EVANS RETURNS TO CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL

Northern Ireland midfielder Corry Evans will return to the English Championship with his team after promotion from League One was confirmed. Corry Evans was part of the Sunderland team that won promotion to the Championship by winning the League One playoff final at the expense of Wycombe Wanderers.

Corry Evansleft Championship side Blackburn Rovers last summer at the end of his contract with the former Premier League champions. He had spent many years at Blackburn Rovers before leaving the club at the end of last season. Evans signed a two-year contract when he joined Sunderland on a free transfer shortly after his Blackburn Rovers spell ended. He has the option of a third year.

Evans was given the captain’s armband at Sunderland despite the fact that it’s his debut season at the club and he was instrumental to the aforementioned Championship promotion. Evans and Sunderland finished the regular season in fifth spot thus securing a place in the playoffs. Apart from the Black Cats, Wycombe Wanderers, MK Dons and Sheffield Wednesday also qualified for the playoffs in League One.

Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday faced each other in one of the League One playoff semifinals, while MK Dons and Wycombe Wanderers were involved in the other League One playoff semifinal. Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland finished the regular season in fourth and fifth respectively, while MK Dons and Wycombe Wanderers finished the regular season in third and sixth respectively. Sunderland manager Alex Neil masterminded the win over Sheffield Wednesday over two legs to qualify for the League One playoff final alongside Wycombe Wanderers who saw off MK Dons over two legs.

In the League One playoff final, Elliot Emberton and Ronnie Stewart scored either side of the break to give Sunderland a 2-0 win and a place in the Championship as a result.