10 Things We Learned From Darlington Vs. Sunderland

9. Sunderland Are Showing Faith In Johnson

One of the most intriguing inclusions against Darlington was that of Johnson. He's currently awaiting trial, but the club have shown immense faith in him since allegations were made earlier in the year. He featured towards the end of the season, and it looks as though Sunderland are keen to make him part of their plans for the future. Johnson's court date in the last week of August means that he should be available for the first three games of the season at least, and the Black Cats will prepare him as usual. Whatever the thoughts are about Johnson, the club are doing the right thing by allowing him to play, taking a lot of the sting out of the controversy rather than turning him into an isolated villain.