The 2021-22 campaign delivered a triumphant return to the Championship for Sunderland as The Black Cats secured promotion via the thrilling League One play-offs, defeating Wycombe Wanderers in the Final. Leading the charge was the prolific Ross Stewart, whose 24 goals proved decisive in a campaign built on momentum and the raw emotion of ending the club's four-year exile from the second tier. It was a spectacular year that marked the end of a difficult chapter and remains a defining moment in Sunderland's modern history.