Sunderland favourite Luke O’Nien is a proud record breaker. The 30-year-old defender has the remarkable distinction of having made more appearances at the Stadium of Light than any other player in history.
He has often spoken of the stadium’s impact on his career and it becoming a home for him and his family. And now, no player has ever achieved his current feat.
His first appearance came way back on August 4, 2018 which was the first-ever competitive game at League One level for Sunderland. O’Nien was brought off during the interval.
Quite often, O’Nien has used this game as a reference point to better his performance throughout the course of his career. It’s safe to say, that objective has been achieved over the last seven years.
His first Stadium of Light goal came on November 27 that year. With the Black Cats leading 3-0 in the first half against Barnsley, the Reds hauled themselves back into the game to reduce the deficit to one goal. O’Nien came on around the hour mark and latched onto the end of a cutback from Aiden McGeady to steer the ball home and ensure the three points went to the home side. Back-to-back league goals came on September 28 and October 22, 2019.
Sunderland began the season in fine fettle and O’Nien was adding goals to his game. In the contest with MK Dons, the right winger at the time was sent sprinting down the line for a ball over the top. O’Nien dinked the ball over the keeper with effort just managing to creep over the line to double the Lads’ lead.
Against Tranmere Rovers, O’Nien latched onto a low set-piece to stoop his header into the bottom corner to round off an emphatic 5-0 victory and make it two goals in two home games.
The first game back in front of supporters came on May 22, 2021. After the global pandemic brought normal life to a standstill, football began to filter supporters back into the stands. For the first time in more than a year, supporters took their seats at the Stadium of Light and brought the raucous noise to the stands. O’Nien started the game against Lincoln City but the Black Cats couldn’t get the result as they were knocked out of the play-off semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate.
On March 8, 2022 O’Nien returned from a shoulder injury that had required surgery and a lengthy lay-off from the pitch. A three-month recovery was complete and O’Nien was on the bench for another important tie against Fleetwood Town in their push for promotion.
With the game approaching the dying embers and deadlocked at 1-1, O’Nien popped up at the vital moment in the box to slam the ball into the bottom corner.
His 100th appearance at the stadium came on February 8, 2023. Sunderland had Premier League Fulham in an FA Cup fourth round replay at the Stadium of Light on a chilly January night. A thrilling game ended in a 3-2 defeat as the Black Cats exited the competition.
On April 29 that year he scored against Watford. Trailing 2-0, the club’s top-six chances were hanging by a thread. O’Nien was on hand to steer home a wayward shot and gave the home side a fighting chance.
Patrick Roberts scored the equalising goal in the game and as it transpired, O’Nien’s goal ended up sending the team on their way to the Championship Play-Offs. His first Wear-Tyne derby came this year on January 6 – and after a near eight-year absence, the titanic battle resumed for an FA Cup third round tie on Wearside.
The defender led the team out into a cauldron atmosphere. A noise many hadn’t heard for years and a moment O’Nien admitted he will carry with him for the rest of his days. He scored in the first home game against Sheffield Wednesday this season and broke the appearance record at the stadium on November 26.
A senior statesman in the squad having just celebrated his 30th birthday in the same month, he was part of a side that kept a clean sheet in defence against a resilient West Brom side. It was in that game he became the King of the Stadium of Light.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sunderland-favourite-writes-name-stadium-30629465
