Two paths, one dream - how duo reached Premier League

International Friendly: Denmark v Northern Ireland

Venue: Parken Stadium, Copenhagen Date: Saturday, 7 June Kick-off: 18:00 BST

Coverage: Watch unrecorded connected BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI, perceive connected BBC Sounds and travel unrecorded substance commentary & in-play clips connected the BBC Sport website

After years of hard work, Daniel Ballard and Trai Hume are acceptable to go Premier League players successful August.

The Northern Ireland team-mates played a cardinal relation arsenic Sunderland ended their six-year hiatus from the apical formation with a melodramatic Championship play-off triumph astatine Wembley.

Playing successful the Premier League is simply a life-long extremity for some players, but some arrived astatine their existent constituent done precise antithetic means.

Defender Ballard came done the 'traditional' path, by moving his mode done Arsenal's academy.

He didn't marque a elder quality for the Gunners but a fig of indebtedness spells brought him to the attraction of Sunderland successful 2022.

Hume's path, connected the different hand, meant helium had to bide his clip for a chance.

When ambitions to determination to England failed to travel to fruition astatine the property of 16, helium played successful the Irish League successful Northern Ireland with Linfield and Ballymena United, wherever the vulnerability to elder shot astatine a young property surely helped make the combative subordinate Sunderland fans person travel to love.

If supporters didn't cognize his sanction erstwhile helium arrived for successful January 2022, they surely bash now.

"My travel is astir apt a batch antithetic to a batch of people," admitted Hume.

"I missed retired connected going crossed the h2o astatine 16 years of age. I didn't get picked by a batch of clubs and was told I wasn't ready, and things similar that."

Hume said helium "worked my socks off" to gain a determination to England, and he's been connected Sunderland's travel from League One to the Premier League.

"I similar to deliberation I merit the accidental that I've got," helium added.

"When I archetypal moved to Sunderland they gave maine clip to accommodate and get ready, and erstwhile I was acceptable to play I had my accidental and thankfully took it. Now I americium wherever I am, and I privation to support connected pushing."

Ballard said "it's down to the idiosyncratic a batch of the time" aft helium joined the academy astatine Arsenal arsenic an eight-year-old.

"At Arsenal, from the extracurricular it's astir apt the cleanable mode to beryllium brought up," helium added.

"But past a batch of players get mislaid successful that strategy and Trai is simply a large illustration of coming done astatine a nine that didn't person the aforesaid facilities, but it conscionable shows that it comes down to the individual.

"You person to enactment the enactment successful yourself. No magnitude of facilities of coaches astatine that young property are going to crook you into a bully player."

After impressing passim Sunderland's campaign, Hume has been linked with a determination distant from the Stadium of Light, with Wolves, Everton and a fig of European clubs reportedly looking astatine the 23-year-old.

However, Hume is blessed astatine Sunderland and if thing happens "it's from the club".

"I've said it ever since I moved to Sunderland, I truly emotion my shot here," helium admitted.

"I emotion playing. I emotion the club, I'm blessed wherever I'm astatine and if thing happens it's from the club.

"I emotion playing for Sunderland truthful I'm blessed being there."

That transportation with the nine and its supporters would lone person been enhanced connected a fairytale promotion run.

Ballard scored a last-gasp header successful the 2nd limb of the semi-final against Coventry, which was the winning extremity connected aggregate and booked Sunderland's spot astatine Wembley.

The celebrations could lone beryllium described arsenic pandemonium arsenic Ballard whipped disconnected his garment earlier being mobbed by his team-mates.

"I deliberation it was spur of the infinitesimal thing," helium said with a smile.

"As I kid I had dreamed of that celebration, but you tin ne'er truly bash it arsenic a centre-back different you'll get a booking. I deliberation that was the 1 accidental I could get arsenic the crippled was done.

"You could consciousness it successful the stadium arsenic they were 2 truly pugnacious games against Coventry. I deliberation it was alleviation much than thing and it was rather affectional to spot the mode the fans reacted."

There was much joyousness to travel arsenic substitute Tom Watson scored an injury-time victor against Sheffield United arsenic the Black Cats gained promotion successful the astir melodramatic of circumstances.

Ballard said that made his semi-final extremity "even much special", and Hume added the play made "it much affectional and much sweet".

"We didn't predominate some games, we had to excavation successful and we had to enactment beardown arsenic a squad and instrumentality together," added Hume.

"Personally, that's the mode I similar to triumph games. I similar to bash it unneurotic arsenic a squad and you person to enactment hard to gain that.

"We worked arsenic hard arsenic we could, and to get those 2 precocious goals determination was relief, joyousness and each the emotions you tin deliberation of really."