The Sunderland v QPR ‘Who are You?’: still bowled over by Stan

Jake poses the question

Steve Colwell, a beer buff who runs the website beer.meister.co.uk, supped at our table just before the first game, which was won by us 3-2 at Loftus Road, and has since become a welcome fixture at the Salut! Sunderland Facebook group. He likes the craic there, and he likes us. But he wants a result on Saturday – and could hardly be in better spirits after last night’s comeback to beat Liverpool…


Where does the Rangers passion come from?

At Loftus Road, it’s the atmosphere for passionate matches, away, it’s the meeting mates from the QPR diaspora you haven’t seen for a while, personally, I fell in love with the Rs when I saw the team that included Rodney Marsh, great football played then.

Steve with friends. Nice stripes, wrong club


Ever been tempted by “big” clubs or are you just biding your time for Rangers to become one?

Haha, we are big! OK, not as big as some, but, when I lived in Sheffield (nearly 16 years) I was asked once, ‘Why don’t you support either the Blades or Owls?’ I said, I’ve supported QPR since 1970… No further explanation required.

Name one high and one low of supporting QPR.

High, in the 1970s, was winning at Leeds, Gerry Francis’s goal the difference. The low was trying to get back to the station alive!


Greater Rangers hero: Stan Bowles or Rodney Marsh?

I’m a Bowles supporter with this debate. Both very skilful players, but I believe Bowles was more of a team player, and he had Francis to play off too!

Jake wants a swift return to form ...



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And is Anton Ferdinand a hero in the making?

A Mackem pal of mine (she’s female) loves Anton and now, sort of, follows us. He started off well, the business with Terry appeared to effect his form for a while, but he seems to be getting it back now. Hopefully a hero in the making, yep.

A Rangers blog described us as “limited” when we beat you in the Loftus Road game. What did you think?

I think we didn’t deserve to lose, and I think you’ve vastly improved under O’Neill. Probably then, yes, but not anymore.

Since answering our questions before that game, you’ve become a fixture at Salut! Sunderland‘s Facebook group. Is a northward change of allegiance looming?

Another of Jake's Salut! banners

Ooh! Yes, I like the group, good banter and chat, I’ll just say you’re my ‘northern team’, LOL.


Whatever you answer to that, do you wish you had Martin O’Neill instead of Mark Hughes?

I’d lie if I said ‘no’.


Have you changed your mind on who will finish top four, in order, this season, and who will go down?

I won’t look back at any earlier predictions, top four has to be the two Manc teams, Arsenal, probably Spurs. Down… sounds like a cliche, but definitely Wigan and Wolves, and one of the other three, hopefully not us.

And if not mentioned, where will each of our clubs finish?

Us? Somewhere between 16th and 18th. You? 8th?

Which form of cheating in football most annoys you and who is the worst culprit?

Winding up opposition players with racist, homophobic or other personal comments. Have to say John Terry, you’ll understand why (I think we need an ‘alleged’ or ‘allegedly’ in there somewhere – ed!).

See Steve's website bier.meister.com* for recommended Sunderland pubs
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Club versus country: which comes first and why?

Always club. Some dodgy people follow England, can’t go along with their political opinions (eg attacking Irish fans in Dublin). Why? They attacked Irish people, I’m half Irish. Other reasons too, but I’ll not pad it out anymore.


Will you be at our game? If not how will you keep tabs? And what will be the score?

Tony Benn as Mackem

I’ve been to Sunderland a couple of times in the past, sadly not this time. I’ll watch on the internet. Score? 2-2 draw, Anton heading in the equaliser in the 82nd minute. Cheers, and have a great season (after Saturday).

* Visit Steve’s site at http://www.beer-meister.co.uk/

Interview: Colin Randall

18 thoughts on “The Sunderland v QPR ‘Who are You?’: still bowled over by Stan”

  1. Came back from Wembley in 73 and I think it was a Wednesday game against QPR the cup proudly displayed on an oak table. I think it was Stan Bowles, he appeared to deliberatley knock it over with a missed place pass. Always thought that was spiteful and always judged Stan on that action. He was lazy and had bad attitude, remember he didn’t turn up for a European Cup Final for Forest strange person and not half the player or team man as Rodney Marsh

    • Understand your thoughts about Stan, he is (still seen in and around pubs in West London) a cheeky bloke, no doubt, you shouldn’t bear him any malice, whatever, he was a great footballer, as was Rodney.
      I’ve been lucky to have seen some great players at Rangers (Sir Les, Francis of the Gerry type, Phil Parkes, Dave Thomas, and Clive Allen, for example), not so much in recent times, sadly.
      That season you held the FA Cup, I was working for the Department of Trade, and you lent it to us to take to a Shopping Week over in the USA… I actually held it aloft in our offices opposite the Old Bailey… memories 😉
      Good luck for the rest of the season, after Saturday!

  2. I think we all know JT is a moron, basically, he’s a nasty piece of work, as the evidence supports, and, as our chant goes… “We know what you said” (Terry)
    But life goes on…
    Have a great season, and (after Saturday) win every match my friends 😉

  3. Ah, Phil, I thought you were reacting to my “alleged” or “allegedly”. I now realise it was your obsession, which Jeremy shares, with readers who tick thumbs down! Happy therefore to withdraw.

      • As a p.s.

        Have you ever considered the system, adopted by The Daily Telegraph (Disqus) where the 3 options are:

        1) Recommend.

        2) Report

        3) Reply

        That allows readers to give “thumbs up” but discourages cowards, abusive louts and encourages debate.

        Also, by clicking on the “recommend” button it is possible to see who has been responsible for those “thumbs up”.

        Just a thought!

  4. Phil: difficult to know which is more defamatory – accusing John Terry, by implication, of being the things mentioned above (without acknowledgement that these are allegations not proven facts, adultery apart) or accusing me of liking him!

    • I never, at any point, accused YOU of liking the sorry excuse for a human being.

      All I said was that there was someone who did.

      If it was you then shame upon you!

      I retract not one word!

  5. “Winding up opposition players with racist, homophobic or other personal comments. Have to say John Terry, you’ll understand why (I think we need an alleged in there somewhere – ed!).”

    Maybe, if it’s inserted as follows then it might make sense, if read as though the comment was directed at him.

    Have to say “John Terry, you’ll, allegedly, understand why”.

    The man is a moron (not allegedly) as his historical acts,clearly demonstrate, so don’t bank on him having enough grey matter to understand the statement!

    • We, obviously, have a John Terry fan on this site who is prepared to ignore his assaults (off the pitch), his adultery, his guided tours of Cobham etc., etc., etc. (that is ignoring his current charge).

      I repeat “The man is a moron”!

  6. Hah! I know your type Steve, approaching attractive young women in pubs and offering to swap shirts! Filthy swine!! ;o)

  7. Haha, like the comment whilst I was wearing the Wednesday shirt (washed myself thoroughly afterwards). I let Debs wear the QPR shirt in that photo as neither of them wanted to wear the Owls one; the phot was taken in a pub in Sheffield, upstairs in the Fat Cat 🙂

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