Sunderland continued their excellent early season form with a 5-0 win over newly promoted Cheltenham Town on Tuesday evening.

The win saw the Black Cats leapfrog Wigan Athletic to the summit of League One which is no less than they deserve after a superb first nine league games of the season.

Lee Johnson is clearly enjoying the club's good form after a disappointing end to the 2020/21 season, the former Bristol City manager will be wary of a drop-off but also keen to stay in the moment as they build a three point gap inside the automatic promotion places.

Johnson is aware of how crucial every aspect of the football club is to achieving a successful season and even gave a shout-out to a particular member of the culinary staff in his post-match thoughts, quotes provided by the Northern Echo.

He said: "I was really pleased today. Proud as punch of the players and the club.

"A lot of people put a lot of hard work into any performance and sometimes Ross Stewart might get the headlines but Joyce cooking the dinners is just as important and we know that.

"It’s a real collective win for us. I thought we were excellent." he added.

Love the EFL? Want to share your opinions about your club? Get involved by subscribing to FLW TV on Youtube HERE!

It is tough getting to the top but it is even harder to stay there as the Black Cats have learnt the hard way in recent years, their trip to familiar foe Portsmouth on Saturday poses a different kind of test.

 

 

The Verdict

We often see credit handed to off the pitch staff when a team is on a positive run and it certainly can have a significant impact on the mental side.

The mood around the club is very high at the moment with seven wins from their opening nine and the support from the non-playing staff employees of Sunderland can help continue that momentum.

Giving such praise after a match is bound to enthuse the staff of the Black Cats and provide extra motivation for them to keep spurring on the players day in day out. With the pressure to get Sunderland out of the third tier this season, Johnson is definitely striking the right notes when he speaks to the media.