OTD: ELLIS SIMMS DEBUT

On this day in 2022, Ellis Simms made an instant impact on his debut as he scored a brace in a 3-2 away victory over Bristol City.

In the summer of 2022, just two days before the season started, Simms joined Sunderland on what was expected to be a "season-long" loan. He'd already been popular among Hearts and Blackpool fanbases for his previous loan spells.

Whilst the young loanee didn't appear against Coventry City on opening day (still getting used to his new teammates and building up match fitness) he then started next to Ross Stewart in our first away game back in the Championship. We were pretty surprised by Alex Neil's decision to go for two big men up front in a game where we were expected to be the underdogs. But Ellis quickly made his mark, scoring after just four minutes. Things got even better for us when he slotted the ball past the keeper's legs in the second half to make it 2-2 at the time, before Stewart later headed in the winner.

And in his next game, he would continue his flying start with a well-taken goal against QPR. His finish made it 2-0 at the time (although their keeper would score a late equaliser of course) and "Ellis Simms, he scores when he wants" rang out from the Roker End. We would later think of a more memorable song for the Everton loanee...

He went a few games without scoring, and when Ross Stewart got injured in the warmup the spotlight shifted to the young striker. He had a pretty poor game at Middlesbrough away, as did the whole team. But unfortunately for Ellis he then got injured against Reading, leaving us with no strikers when it was supposed to be his chance to really take on the goalscoring mantle.

He made his return over a month later with a late appearance against Luton Town, before coming on at half time away at Huddersfield Town and totally changing the game. Sunderland now had a focal point up front to combine with our exciting wide players, who were admittedly doing a good job of filling the Simms-and-Stewart shaped hole in attack.

Consecutive goals in wins against Birmingham City and Millwall came next (albeit with a World Cup break in between) and Ellis Simms was truly on our minds. And a few weeks later, Ellis would score a last-minute winner against Blackburn Rovers and open the scoring for our 4-1 hammering of Wigan Athletic.

Amad Diallo's weekly masterclasses were rightly receiving plaudits, and there was speculation over a return to Manchester United. But strangely, my colleague said after the Wigan game: "People were worried about Amad getting recalled but I think Simms is more likely. Everton are s*** and struggling for goals. Their top scorer has three in the league."

Just on cue, the next day news broke that Ellis Simms had been recalled by Frank Lampard, with the Toffees struggling for goals in the Premier League. A few days later Lampard admitted that there was no real plan for Simms: "I haven't crossed that bridge. I know he is coming back for us now and we will get him back in and it's another attacking option... I am talking about options off the bench for us and options to start if someone shows himself, we have to look at everything in our hands and Ellis is our player."

Simms made 11 appearances for Everton in the second half of the season, two of which were starts. Those two starts came away to Liverpool and Manchester United, so it was a bit of a baptism of fire. His one goal was at least impactful though, he found the back of the net in the 89th minute away at Stamford Bridge to make the score 2-2 and rescue a point.

In the summer of 2023, we went back in for him as the striker was linked with a move away to Goodison Park but we were financially outmuscled by Coventry City, who brought him in on a four year deal. He got off to a slow start, scoring just three times before the New Year. More goals came in 2024, 16 to be exact. These included a hattrick in a 5-0 drubbing of Rotherham, another three goals in a 5-0 win versus Maidstone United in the FA Cup, a brace against Huddersfield and, most notably, two goals (plus an assist) in an FA Cup quarter final win over Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers and a goal (and assist) in the semi final at Wembley versus Man U (which they lost on penalties).

Last season, he wasn't as prolific, netting seven in 46 matches. His best game saw him score a brace in a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday. Simms was routed to the bench when we faced (and beat) Coventry in both games of the playoff semi finals.