Much of the pain that comes with supporting Sunderland is rooted in the club's identity crisis. It's too poor a team to be competing for trophies on a regular basis, but surely good enough to have won a cup sooner or later. Not since 1973 have the Black Cats won a genuine trophy - a legendary upset which is still talked about in hushed tones to this day - and only occasionally has the team managed to get close. The 1992 FA Cup final loss to Liverpool was heartbreaking for it's anti-climactic nature, a straightforward 2-0 win for the favourites. The 2013/14 League Cup campaign was considerably more dramatic. Not only was the cup run itself immensely exciting, featuring a couple of consecutive giant-killings over Chelsea and United (the away leg at Old Trafford sure to remain particularly long in the memory), but Sunderland even had the audacity to take the lead at Wembley. Unfortunately Fabio Borini's earth-shattering low finish wasn't enough to keep Manchester City at bay, but it provided a recent moment for fans to cling to as the club continues to pursue success.
