It was the week that started badly, with a thumping at Eastlands, and could therefore hardly get worse. Salut! Sunderland got its hand-wringing out of the way as early and as best it could before moving on to other things …
One day soon, a mug like that could be yours. Well, we’ll still designing it but the idea is to make a modest start to Salut! Sunderland merchandising.
The text sizes obviously need adjustment. You might even suggest a better slogan: “Salut! Sunderland – not as bad as you thought” springs to mind. “Buy a mug? You’re having a laugh”? “M Salut! & Sixer; two prize mugs”? There could even be a Newcastle version with the handle inside the mug.
So what, if you haven’t been paying proper attention has been going on here this week? Click on any sub-heading to see the full item …
* Man City: a shambles from start to finish
Pete Sixsmith said all the right things about how good City’s money had made them, but questioned the justification for us being quite so bad as that. He also paid short shrift to the idea that the run-in is as easy as we have been trying to convince ourselves.
The Lads can’t score, passing’s as difficult as Ancient Greek, creativity’s a swear word, won’t even always play as if they care. OK, that’s harsh but long-suffering (long as in decades) supporters are entitled to make such statements after so much disappointment. So let’s hear it, again, for the Lasses, confirmed champions of the Women’s Premier League.
* Wayne Rooney’s membership of the Queen’s English Society suspended .. 
Monsieur Salut brought the worst out of Arsenal fans again by suggesting, albeit gently, that there isn’t much to choose between Rooney’s foul-mouthed outbursts and the sight of Gunners haranguing referees to get opponents sent off. They really are sensitive souls, Gooners; even when you praise their team and/or manager, as Salut! Sunderland frequently does, they jump down your throat. Some found the article sub-standard; it positively oozed quality when compared with some of the responses.
* Bingo! Sunderland’s sponsor talks exclusively to Salut! Sunderland.
It took a year to obtain, but was an interview I thought worth waiting for: Phil Cronin, head of Tombola, talks about his passion for SAFC and the deal that put his company’s name, controversially to some, on the players’ shirts.
* West Brom’s visit to Sunderland: a “Who are You?” Q&A with a top Midlands sportswriter
Chris Lepkowski*, who covers West Brom for the Birmingham Mail and seems a popular enough lad over at WBAzone, provided some thought-provoking answers, including his views on the two Kevs, Phillips and Kilbane, ahead of today’s game.
* Rooting for Peter Reid and Plymouth
Pete Sixsmith casts a balanced eye over the Reid years with us, and wishes him well in his dignified battle to save Argyle.
There was more: Steve Bruce settling his quarrel with The Sun, writing his customary post-match e-mail to M Salut. This has just been our week in spashot.