Stop Press: Enter the great Salut! Sunderland Two Million hits competition. Read about the first prize – £200 towards a holiday from Sunderland-based Hays Travel at https://safc.blog/2013/06/attention-safc-newcastle-middlesbrough-even-scarborough-supporters-2m-hits-competition-prize-announced/ BUT POST YOUR ENTRY HERE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW
It took four years to reach the first million but only two more to double the tally.
Cast your eyes down to the very bottom of the home page – https://safc.blog – and, in the right-hand corner and up a bit, you should see a figure recording Salut! Sunderland‘s hits, that is the number of page views since the site was launched in January 2007.
When I checked a minute or two before posting this item, the total stood at 1,977,812. That left 22,188 to go. During the season, you could bet that would take no time at all. The fickle nature of readers when nothing much is happening means it could take for ever.
But we all know it won’t. One day soonish, some time in July at a guess, Salut! Sunderland will pass the two million mark.
That is not a sign, of course, that two million individuals have been here over the past six years. As far as I know, it is technologically possible that one person has visited two million times. All the same, it is an encouraging and inspiring statistic and I am indebted to all our contributors, whether of words or images or time, and all our readers, even those that decide – or knew already – that they don’t much like us any way.
It’s hard work keeping the site going but also a labour of love, in the usual sense of making no money but also in the literal definition of the phrase.
In honour of this milestone, I want to invite everyone who comes here to take part in a simple competition. To make it lively, let’s extend the invitation to Toon and Boro fans.
Reflect on the season just ended and, whether you support Sunderland or Newcastle United or Boro or none of those, come up with the sentence, phrase or paragraph that seems to sum it up for you. It might be your own thoughts on club, player, manager, fans. It could be someone else’s one-liner that says it all for you. Use any format you choose and by all means make it a question, but limit yourselves to one thought apiece.
Be witty, be clever or get straight and bluntly to the point. I will make arbitrary selections as to the best three posted here. Do not worry if your comment does not appear immediately; there can be short delays for moderation.
Rest assured I will come up with a prize or three. Heavens knows what at this stage but I shall keep you posted.
And in the meantime, here are some random suggestions of my own:
* SAFC’s handling of the Di Canio appointment: a model of public relations flair/the mother and father of communications cock-ups (delete as inapplicable).
* Newcastle in Europe: is it worth it if the strain of it all very nearly has you relegated?
* Wake up everyone. It’s high time we accepted horse-punching as part of the modern game.
* The simple reason Boro threw away a season that promised so much is …
* Paolo Di Canio echoes, without race of modesty, many fans’ thoughts: “I have to be honest, yes I think we would have gone down [had he not been appointed] In my opinion this team was down.”
* PDC’s man-management style is inspirational/sucks (delete or modify according to taste)
Get composing …
And help keep SS Salut! Sunderland afloat: do your Amazon shopping via this site. Here’s a Kindle bargain for Father’s Day …
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0083PWAWU?ref_=as_acph_Kindle_fathersday_0606_0610&tag=salusund-21
The pre-season anticipation soon turns to irritation and then condemnation; Ellis tries managerial rotation. An Italian sensation quickly brings us jubilation in a monochrome annihilation, but at the end we ALWAYS ask . . . do we have such an unrealistic aspiration?
If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future.
Veni, vidi, vici
Well well looks like another exciting season ahead for both cubs. You’ve got a raving lunatic as manager and we’ve got a blithering idiot as football director. I’m afraid both clubs are become jokes in the football world.
Just want all you Make & Take…ems (I think thats right in’it) to know that I fully intend to finish the job I started back in 2008!
(SAFC ed…Let’s Hope so)
Vaughan goes for the strike…
Some of you still wishing to add entries should bear in mind I have announced a closing date: midnight on June 30. And also some extra prizes … https://safc.blog/2013/06/dont-panic-still-time-to-enter-salut-sunderlands-two-million-hits-competition/
Get posting – as many attempts as you wish.
Last season has gone. Look forward with optimism and hope.
A sleepng giant? Newcastle United make Rip van Winkle look like a mere catnapper. ( from the Guardian a few years ago )
Please go O’Neillio…hey-lo di Canio!
Highlight of the season had to be the win at St James’ Park…lowpoints…too many to mention, the defeat to Bolton in the cup (I live near too many Reebokkers), the six-one at Villa Park, the failure to neat 10-man Norwich at the SoL…
Is it possible to have negative cup campaigns ?
About time premier managers grew some balls and stop handling players with kid gloves, PDC and his methods should be applauded
Ben Arfa? At present he’s not even Ben Quarta
Sunderland 1965-2013 . Plus ca change,plus c’est la meme chose.
Let’s campaign to bring in Kevin Phillips for a swansong year before he takes up coaching
Relegated without Mignolet.
Martin O’Neill was sacked because of a combination of illness and fatigue. The fans were sick and tired of him.
[ Apologies to John Ralston ]
The Newcastle French Revolution.Well, a lot of people certainly did lose their heads.
Ever present frustration, ultimate despair, but always the hope and occasional hallelujah moment. I love this club and, more importantly, its supporters.
“I’ve often said there’s nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.”
Ronald Reagan
Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow………..Sunderland supporters epitaph (inspired from an original idea by W. Shakespeare.
or……Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning…I wish SAFC would make their bloody minds up!
A draw at WHU then a win at MKDs then it all went wrong.
Could be worse. At least I’m not a mag
That went well…
SAFC 2012/13. It’s been just like watching Brazil nuts.
Elmohamady,’the Egyptian Beckham’.Victoria
‘I’ve always named my pets after Sunderland players, Ive a tortoise called Danny Graham’ (pinched from the message board )
It’s not fair. We keep getting bullied by this big lad. SAFC defenders v Lukaku.
Salut!Sunderland gets more hits than a Newcastle police-horse.
Be carefull what you wish for,e.g O’Neill
I’ve heard of “total football” but what they served up this season wasn’t even “partial football”!
Never have so few owed so much to so many.
Can someone work out Lee Cattermole’s hourly pay rate as a player and give it to me?
Not as high as Wes Brown’s surely?
There are seasons when I’m glad I live 170 miles away. This is one of them.
The last 40 years as a Sunderland fan: Sh*t Sandwich.