Luke O’Nien hails Dan Neil’s Wembley gesture after Sunderland exit | OneFootball

Luke O’Nien has paid a heartfelt tribute to Dan Neil following the midfielder’s loan to Ipswich Town, recalling a Wembley moment that he feels summed up the Sunderland captain’s character.

As reported by Sunderland Echo, O’Nien reflected on Neil’s rise from academy hopeful to first-team captain across more than a decade at his boyhood club.

Neil’s breakthrough goal arrived against Accrington Stanley at the Stadium of Light in 2021-22. He then made 46 appearances as Sunderland won promotion from League One via the play-offs at Wembley, the first of several visits.

He became a mainstay in midfield, playing more minutes than any team-mate in 2024-25 and wearing the armband with total commitment.

That bond brought strain too. O’Nien says defeats lingered, with late-night calls spent dissecting mistakes and how to put them right.

In May 2025, Neil led Sunderland to a 2-1 play-off final win over Sheffield United. In the closing seconds he asked O’Nien to lift the trophy alongside him, a gesture his team-mate believes defined him.

Neil departs with 201 senior appearances, ending a long association with the club he supported from birth. His loan to Ipswich Town closes a remarkable chapter, and O’Nien points to that journey as the clearest answer to any doubts about leadership.

Source: Sunderland Echo