Malcolm Dawson writes: After a massive loss at Spurs Gus said we needed a miracle. After a plucky but pointless performance against Everton a disappointed Pete Sixsmith told BBC North East that relegation was a certainty. Most of us felt that Pete was nearer the mark than the manager but with no-one predicting 7 points from the remaining three away games the miracle is almost upon us. Tomorrow it could be and on Wednesday it should be. I count no chickens but one more win will do it whatever Norwich do. “Things can only get better” is what our tremendous supporters have been singing for weeks now and their faith is almost repaid. Pete Sixsmith was at Old Trafford and is rewarded for his loyalty with a great day out in Salford. Here is his seven word verdict.
May 3 2014 Manchester United (0) 0 SAFC (1) 1 An unbelievably disciplined performance. Ha’way the Lads!!!!
April 27 2014 SAFC (2) 4 Cardiff City (0) 0 Great to hear Paint Your Wagon again or (take your pick) One down, two to go. Good performance
April 20 2014 Chelsea (1) 1 SAFC (1) 2 *The miracle does – or should – start today
April 16 2014 Manchester City 2 (1) SAFC (0) 2 So frustrating. Deserved to win that one
April 12 2014 SAFC (0) 0 Everton (0) 1 The patient rallied, but condition looks terminal
April 6 2014 Tottenham Hotspur 5 (1) SAFC 1 (1) West Ham united (1) 2 Another poor performance deals yet another relegation
March 31 SAFC 1 (0) West Ham united (1) 2 * No points from this games means relegation
March 26 Liverpool 2 (2) SAFC 1 (0) No points but much better than Saturday
March 22 Norwich (2) 2 Sunderland (0) 0 Relegation beckons after yet another shocking performance
March 15 Sunderland (0) 0 Crystal Palace (0) 0 Lack of creativity cost us yet again
March 9 FA Cup Sixth Round: Hull City 3 (0) SAFC (0) 0 Errors like these will see us relegated
March 2 2014 Sunderland 1 (1) Manchester City (0) 3 A cruel result. Proud of the team
Feb 22nd 2014 Arsenal 4 (3) Sunderland 1 (0) Absolutely dreadful performance. No positives at all.
Feb 15th 2014 FA Cup Round 5 Sunderland (0) 1 Southampton (0) 0 Wembley twice? Why not? Deserved to win.
Feb 8 2014 Sunderland (0) 0 Hull City (1) 2 Brilliant at shooting ourselves in the foot.
Feb 1 2014 Newcastle United (0) Sunderland (2) 3 #1 Wonderful performance from Mannone through to Borini #2 A bad night for Tyneside’s equine population
Jan 29 2014SAFC (1) 1 Stoke City (0) 0 Unconvincing and barely deserved against 10 men
Jan 25 2014 FA Cup 4th Round: SAFC (1) 1 Kidderminster Harriers (0) 0 Won – that’s all there is to say.
Jan 22 2014 Capital One Cup semifinal second leg. AET: Manchester United (1) 2 Sunderland (0) 1 SAFC WIN 2-1 ON PENALTIES: Oh Vito Mannone. Oh Vito Mannone. Hero.
Jan 11 2014 Fulham (0) 1 Sunderland (2) 4: : *Johnson hatrick destroys Fulham in winter sunshine
Jan 7 2014 Capital One Cup Semi-final First Leg: Sunderland (1) 2 Manchester United (0) 1 : Deserved it. Shows what we can do
Jan 5 2014 FA Cup 3rd Round: Sunderland (1) 3 Carlisle Utd (1) 1 : Comfortable in the end. Two youngsters sparkled
January 1 2014 Sunderland (0) 0 Aston Villa (1) 1 : Dismal as our Premier place slips away
December 28 2013 Cardiff City (1) 2 Sunderland (0) 2 : Dragged a vital point out of that
December 26 2013 Everton (0) 0 Sunderland (1) 1 Hung on after interval but massive result
December 21 2013 SAFC (0) 0 Norwich City (0) 0 As stodgy as last year’s Christmas pud
December 17 2013 Capital One Cup 5th Round: SAFC (0) 2 Chelsea (0) 1 AET Ki seals comeback; didn’t see that coming
December 14 2013 West Ham Utd (0) 0 Sunderland (0) 0 Better side by miles – couldn’t finish it
December 8 2013 SAFC (1) 1 Tottenham Hotspur (1) 2 Score flatters us as task gets harder
December 4 2013 SAFC (1) 3 Chelsea (2) 4 Pushed a strong side all the way
November 30 2013 Aston Villa (0) 0 SAFC (0) 0 *Villa almost undone by cream soda performance
November 23 2013 Stoke City (1) 2 SAFC (0) 0 Ridiculous red gave us an impossible task
November 10 2013 SAFC (1) 1 Manchester City (0) 0 A wonderfully disciplined performance. Real hope now
November 6 2013 Capital One Cup 4th Round: SAFC (0) 2 Southampton (0) 1 A tidy second half brings Wembley closer
November 2 2013 Hull City (1) SAFC (0) Damage limitation after appalling first half performance
October 27 2013 SAFC (1) 2 Newcastle United (0) 1 Bragging rights and a win. Good combination/ or Perfect Poyet puts another one over Pardew
October 19 2013 Swansea City 4 (0) SAFC 0 (0) No Poyet magic cure for abject failure*
October 5 2013 SAFC (1) 1 Manchester United (0) 2 Better side first half, outclassed in second
September 30 2013 SAFC (0) 1 Liverpool (2) 3 Spirit in abundance, undone by shoddy defending
September 24 2013 Capital One Cup 3rd Round: SAFC (1) 2 Peterborough United (0) 0 A solid performance without any touchline histrionics
September 21 2013 West Bromwich Albion 3 (1) SAFC 0 (0) Coach looks completely out of his depth
September 14 2013 SAFC (0) 1 Arsenal (1) 3 Performance far better than the result suggests
August 31 2013 Crystal Palace (1) 3 SAFC (0) 1 Nowhere near good enough for this league
August 27 2013 Capital One Cup 2nd Round: SAFC (0) 4 MK Dons (1) 2Outplayed, outclassed, somehow got out of jail
August 24 2013 Southampton (0) 1 SAFC (1) 1 The point was better than the performance
August 17 2013 SAFC (0) 0 Fulham (0) 1 Ultimately little difference from previous two seasons
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This is my favourite season ever!
Could Sunderland’s surival be settled in the law courts, Fulham, Cardiff and Norwich have made noise of a challenge if they go down. That would mean we have to beat WBA if a 3 point deduction was imposed. My understanding is Ji was registered and the PL didn’t ask for an international clearance
That’s the story the press have latched onto, comparing it with Wimbledon and the Tevez situation.
A few things. I’m no lawyer but
1. West Ham weren’t deducted points for the Tevez incident.
2. The Premier League are not the same organisation as The Football League.
3. Tevez’s registration at the time was held by a third party. Ji was a Sunderland player who had been loaned out.
4. The relevant matches in which Ji was involved only netted 1 point.
4. Beating West Brom and Swansea will make it irrelevant anyway as the precedent in the FL is a three point deduction.
I can’t really see this holding any water – just a desperate attempt by those three clubs to cling onto their status but Fulham and Cardiff would only be throwing money into some poor lawyers’ coffers.
The PL have made their judgement and imposed a fine as Safc held Ji’s registration. Now, if sad clubs go to court it’s the PL they’ll sue not Safc. If the PL rescinded their decision Safc would then sue the PL for loss of earnings….assuming a deduction resulted in relegation. It would be a £50 million law suit. Short would play hard-ball. Ultimately we’ll end up more than 3 points ahead of Norwich and the issue will fade away. The PL will be able to defend their decision in a court.
On a similar point, Citeh have been found to be in breach of new financial controls. Hence they nicked the Lge Cup from us ‘illegally’. So should we sue Citeh? Of course not.
Also there’s a clause that states something on the lines of , if the player is registered with the premier league as Ji was but hadn’t had he’s international registration completed , like Ji again, the punishment is a fine. The Premier league have a duty to us, Sunderland fans , their customers. 40 000+ through the gate following a team in the bottom three, best away following in the league, to deny us safety on a technicality would be the biggest injustice ever, I trust it won’t happen.
And have they the money to take on ultimately Ellis Short and lose? The costs could ruin them.
Er hum,, off topic, but, anyone else seen the resemblance between the Gus Poyet and assistant Mauricio pairing and Blackadder and Baldrick?
Every time I see them sitting there side by side, I’m struck.
First noticed it a few weeks ago when we were at rock bottom. Didn’t seem like the right time to air it, but now…. in the euphoria…..
Never known a season like this. Dreadful lows , and many of them , and memorable highs , some beyond the boundaries of hope and belief we fans have. Can we just have a nice calm , comftable season next year and finish 12th so my blood pressure can be normal ?
Fan flippin tastic,well done I hope and believe you will stay up.Good on ya from all Villa fans.
Pinch me !
Never happier to have my score line wrong
Ditto
Norwich might win both their games or get 4 points. I can hear The Mamas and the Papas in my head but it’s Michelle Phillips taking lead vocals. Tomorrow or Wednesday I’ll be listening out for Mama Cass.
Let’s not count our chickens here, Norwich might win 13-0 at Chelsea. That’ll put the cat amongst the pigeons!
In Gus we trust!
A win for the Rhinos and Sunderland in 2 days. Magic!