The eerie sound of rubbish in the wind on Wembley Way this morning gave a stark reminder of the past 12 months.
Sunderland's game against Tranmere Rovers in the Papa John's Trophy final is somewhat of a paradox.
There was no hustle and bustle this morning on an iconic Wembley Way.
No noise from vendors setting out their stalls to sell half and half scarves that would no doubt live in the back of a wardrobe somewhere as a lost memento in future years.
There was the odd red and white shirt from Sunderland expats discussing their prediction for the game later in the day, but it was far from the norm.
The pubs around the ground remain closed and the pumps remain idle.
Instead the Wembley euphoria and excitement has been confined to homes and living rooms across the country.
Today's opponents Tranmere, had lobbied the EFL to postpone the fixture until fans were allowed back into grounds.
However, their appeals were rebuffed and the match will - like the majority of games this season - be played behind closed doors.
What should be a terrific occasion will be historical in more ways than one.
The Black Cats are looking to end their torrid run of form at Wembley and should they prove successful later today, it'll be a bittersweet remedy.
The EFL Trophy has acted as a catalyst for the Wearsiders' season and they come into the tie on the back of six league wins out of a possible seven.
The trophy run has given the side belief and combined with Kyril Louis-Dreyfus' takeover, there's a real sense that Sunderland could be on the brink of something special.
A win today would certainly give them belief heading into the business part of the season.
