'A bitter end to a brilliant season' - Lynden Gooch reviews Sunderland's 22/23 campaign

Sunderland's 2022/23 season ended on Tuesday night, after defeat v Luton Town in the Championship play-off semi-finals.

But Tony Mowbray's side can hold their heads very high. They've been the league's surprise package this season, going through much of the campaign with an injury-hit squad and claiming a top six finish in dramatic fashion on the final day of the season.

There's been a number of standout performers in the Sunderland side this season, one of them being Lynden Gooch. The American was often a source of division among Sunderland fans during their stay in League One, but he's been a key performer this time round, featuring 32 times in league fixtures.

And taking to Twitter earlier today, the American - who wore the captain's armband in the play-off games v Luton Town - gave this assessment of Sunderland's 2022/23 campaign:

"A bitter end to a brilliant season. We’ve came a long way in the past year and nothing gives me more pride, than seeing the club in the shape that it is in now. Thank you for all the support this season, let’s give it a right go again next year! Ha’Way the Lads."

At 27 years old, Gooch is one of the more experienced players in this very youthful Sunderland side. And Mowbray will know exactly how important a player of Gooch's nature is, which is perhaps why he handed him the armband.

Going into the summer transfer window, Mowbray and the Sunderland recruitment team will need to be wary of finding the right balance between youth and experience.

Players like Gooch are needed to give the Black Cats enough leadership and maturity on the pitch. He's a very hard-working and long-standing member of this Sunderland side and he continues to put in the graft.

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