Sunderland's unusual end of season stat amid play-off void

I want to get away on holiday but I daren’t book it - just in case.

I couldn’t work out what the problem was, but now I think I’ve put my finger on it: I’m just not used to Sunderland’s season being over and done with so early.

Tomorrow marks a fortnight since the Black Cats’ Championship campaign ground to a halt - although a cynic might point out that, to all intents and purposes, it was over long before that.

But, snarky comments aside, Sunderland’s non-involvement in the play-offs has left something of a void.

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After all, in four of the previous five seasons - the exception being in 2019-20 when Covid intervened to cut things short in March - Sunderland have been involved in the play-offs either in League One or the Championship, and have twice gone all the way to the final.

Not this time. This time their season was all done and dusted on May 4.

An early finish dictated in part by this summer’s European Championships but more importantly, as far as Sunderland are concerned, by the lack of play-off action.

Sunderland reached the Championship play-offs last season against Luton Town

Incredibly, Covid-curtailment aside, this summer is the earliest that Sunderland have been able to hit the beach since the 1980s.

Not since Lawrie McMenemy waved his white hanky at Roker Park on May 3, 1986, has a Sunderland season ended so early.

After all the end-of-season excitement of recent years, it feels strange watching from the sidelines as Leeds United, Norwich City, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion slug it out in the play-offs.

When you are part of that play-off mix the nervous tension is ever-present, particularly when fighting for promotion from the Championship with so much at stake.

A year on, the memories of those two play-off semi-final games against Luton Town remain vivid - the joy at the Stadium of Light at Amad’s wondergoal in the first leg, the crushing feeling of disappointment following defeat at Kenilworth Road in the return which saw the Hatters win on aggregate.

Watching this season’s play-offs with a sense of detachment just is not the same.

It’s probably time to book that holiday.

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Sunderland’s experience of VAR has mercifully been limited - it was in operation for the Black Cats’ 2022 League One play-off final win against Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley, but the technology was not needed on the day.

The Premier League introduced VAR in 2019 and what a mess it has made of it!

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Sometimes the VAR intervenes, sometimes it doesn’t, commentators and pundits are in the loop as the officials discuss decisions but fans inside the ground are left in the dark, and no-one knows whether or not to celebrate a goal until the VAR gives its seal of approval which can be several minutes after the ball ends up in the back of the net.

Previously a referee or linesman saw an incident once, from one angle, at full speed, and had to make a near-instant decision. They didn’t always get it right and when they made a mistake fans, players, and managers were angry, but they understood why those mistakes happened.

Premier League clubs will vote on whether to keep VAR (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Now the VAR can see an incident multiple times, from multiple angles, in slow-motion, and take minutes to arrive at a decision. Yet basic mistakes are still being made and now officials have no excuse.

Wolves have been on the wrong end of several controversial decisions this season and have tabled a proposal to abolish VAR which will be discussed at the Premier League’s annual meeting next month.

I hope it succeeds, although I’m not holding my breath.

The use of VAR should be reviewed and overturned. Its introduction was a clear and obvious error.