Luke O’Nien pens heartfelt message on the ‘privilege’ of playing for Sunderland as he reaches 300 appearances
Sunderland club captain Luke O’Nien has sent a message to fans following his 300th game in red & white.
Sunderland beat Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, which saw Eliezer Mayenda’s double send the Black Cats back to winning ways following successive defeats.
It wasn’t a complete performance by Sunderland, as Jobe Bellingham had an off night, whilst Leo Hjelde struggled defensively on occasions, but made up for it with his spectacular assist for Mayenda’s first, but the Black Cats still managed to wrap up all three points to complete the double against the Owls.
As well as the result, it was a moment to celebrate Luke O’Nien’s 300th game donning the red & white stripes of Wearside, an incredible feat only achieved by four players preceding him, which has led to the club captain penning a message to the fans following the victory.
Luke O’Nien pens message to players, fans, and ‘incredible’ Sunderland following 300th game
O’Nien has had many memorable Sunderland moments, and his 300th game will certainly live long in his memory, as it could potentially prove to be a massive result in the shape of the promotion battle.
Since joining in July 2018 from Wycombe Wanderers, the then-midfielder played a crucial role in helping the club return to the Championship, and has been integral in the current campaign under Regis Le Bris, notching 34 appearances, whilst providing three goals.
Following the win against Sheffield Wednesday, O’Nien took to X to pen a message to Black Cats fans, to which he said: “An absolute privilege.
“Crossing that white line everyday with my team mates and the support of this incredible city, is an absolute pleasure each and every time.
Luke O’Nien ability and influence go far beyond technical quality
When picking out Sunderland’s top players this season, O’Nien wouldn’t be on the tips of many tongues, with the likes of Jobe Bellingham, Wilson Isidor and Chris Rigg often receiving the plaudits.
Even his fellow centre-backs, Dan Ballard and Chris Mepham, have been praised more for their abilities this season, but one area that O’Nien stands head and shoulders above all else is his positive influence on the dressing room.
O’Nien is crucial to have in-and-around the squad as a team leader, with his experience at Sunderland proving insight especially to the younger ranks in the squad.
For a while, many have viewed O’Nien’s involvement as being shoehorned to the defence where depth is light, but his influence goes far beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch, something that simply can’t be replaced, nor underestimated.
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