Here, as part of Flashscore's writers reviewing their select clubs' seasons, Sunderland's first campaign back in the Championship will be looked at.
Pre-season expectations
Sunderland finished fifth in League One during the 2021/22 season and had to fight their way through the play-offs to earn a spot in England's second division.
Bearing that in mind, the expectation going into 2022/23 was purely a year of consolidation and establishing themselves in the Championship, continuing their clever recruitment plan and developing the plethora of exciting talent in the squad.
Summer transfers
The Black Cats did well to retain the majority of the squad that got them out of League One while also adding some promising talents to the side.
Jack Clarke returned on a permanent basis after a loan in the third tier, while Patrick Roberts was retained for another two years after his initial six-month contract expired.
Both Lynden Gooch and Bailey Wright also extended their deals - two players that have captained the Black Cats on numerous occasions.
Further additions to the squad such as Daniel Ballard, Aji Alese, Ellis Simms (loan) and Amad Diallo (loan) set them up for the season to come, while the recruitment of youngsters like Jewison Bennette, Abdoullah Ba and Edouard Michut (loan with option to buy) filled supporters with genuine excitement for the season ahead.
Mid-season outlook
Come the resumption of the campaign after a World Cup break, the mood on Wearside was positive despite some niggling issues.
Manager Alex Neil had walked out after just five games and been sensibly replaced by Tony Mowbray which naturally meant an adaption period to new tactics and ideas.
That period was plagued by injuries to key players including Ballard (four months out), Simms (six weeks) and top scorer Ross Stewart (three months)
Regardless, they managed their way through to January and found themselves in a healthy position around the top six.
Winter transfers
Simms was recalled by Everton days before the winter window opened, leaving a huge hole in the striking department.
He was suitably replaced by Joe Gelhardt (loan), with the further additions of Pierre Ekwah, Isaac Lihadji and Joe Anderson to boost the squad while maintaining their philosophy of recruiting young players - all of those signed were aged 22 or under.
Despite some solid additions, the Black Cats left themselves short at the top end of the pitch and an unforeseeable injury crisis would mean the squad would eventually end up on its last legs come the end of the campaign.
Wright, Jay Matete and Leon Dajaku all went out on loan to get some valuable game time after poor starts to the season.
Post-season review
The aforementioned injury issues did their best to derail Sunderland's season, but the Black Cats just didn't know when to quit and string of incredible moments saw them finish sixth in the league.
Considering by their final game they were missing seven regular starters - including captain Corry Evans and all three of their natural centre-backs - there was plenty to like regarding Sunderland's resilience and determination.
Play-off disappointment followed against Luton Town, but the season ended with supporters and players alike proud of the effort put in and the direction the club is now moving in.
Key players
The attacking trio of Clarke, Roberts and Diallo set alight the Championship and will be remembered fondly by fans for quite some time.
Their contribution helped Sunderland to become the fourth-highest scorers in the division, despite lacking a natural striker for nearly three-quarters of the campaign.
Diallo ended up as the top scorer with 14 goals, with Clarke not far behind with 11 (plus 13 assists).
Special mention to players like Dan Neil, Luke O'Nien, Trai Hume and Anthony Patterson who all showed they have what it takes to perform to an exceptional level in their current league.
Best performances
The season was littered with superb showings from the entire team but, the two highlights have to be away games against Reading and Preston - both ending with 3-0 wins.
While the scorelines speak for themselves, the quality of the goals scored and the elegance with which Sunderland played will be remembered for a long time.
Next season's aims
A solid performance in the transfer window is required first, with some key issues in the squad needing to be addressed, but with the right additions there is no reason why Sunderland can't push the play-offs again and maybe even beyond.