offs | Play-offs |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Lee Burge | 46 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | NIR | Conor McLaughlin | 29 | 0 | 22+3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | NIR | Tom Flanagan | 23 | 0 | 14+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Jordan Willis | 20 | 0 | 14+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | AUS | Bailey Wright | 40 | 2 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | ENG | Max Power | 53 | 6 | 38+4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | SCO | Chris Maguire | 41 | 8 | 11+22 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4+1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | George Dobson | 11 | 1 | 3+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Charlie Wyke | 54 | 31 | 40+3 | 25 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 4+3 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | FW | IRL | Aiden O'Brien | 41 | 6 | 22+10 | 4 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3+3 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | USA | Lynden Gooch | 46 | 5 | 26+12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | ENG | Luke O'Nien | 45 | 2 | 34+4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Josh Scowen | 51 | 3 | 35+8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Morgan Feeney | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Dion Sanderson | 27 | 1 | 19+7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Elliot Embleton | 12 | 0 | 3+6 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | ENG | Danny Graham | 17 | 1 | 3+11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | KOS | Arbenit Xhemajli | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | GK | ENG | Remi Matthews | 11 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Jack Diamond | 35 | 2 | 11+13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5+3 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Will Grigg | 12 | 0 | 4+5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Grant Leadbitter | 48 | 7 | 30+10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4+2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Daniel Neil | 8 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | SCO | Callum McFadzean | 34 | 2 | 21+4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | NIR | Carl Winchester | 21 | 1 | 12+8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | NIR | Jordan Jones | 21 | 3 | 11+8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | IRL | Aiden McGeady | 36 | 6 | 28+1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+3 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | SCO | Cieran Dunne | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | ENG | Jake Vokins | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | FW | SCO | Ross Stewart | 13 | 3 | 2+9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 1 |
| 33 | DF | ENG | Denver Hume | 26 | 2 | 19+4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | ENG | Ollie Younger | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | MF | ENG | Sam Wilding | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | MF | ENG | Vinnie Steels | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | DF | ENG | Brandon Taylor | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | MF | ENG | Josh Hawkes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 43 | GK | ENG | Anthony Patterson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | FW | ENG | Mitchell Curry | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |