Sunderland missed out on automatic promotion after looking set to achieve it for quite a while, being in touching distance of Barnsley with a game in hand for well over a month.

Many neutrals predicted the Black Cats to come good in the end and overcome the challenge of the Tykes, but Daniel Stendel’s men stood tall and won promotion, while the challengers - Sunderland especially - had a poor end to the season.

Promotion is still possible, with the play-offs set to come, but Jack Ross’ men do not enter as the form team.

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Over the course of this season in League One, there have been a few heroes that have done well for Sunderland, but also a couple of villains who have seriously underperformed. 

Here, we choose one hero and one villain from their 2018/19 season - one player who has excelled, one not so much. 

Do you agree, or have we missed a hero or villain from our selection? Let us know in the comments section below.

Hero: Aiden McGeady

With a few star performers this season, veteran winger Aiden McGeady has probably been the shining light for the Black Cats. 

His stats show that at age 33, McGeady really should be a Championship player, with 11 goals and five assists this season in League One. 

Villain: Josh Maja 

You can’t really blame Maja for searching for top flight football, but Sunderland fans must wonder where they may have finished if Maja was to finish the campaign. 

Sunderland’s biggest problem this season has been drawing games, and a few more wins may have led the Black Cats to promotion. 

He scored 15 goals in League One prior to his move to Ligue 1, where he has struggled for game time. Who knows how many more he may have got for Sunderland?