Luke O'Nien speaks of 'immense' Sunderland pride and 'mission' to achieve promotion

Sunderland captain Luke O'Nien says he plans to use the experience of derby defeat as inspiration to help the club back to the Premier League.

Luke O’Nien has thanked Sunderland fans for all their support, describing his pride for the city and club as ‘immense.’

O’Nien is Sunderland’s longest-serving player having played nearly 250 times for the club since joining from Wycombe in 2018.

After initially signing as a midfield player, he has settled into a central defensive role and become captain in the long-term absence of Corry Evans, meaning it fell to him to lead out the Black Cats for the Wear-Tyne derby against Newcastle in the FA Cup.

The result didn’t go Sunderland’s way, but O’Nien says he has made it his ‘mission’ to get Sunderland back to the Premier League so games such as that one become much more regular.

“Leading the boys out in a Wear-Tyne Derby was a dream come true, one that the 4-year-old me who started the game could never have imagined possible,” O’Nien said on Twitter.

“Now that the emotions of Saturday’s result have settled, I wanted to express my gratitude. The pride I have for the team, the club, and the city of Sunderland is immense, especially for everyone who’s supported me since I moved here.

“Despite the painful result, the experience will stay with me forever. Experiencing one of the greatest atmospheres and games in world football is what we players strive for in our careers.

Leading the boys out in a Wear-Tyne Derby was a dream come true, one that the 4-year-old me who started the game could never have imagined possible.

Now that the emotions of Saturday’s result have settled, I wanted to express my gratitude.

The pride I have for the team, the… pic.twitter.com/uEqTIxxVIQ

— Luke O'Nien (@LukeONien) January 9, 2024

“Encountering this level of atmosphere and being part of the magnitude of this game was a glimpse of what we want weekly.

“We aim to take this club back where it belongs, making it our daily mission for the fans and the city.

“Although we didn’t get the desired result, it fuels our daily motivation to bridge the gap until this club matches the fans’ passion and history once again.

“Thank you for your incredible support. We have 20 big games ahead of us.”

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