Lewis Moffatt

🇬🇧Sunderland A.F.C🇬🇧

[Luke O'Nien @LukeONien]

EUROPA LEAGUE was never the dream.

Not because I didn’t want it.

Because if I’m being honest, I never thought it was possible.

What kid would?

Especially when 12 years ago I was playing non league football in the Ryman Premier and Conference South, just trying to stay alive in the game.

What kid dreams about Europe when, two weeks into the off season, his dad has to tell him he’s been released by Watford F.C. over the phone?

I was heartbroken.

My dad looked at me and said:

“What are we doing tomorrow?”

To which I replied with the words he’d drilled into me my whole life:

“We’re training, Dad.”

So we trained.

Every single day.

My dad emailed every EFL club asking for an opportunity.

One club replied.

One.

That was all I needed.

An opportunity.

@WealdstoneFC and @wwfcofficial , I’ll always be indebted to you.

Then came the move to @SunderlandAFC .

A massive club.

A massive opportunity.

And I couldn’t wait to prove myself.

But 45 minutes into my debut… hooked.

“Rabbit caught in headlights. Waste of money. Get rid.”

Then came the Championship.

“He’s not good enough for this level.”

Then the Premier League.

“Let’s give him a debut and then get rid of him.”

I understood the doubt.

I’ve faced it my whole career.

And truthfully, you doubt yourself too at times.

But I’ve always tried to live by one mindset:

Outwork your doubt.

You don’t always need to see the full journey.

You just need to take the next step.

Then the next one.

And then another.

Even when social media tells you you’re not good enough.

Even when the voice inside your own head whispers the same thing.

Keep working.

Keep learning.

Keep showing up.

Because sometimes the places you end up are bigger than anything your younger self could’ve ever imagined.

To any young player reading this, don’t put a ceiling on yourself too early.

You genuinely have no idea where this game and life can take you.

And to the boys… thank you.

You removed the glass ceiling I’d placed on myself.

What a team.

What a club.

What a fanbase.

Sunderland… rocking all over Europe ❤️🤍

And in the words of Granit Xhaka:

“This is just the beginning.”

[Luke O'Nien @LukeONien]

Chris Rigg & The whole of Sunderland after 10 minutes…
Swipe right for 90 minutes 😉

Winning at St James’ Park… special.

Knowing what it means to this city ❤️🤍
That makes it even bigger 🥹

But if I’m honest… I had to do it the hard way.

10 minutes in… mistake.

And in that moment, you feel like the ground could swallow you up.

Like you’ve let down a whole city.

That feeling is real.
And it’s horrendous.

But this is where the work kicks in.

For years I’ve worked on my mindset for moments like this and it’s something I now try to pass on to the young players we mentor through Inner Game Academy.

Breathe.
Self talk.
Next action.

Not “why did I do that?”
Not “what are people thinking?”
Just… next action.

It all sounds simple in theory.
Putting it into practice in moments like that is the hard part.

Every player makes mistakes.
The best players don’t dwell.
They respond.

I’m so proud of this team.
They had my back when I needed it most.
And after the error, they kept demanding from me and from each other relentlessly.

To win it in the 90th minute at St James’…
That’s one I will never forget ❤️🤍

P.s. Why are there loads of empty seats in the background?

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

This is our city. This is Wearside.

[Manchester Lemon @ManchesterLemon]

Bittersweet Symphony

[WTF Sunderland Podcast @WTFSunlunPod]

🥺 Luke O'Nien in tears prior to kick-off.

Just when I thought I'd cried enough...

@LukeONien | #SAFC

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

'All I know is Sunderland's on their way...' 🎶🕺

[SH30 @shanehagan24]

Dan Neil - Sunderlands best player & the Championships most underrated player. Elegance!
#SAFC #oneofourown

[Sky Sports Football @SkyFootball]

"I've dreamed of that since I was a little kid" 🙌

Dan Neil on wearing the Sunderland armband ©️

[Lewis Moffatt @_lewismoffatt]

@charliecoates5 @Champchatpod24 Sort your self out please

[Lewis Moffatt @_lewismoffatt]

@charliecoates5 Are you stupid ?

[Lewis Moffatt @_lewismoffatt]

@charliecoates5 @SunderlandAFC Are you still saying this

[Lewis Moffatt @_lewismoffatt]

@charliecoates5 And this is the reason why we get called deluded they conceded 4 goals at home all season. If you have nothing good to say don’t say it

[Football Away Days @FBAwayDays]

Sunderland have been given a MASSIVE 7,300 allocation for their game away at Blackburn on Boxing Day.

No doubt they’ll sell it out, that’ll be some atmosphere at Ewood Park. #SAFC

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

Come for Cirkin's rocket, stay for Jobe's celebration! 🤩

🤳 @samwatsa_

Submit the best video you've taken from the stands this season by clicking below... ⤵️

[Lewis Moffatt @_lewismoffatt]

I can’t see Lewis Miley ?

[Nathan Salt @NathSalt1]

Jobe Bellingham absolutely mobbed outside the team bus. Had more requests for selfies and autographs than any player that played tonight. The big draw #safc

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

🏆👊

[Second Tier podcast @secondtierpod]

Sunderland fans on a pre-season tour of Spain looks messy 👀🥴🍻

[James Copley @JamesCopley_]

Winning the league with 100 points. All aboard HMS Le Bris.

#SAFC

[(P)USB(C) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 @ccfc_07]

One more week.

[Roker Report @RokerReport]

“Sunderland surrounded on Sheffield Wednesday soil, but they don’t fear anyone…”

#OnThisDay in 2022

#SAFC | @patrick7roberts