It’s a long way from the top half of the Premier League to a similar place in the UniBond Northern Premier League (oops, that is no longer the case; I should have said the Zamaretto Premier League). That, the Zamaretto, is where Hednesford play their football.
But if that seems lowly league stuff, look at how many people visit the unofficial Hednesford fan site The Price is Right.. For days, as Salut! Sunderland rose through the ranks of football sites listed by Soccerlinks, we were neck and neck with them. Not exactly soaraway stuff: bubbling under the top 50 more like, but each site receiving hundreds of visits daily (a gap has now opened up; we were 52nd when I last looked, they had slipped to 61st).It’s great for football, as it happens, that such a club can generate so much interest – and even better to see the site ranked ahead of, say, Geordies.net
When I asked whether anyone supporting “The Pitmen” might like to write for Salut! Sunderland, preferably finding some link between our clubs, it was just a throwaway line and I was not sure whether I’d see a single response (unless they’d spotted Pete Sixsmith on one of his non-league forays).
But this is what came back, roughly in order …
* terrymc:
Hello salut,
Just thought you might be interested to know that we have a former Sunderland player in our current ranks.
Sam Aiston was at Sunderland from 1995 to 2000 according to Wikipedia.
mrbobdad:
Hednesfords left back,Zak martins dad is a sunderland supporter of 40 plus years and his great granddad was a coal miner at brockley whins pit in the north east.
Glyn
This forum’s most-frequent poster has been to Roker Park once and the Stadium of Light twice (the first being a sensational play-off semi victory over Sheff Utd which preceded their 4-3 loss at Wembley to Charlton – (not quite how it was – ed)….
the links between the two clubs are never-ending!!
exsec
I’ve got three Birmingham season tickets and they are playing Sunderland on Saturday. I will be at Ilkeston but my three lads will be at Stans.
Got Sunderland programmes so the links get even better.
Glyn
I once stroked a black cat
Smithy
I’ve got Lee Cattermole in my Sun Dream Team
MikeM
no comment about reading the Sun, but get him out now – he’s injured for at least 12 weeks.
Jack Hepple
I’m a season ticket holder at sunderland and go every away game, goin brum on saturday
gutted to hear about cattermole !
Salut! (late on the need to get Cattermole out of the dream team)
You’ll be needing to make a transfer then. He’s brilliant, but out until January.
Smithy
Can’t make any until January now salut. Anyway back to what this thread was about, didn’t Lee Barrow support Sunderland?
MikeM
When I ran a kids’ team, under 7 or 8, Dean Whitehead used to hang about for ages longingly looking on, but when I offered him signing-on form he just looked at me and didn’t reply. He went on to be Sunderland captain and I went on to watch Hednesford plummet down the pyramid/ win the Trophy
RolandoT
This is tenuous, but am I bovvered? As a kid I had the privilege of seeing Len Shackleton play for Sunderland against the Albion. He was magnificent. If only he and his like had the benefit of today’s training methods.
Told you it was tenuous, but I’m still not bovvered!!
iainthepitman
my mates cousin was the 1st team coach at sunderland when roy keane was the manager. apparently, when they got promoted from the championship, he received a million pound bonus (the coach, not the manager). must be nice that.
* Thanks to “JimmyGoggin” for the YouTube clip. Hope he approves …
Colin Randall
Very nice site!