Sunderland hero Michael Gray offers consoling words to Lee Cattermole after penalty heartbreak

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Ex-Sunderland defender Michael Gray has offered words of consolation and empathy to Lee Cattermole after the midfielder’s cup final penalty miss.

Cattermole stepped up to take a penalty in the Checkatrade Trophy final between Portsmouth and Sunderland at Wembley.

But Pompey goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray leapt to his left and pushed it away. The shoot-out ended 5-4 with Cattermole’s miss proving decisive in the end.

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Gray took to Twitter to console Cattermole after the game. The former England left-back knows exactly how the Sunderland midfielder feels.

Back in May 1998, Gray took and missed a decisive penalty in the play-off final against Charlton Athletic, ultimately costing Sunderland promotion to the top flight.

Gray bounced back from that disappointment, helping Sunderland to promotion the following year and going on to play over 400 games for the Black Cats.

The 44-year-old, who retired in 2010, was at the game and tweeted to show his support for Cattermole after the penalty miss.

Gray tweeted: “Gutted for Lee…But any player who has the Courage to step forward and take a penalty deserves credit.. keep your head up mate..”

Cattermole has the chance to redeem his penalty miss by guiding Sunderland to promotion. He is in a slightly different position to Gray because he is much older and wiser than Gray was in 1998.

And the 31-year-old, who is in his 10th season with Sunderland, can still play a pivotal role in the more important challenge of returning to the Championship.