In the aftermath at Wembley, Alex Neil spoke about moments. 'Moments in your life, moments in your career.'
Sunderland's play-off final triumph was a moment the club's supporters will treasure, a moment to savour in the careers of the players - and head coach - who celebrated at full-time in front of a sea of jubilant fans bedecked in red and white. But not all moments occur on the pitch.
This summer also represents a moment, and it is a moment the club must seize. Sunderland must ensure that they safeguard and build upon the progress they have made during their promotion season, and in particular over the last three months since Neil took the reins.
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It must bring an end to the revolving door policy that made Neil its fourth boss in as many years in League One, its 12th in nine years, and which has left Jack Ross and David Moyes as the only men to complete a full season in charge since Steve Bruce led the team to a tenth-placed finish in the Premier League in 2010-11. Sunderland needs stable leadership now more than ever.
In a game where there are as many opinions as there are fans, managers and head coaches are rarely universally popular. But insofar as that is possible, Neil has the overwhelming backing of Sunderland supporters for the job he has done in galvanising the squad he inherited and finally ending the club's stay in the third tier.
He is seen as a good 'fit' for the club, someone who 'gets' the club, a straight-talking, no-nonsense, Scot who does not merely talk a good game but more importantly has proven he can deliver results. Neil's achievements at Sunderland will not have gone unnoticed in the wider footballing world, however.
He is already an established manager at Championship level who demonstrated when he took Norwich City to the Premier League via the play-offs in 2015 that he knows what it takes to win promotion in what is often regarded as the most competitive league of all. When clubs are looking around for a new manager this summer, or when sacking season arrives in October, his name will be on plenty of long-lists and no doubt several short-lists.
That is a compliment, but also a threat. Neil came as close as any head coach can to committing himself to the Black Cats' cause last weekend when he said: 'I want to be at Sunderland. I want to be here, I want to take it forward and there is massive scope for us to do that.'
The inevitable caveat was: 'Like anybody, if you are doing a job then you want the tools to do that job and I am no different.' Sunderland fans also want Neil to be at Sunderland next season and to take the club forward.
They also want him to be given the tools to do the job. Sunderland's sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said this week that there is already an agreement between club and head coach, and that is true - the 12-month rolling contract he signed in February.
He was keen to play down the contract situation, saying: 'We want to make sure that Alex feels comfortable where he is, and he is [comfortable]. I don't think we need to get into the intricacies, I think people have got to be confident that we will make the best possible decisions we can for Sunderland'
But fans would feel more reassured if there was a longer-term deal in place. And that is why I believe Sunderland should be proactive this summer and offer improved terms that reflect the impact he has had, and - crucially - give him the backing and influence over transfer policy that he will need to make the club competitive in the Championship.
Because the landscape has changed over the last three months. Neil has proven his worth, promotion has been achieved, and it is time to revisit that contract and work towards a deal that better protects the club's interests by warding off admirers, and that also rewards Neil by giving him greater security.
Sunderland have at last found a head coach who chimes with supporters and who has achieved on the pitch. They must not risk losing him through complacency.
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