As the old order crumbles, a new era begins in this, the fourth and final part of Salut! Sunderland‘s review of the year.
Year: 2011
The Man City ‘Who are You?’ update: a mighty Sunderland performance needed
Last season, we got one. It took a fabulous (for us) miss from Tevez and other wasteful City play to keep us in it, but Darren Bent’s last-gasp penalty brought us a massive win. Just imagine what a similar scoreline tomorrow would mean for morale at the Stadium of Light. It is a big, big ask but here’s to the immense performance needed to pull it off.
Sunderland’s year in review: (3) gloom descends, storm clouds gather
The third part of Salut! Sunderland‘s look back on the year – makes a change from looking back on the past week – takes in all the hopes of summer, the false dawn of that spirited opening day fightback at Anfield and the start of the abysmal sequence that finally cost Steve Bruce his job.
Sunderland’s year in review: (2) from Eastlands massacre to dizziness at 10th
The second part in our four part-series on the ups and downs of 2011 starts in April with lots left for Sunderland to play for. The small matter of survival springs to mind.
Sunderland’s year in review: (1) hope and betrayal, laughter and mourning
Lots of other people do it so why not Salut! Sunderland? We publish so much material that choosing bits to represent a whole year is a tall order. Here goes in any case with the first quarter of 2011 as seen through this site’s eyes.
Soapbox: forget Osman, this Cheeta was a chimp
Only Leon truly knows if he was a cheater at the Stadium of Light. Some things are more certain: Cheeta, for example, was a chimp. And Pete Sixsmith clearly has too much time on his hands. Who would have thought being driven in disgust from a match at Highbury would lead him to an exhibition of the Tarzan star’s art? Or that he’d write about it in honour of the poor beast’s death?
The SAFC-Manchester City ‘Who are You?: no premature lording it over United
Ten years after starting the Manchester City blog Bluemoon as a quick project for a web design course, Ric Turner* is still at it. He loves his club’s new-found success, has no wish to return to underdog days, quite likes Sunderland again now Steve Bruce has gone and predicts a result going to script …
The Man City build-up kicks off: ‘can we have Balotelli please?’
Far too early to be starting to think about SAFC v Manchester City on Sunday afternoon? Not if you’re the Bluemoon site where they’re already running an interview with our own Pete Sixsmith. He began his shopping list of City players he’d welcome at the Stadium of Light with the Italian striker but, realising the list would never end, settled for Adam Johnson.
The Beautiful Game: Spurs top, Stoke and Wolves bottom with us
A pretty picture, but who are the Beauties and who are the Beasts in English football? Trust a Londoner to put Sunderland in the second category …
Leon Osman’s unwanted accolade as cheating finds a new level
For all Salut! Sunderland knows, Leon Osman is a regular at church, helps old ladies across the road, spends hours daily feeding the homeless and plays Scrabble without even thinking of snatching a sneaky glance at everyone else’s letters.
He also stands accused of being a prize cheat.