It’s nice one, Kyril... finally

A GIANT is stirring in the North East after a decade of decline, waste, 11 managers, three owners and record worst league finishes.

Sunderland may be in League One at the moment, but five Premier League clubs cannot boast crowds as big as those turning up at the Stadium of Light to witness their renaissance.

Some 32,368 turned up to see them beat Bolton, there are 22,500 seasonticket holders, buying into the hope that the worst is over for a fan base who have endured extreme misery.

In the 160 league games over four seasons before they fell into League One, Sunderland won just 29 times.

So no surprise it is party time on Wearside this season, with 10 wins in 12 games before yesterday’s clash with Portsmouth, and 18 goals in seven games.

In May 2003, they finished a Premier League season with just four wins. When they got back in the top flight, two years later, they plunged straight out with just three victories. There was some joy. The era of Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan, led by Steve Bruce, finished 10th in the Premier League 10 years ago, before the decline started.

There was the Ellis Short era when no one at the club seemed bothered about losing £25million a season as the team got worse. Just send a check to the US tycoon.

The Stewart Donald era, where Premier League parachute payments helped him buy the club, severely weakened their ability to bounce back.

Now there is a plan under new owner, Swiss heir Kyril Louis-Dreyfus (above), technical director Kristjaan Speakman and coach Lee Johnson.

It promises to be leaner, and cleverer. Fifteen players were shipped out in the summer, and nine added, with more athleticism and the average age falling from 29 to 24.

They are ruthless at home, on a sixgame winning streak and Wearside folk are going home happy.

After their suffering, no one can begrudge them this bounce-back.