Beating West Ham, and other ways of making Sunderland supporters happy


Well, there are a few days of doing it – as Channel 4 found when SAFC-mad Ashley Hughes won the £1,000 Come Dine With Me prize (ages ago, but repeated last night). Three points in any game, or advancement in a cup competition (OK not for a long while), will also do the trick quite well. But with Christmas coming, here are some other ideas …

The build-up to this afternoon’s game is over (see our big Hammer preview by clicking here, or memories of a famous Sunderland win here.

But while wondering whether we can play as we did against Chelsea and halt West Ham’s little revival , why not consider choosing from these cut-price Christmas presents that don’t even involve having to go near the shops?

No, I’m, not talking about some portions of Ashley’s prize-winning Beef medallions with Stilton crust, or the gigantic £26,000 chandelier that dominates of home of one of her rivals, Tony Griffiths, the nightclub owner who banned Anthony Stokes from the Glass Spider after Roy Keane raised questions about the player’s nocturnal pursuits.

I am talking about football books. Ashley’s money may have all gone on restocking the lager bar in her parlour, but others may consider these (excusing, if possible, the need to navigate the jumble of images, which was so jarring that I have split the file – so click here for further book ideas):

: The Far Corner: Harry Pearson’s “mazy dribble” through North-eastern football is still the best book on the game I have read. Order here.


Stan Anderson, Captain of the North: written with Mark Metcalf, on a man who gave outstanding service to both Sunderland and that lot up the road. Order here.



Stokoe, Sunderland and ‘ 73
: Lance Hardy’s terrific read on the glorious 1973 FA Cup win. order here.

Monsieur Salut

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