Lynden Gooch shares two-word response after Sunderland memory is shared

Former Sunderland man Lynden Gooch has reacted to a memory shared in social media.

Gooch is a name well remembered and well liked by Sunderland fans.

The American brought an end to his 11-year stay last summer, leaving as a free agent and joining Alex Neil at Stoke City.

Earlier this year, Gooch’s Stoke City lost 3-1 vs Sunderland, with Gooch accused of not giving his all against his former club by some Potters fans.

Gooch represented Sunderland in the Premier League, Championship, and during the dark days of League One as well.

But there was one or two highs in the third tier for Sunderland, with one being their EFL Trophy win which was three years ago on Thursday.

Lynden Gooch reacts to Sunderland EFL Trophy win

Sunderland lifted the EFL Trophy during the 2020/21 season in League One.

Lee Johnson was the manager at the time and Gooch played in the final at Wembley, though he and his teammates weren’t watched by any spectators.

The game was held during the pandemic and Sunderland beat Tranmere Rovers in the final, with Gooch himself being the match-winner that day.

Reacting to the news that the final was three years ago this week, Gooch posted on X:

Sunderland have now lost their last six in the Championship and it’s clear that they’re missing something.

And that something may well be players like Gooch, Alex Pritchard, and Danny Batth who provided not only experience to the team, but Championship quality.

Right now there’s a lot of players in Mike Dodds‘ team who are not performing and it’s difficult, because a lot of them aren’t Championship experienced, or very experienced at all for that matter.

Gooch was a player who always gave his all for the shirt and he earned the armband when he had it.

He had his flaws, especially during the League One years, but his effort and determination never faltered and if he was in the Sunderland XI now, feelings ahead of the run in might be different.

There’s a sense that, if Sunderland lost against QPR this weekend, they could really land themselves in trouble in the Championship.

They sit just nine points above the drop zone and QPR could draw themselves five points behind Sunderland with a win, potentially thrusting the Black Cats right into the relegation mix.

Gooch’s Stoke City meanwhile are right in the relegation mix themselves; the Potters sit in 19th and are three points above the drop zone, and six behind Sunderland in 12th.

Though with Stoke having won two of their last three, they’re another team who could drag Sunderland down the Championship table in the coming weeks.