Dennis Cirkin sends five-word message to Sunderland supporters ahead of play-off final | OneFootball

Sunderland booked their place at Wembley Stadium with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Sheffield Wednesday, completed on Monday evening.

The Black Cats lost in the League One play-off final in 2018/19, their first in the third tier, to Charlton Athletic, and can make their long awaited return to the Championship in victory over Wycombe Wanderers.

Sunderland have a nervous wait until next Saturday to discover their fate, with motivation remaining very high amongst the squad in the meantime.

Instagram to express his emotions ahead of the biggest match of his career to date.

🔗 Instagram

Cirkin has had an excellent debut season on Wearside, since arriving from Tottenham Hotspur last summer under Lee Johnson.

The Black Cats have a very exciting squad that could make the step up to the Championship next season, it feels like merely a case of getting over the final hurdle under Alex Neil.

Cirkin has been a very important cog under the new manager, performing admirably in both a back three and a back four, although the Chairboys will certainly pose some unique challenges for the 20-year-old.

The Verdict

Quiz: Which club did Sunderland sign these 24 players from in the 2000s?

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Emerson Thome?

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It is about time the Black Cats climbed out of the third tier.

The League One promotion race could only become more difficult in the coming years with Barnsley, Peterborough United and potentially Derby County set to be strong next season, while Reading and Birmingham City are on steep downward trajectories in the Championship.

It is not now or never by any means, but an incredible opportunity has presented itself to this group of players, taking on a side that they picked up four points against in the league this season.

It will be interesting to see if Neil changes his system to lock horns with Gareth Ainsworth, with Cirkin being one of the first names on the team sheet regardless.