Fleetwood travel north to Sunderland ahead of Saturday’s League One clash.
Fleetwood Town manager Joey Barton has told his club’s official website that it is “scary” to see a club like Sunderland do easily capitulate, as they fell from the Premier League to League One in two years.
Sunderland finished bottom of the Premier League in 2016-17, and then did the same just a year later with just 37 points from 46 matches. They finished 24th in the Championship, and now have to rebuild in League One.
Unlike Leeds United or Portsmouth, Sunderland are not struggling in the finances department, but new manager Jack Ross has managed to get the Black Cats winning football matches once again after being recruited from St. Mirren.
Barton, who will stand adjacent to Ross at the Stadium of Light on Sunday after turning out for bitter rivals Newcastle during his career, discussed the Wearside club and their demise, as well as new manager Ross.
“Three years ago, I played against Sunderland for Burnley in the Premier League and it is scary to think how quickly football can put you in your place if you don’t do things correctly,” Barton said.
“Sunderland haven’t done that, but credit to Jack Ross who has got the crowd back and the team winning games. It’s not easy to turn things around when things are going badly so he deserved a lot of credit.”
The clash at the Stadium of Light will also be a big day for Barton’s Fleetwood, with the clash showing just how far they have come to be playing a league match in a stadium that holds 49,000 at full capacity.
Sunderland remain unbeaten in League One under Ross, winning four games and drawing two, but Fleetwood are not far behind Saturday’s rivals, sitting in sixth place and only three points behind the Black Cats.
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