The Black Cats cult hero is back at the Stadium of Light from Middlesbrough and one particular gesture made some fans very emotional.
On Tuesday, Sunderland announced the return of their former midfielder and cult hero Grant Leadbitter on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
The 33-year-old has spent the last six-and-a-half seasons with Middlesbrough but is now back at the club he supports and where he came through the ranks.
Leadbitter made his first-team debut in September 2003, coming off the bench in a League Cup tie against Huddersfield Town, according to the official Black Cats website.
He then joined Ipswich Town in 2009 before moving back to the North-East with Boro in 2012, where he played a key role in their promotion to the Premier League in 2016.
However, Leadbitter’s career now seems to have come full circle and, upon arriving back at the Stadium of Light, one gesture he made was especially emotional:
His father, Brian, tragically passed away in May 2008, and his ashes were buried underneath the Stadium of Light pitch, according to the Northern Echo.
Leadbitter paid tribute to his father in an emotional celebration after scoring at home against Arsenal in October 2008 and, following his return to the club this week, he did so once again.
On Twitter, some Sunderland fans noticed the significance of the gesture and some couldn’t contain their emotions:
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