AIDEN McGEADY has benefited from the extra rest and Jack Ross thinks there is every chance Sunderland will be able to call on him at Wembley on Sunday.

The Irish winger missed both legs of the League One play-off semi-final against Portsmouth because of the foot problem that has prevented him from playing since April 27.

But Ross is desperate for McGeady to face Charlton in Sunday’s final when Sunderland will be looking to climb back into the Championship after relegation last season.

The Black Cats manager said: “He has a chance. The two weeks break he has had from being unavailable for the first leg has helped him.

“He needed a prolonged rest. He won’t get that until the summer, but this break has helped him. We are building his workload up over this week. We will give him every chance because over the course of this season he has been hugely influential for us.”

The end of Ross’ first season in charge at Sunderland is now in sight and he is desperate to achieve the promotion target that was set 12 months ago – and there are no other injury concerns ahead of facing the Addicks.

He said: “It has been a long season, there has been a year since Stewart Donald took ownership, not long after that I took the job. It has been a long year in that respect but a fruitful one if we can win on Sunday.

“The way the season ended, we suffered the disappointment of not achieving automatic promotion but it allowed us to regroup.

"It gave us a period to do that. The last couple of weeks have been enjoyable, it is reflective of the mood amongst the players.

“I don’t know if it is because we have been at Wembley already, but they are focused and calm, the mood is good.

"Ultimately it will only be an advantage that we have already been at Wembley if we win the game. For my own group of players there is a familiarity.

"It is unusual that you go back to Wembley in the same season. It will stand us in good stead.”