“Don’t deserve…” – Sheffield Wednesday’s Barry Bannan issues verdict on Sunderland supporters

Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan has said Sunderland supporters “don’t deserve to be” in League One following the play-off semi-final tie between the two fallen giants. 

Patrick Roberts’ stoppage-time goal at Hillsborough ensured that it was Alex Neil’s side that booked their place at Wembley, where they will take on Wycombe for the chance to return to the Championship.

It’s been four years since Sunderland dropped down to the third tier – a second consecutive relegation after they’d come down from the Premier League the year before.

Wednesday are now set for their second season in League One and, speaking to Yorkshire Live, Bannan heaped praise on the club’s fanbase due to their commitment this season.

He said: “They don’t deserve to be this league, to be honest.

“When you are getting between 20 to 25,000 every single game – whether it is Tuesday night in the rain and stuff – that is not normal in this league.

“There are clubs in the Premier League who do not get that, so they don’t deserve to be in this league.”

Bannan also issued his verdict on the Sunderland support, suggesting they deserved their club to be playing at a higher level as well.

“To be fair,” said the Scot. “When we played the away leg at Sunderland, their fans were pretty much the same and don’t deserve to be in this league.”

The Black Cats have suffered play-off heartbreak in two of the last three seasons but will be hoping this is the year they finally get back to the Championship.

In Gareth Ainsworth’s direct, wily, and well-drilled Wycombe side, they face a team that is going to make things very difficult for them at Wembley.

The Verdict

It’s hard to disagree with Bannan’s verdict on either fanbase.

The Wednesday captain is always going to