For me, it doesn't matter in the slightest what happens to us at Wembley, win or lose. I've had the strange privilege of seeing them live and on TV and they were more important occasions than this.
I'm not naive, I know we need to be in the Championship and Premiership to keep the stature of the club high. But on the other hand, I haven't enjoyed watching Sunderland more than at any other time in my life. Affordable away days, good old-fashioned football grounds with dedicated fans, actually winning games, players who give a damn... club owners who give a damn.
This is the Sunderland I've wanted since the days of Roy Keane and Reidy before him.
Regardless of the Wembley hoodoo, at least we go to Wembley more often than some Premiership teams, least of all those barcodes on the Tyne.
I'm proud of what my club has become, regardless of Wembley, cup or league results; evidenced by the army we brought to Barnsley or the 8,000 that came to Blackpool.
We all love this club (for our sins), and we always will.
Should we win or lose at Wembley, it doesn't matter to me. For now, I'm just happy we're past those 7-0 horror drubbings from Everton, or those formalities in Manchester.
