SUTTON United's rise into the Football League 18 months ago was a fairy story, the first time the South London club had ever made it into the Football League.

Before then, they were surely most famous for a sensational FA Cup win over top-flight Coventry City in 1989, winners of the competition just two years previously.

Oh and then there was that time their keeper ate a pie on the substitutes' bench...

That was just one moment in their superb run to the FA Cup fifth round in 2016/17, but with promotion to the EFL came the chance to make more modern memories.

Last season saw them perform superbly, finishing eighth in League Two, just one point outside the play-offs, with their 4-1 defeat at the hands of City in late April proving costly.

They also reached the Papa John's Trophy final, which they agonisingly lost 4-2 to Rotherham United after extra-time.

But that infamous "second-season syndrome" looks to be hurting them currently.

After a bright enough start, with four wins in their opening nine league games, and an impressive 1-0 victory in the Papa John's over Chelsea's youngsters, Sutton have fallen off badly.

Their only league win since beating Hartlepool 2-0 on September 17 came at neighbours AFC Wimbledon in the middle of last month, and while they are safely into the last 32 of the Papa John's, they bowed out of the FA Cup last weekend after a dreadful 2-0 home defeat to non-league Farnborough.

They will surely be starting to look over their shoulders in the fourth tier too, sitting just seven points off the drop.

Manager Matt Gray is only 41, having retired at the age of just 25 due to injury.

But he had to settle for non-managerial coaching roles for over a decade, at the likes of Eastleigh and Crawley Town, before getting his big break with Sutton in May 2019.

Having led them to an unexpected promotion, and that Wembley final, he is building his reputation.

But it will be interesting to see how he deals with this first major downturn in his reign.

Experienced captain Craig Eastmond, who made four first-team appearances for Arsenal as a youngster, is still an integral part of the team, having been at the club since 2015.

The midfielder has started all but one of Sutton's league games so far this season.

He scored the winner in that vital derby win over Wimbledon, and has their joint most-assists with two.

The 31-year-old is sat on four yellow cards though, on the verge of a ban, so he will have to be on his best behaviour against the Bantams tomorrow.