Not quite viral (1): a social media world reacts to Salut! Sunderland’s doom

 

 

Another of Monsieur Salut’s messages: news of our imminent demise has touched a nerve. Plenty of people have written about what Salut! Sunderland meant to them and how they’ll miss it. One other Sunderland-related site says our writers would be welcome there. SAFC.com promises room at the club site. It’s all very sad, but at the same time uplifting to know we mattered if only a little.

Because of our technical issues, only one reader was able to post – or try to post – a comment. It came from Stephen Walker, ‘Fulwellender’:

“Sadly, it hasn’t been long since I knew of your existence. Nevertheless you have brightened my day more than once, and being an exile from my home town, I have enjoyed reading a much better standard than most dohsters around. I fervently hope you and your good lady have a seamless route to enjoying life as you are now [a reference to comments in my pre-farewell piece and the impact the spectre of Brexit is having on our lives]. I salut(e) you, sir!”

Messages of goodwill and sorrow have also arrived via other sources so let us indulge ourselves and share some of them.

Jeff Bell wrote after reading Pete Sixsmith’s not-for-the-squeamish report of the FA Cup draw at home to Gillingham:

Fabulous report from this fabulous site. Will miss you more than you know.

Chris Boyle, a longstanding reader (and frequent Guess the Score. competition winner), emailed to say:

‘Sorry to hear of the demise of Salut Sunderland as I always thought it was a unique site and filled a real niche position for both the contributors and readers. It was (is) far and away the most erudite site with sensible grown up comment and argument (Brian excepted). I didn’t necessarily agree with all that the contributors said but taking in to account others point of view makes us more rounded and informed individuals (hopefully).

To be fair the argument and discussion forums did suffer due to the technical issues and it really never got back to its glory days of the Steve Bruce/ De Canio/ Poyet/ O’Neill etc eras when there was good, honest, and fierce debate all made possible by a good, fair and sensible Editor who stopped it descending in to the sometimes juvenile, vindictive and nasty world of other social media sites (you mags know who you are!).

I will be sorry to see it go and wish you and yours all the best in your future endeavours post Brexit, what ever that may bring. Keep the faith and FTM.

Over at Twitter and Facebook, people perked up with some warm and much appreciated words, in each case the message. appearing after the name of the messenger … 

A very small publishing event: the slow death of Salut! Sunderland announced and explained … https://t.co/2gyoNVkzf6

— Colin Randall (@salutsunderland) November 8, 2019

Graeme Down
@Graemedown … Sorry to see this, Colin. Enjoyed reading over the years. All the very best. #hawaythelad

Stephen Goldsmith
@goldys_logic. … @salutsunderland … When the idea of working in football media was a tiny consideration in my mind, a consideration oppressed by my own self belief, Colin gave me a platform to write.

So you can blame him for hearing my voice wherever you hear it. This is a sad development.

Oscar Chamberlain (SAFC media chief)
@OscarJCMedia …

Sorry to hear that, Colin, but rest assured that we will always have a place for @salutsunderland on club channels…

Michael Tillbrook
@miketattheashes …  So sorry to hear this. I for one will certainly miss the intelligent and perceptive analyses of the ups and mainly downs of our beloved club. Best of luck in coping with the Brexit idiocies.

Bill

@bill_hadd50 liked your reply
[which was] We’re about as far apart as can be on ‘another issue’, Bill, but you’ve been a treasure as a reader and – far too often – Guess the Score winner

Terence Mallon
liked your reply
Well, she’s only been in the UK since she arrived in Darlo as an au pair in ’69, and there were only 35 or so years of PAYE contributions, so you can understand the Home Office’s hesitation

Kristan Heneage
@KHeneage … Sad to see you go mate. I hope at least the bureaucratic guff ends quickly. Hope you’re well.

Bill
@bill_hadd50 … You will be greatly missed.

Chris
@christoph_21 ...  It’s absolutely vile. And so, so backwards.

Rob Hutchison
@RobHSafc … So sorry to hear Colin. Been an absolute pleasure.

Chris
@christoph_21 … Sorry to hear this Colin. Always enjoy reading Salut! so will be sad to see it go. Also awful to hear of the impending bureaucratic struggle – hope it all gets sorted.

Ian chester
@Ianc1102 … Very sad. Particularly your time being taken up by defending your lifestyle through decisions taken by those who tell us they want to escape from faceless beauracrats.

Salut! #safc seems doomed but here’s to @Phil__Smith @JHunterChron @paulfraserecho and their colleagues keeping the flame of good regional journalism burning. Salut’s slow death explained at https://t.co/2gyoNVkzf6

— Colin Randall (@salutsunderland) November 9, 2019

Christopher Iddon
liked your Tweet
Salut! #safc seems doomed but here’s to @Phil__Smith @JHunterChron @paulfraserecho and their colleagues keeping the flame of good regional journalism burning. Salut’s slow death explained at https://safc.blog/2019/11/the-end-of-an-era-salut-sunderlands-journey-will-soon-be-over/
James Hunter
@JHunterChron

@Phil__Smith
and @paulfraserecho
Sad to hear that, Colin, after all the hard work put in by you and the team. Salut! Sunderland was always a good read.
Au revoir…

David Marjoram
@PlannerMarj
Really sorry to read this Colin.
Have always enjoyed reading over the years.
Hopefully see you around soon.

Andy Sixsmith
@SixsmithTV ..  What an immense shame this is. Always a tremendous read & some fantastic people and writers involved with it. Huge loss to #SAFC coverage.

@salutsunderland Sorry @Tweed_Barnesy @Martycricket and Benno (wherever his Twitter ID’s gone) …. Salut! #safc bites the dust ….

Nick Barnes
liked a reply to your Tweet
No – o – o -o! Sorry to hear this, Colin. Loved your work for years!

Bob Whittaker
Bob Whittaker Just when the team were looking good for the Premiership in two years.

Paul Devine 

Thanks, Colin, it was/is la creme de la creme. I was well and truly mugged.

Geoff Mangan

Gutted to read this – but fully understand why. This follows the shock of WSC looking like it may end. I only hope that the quality writing in both survives in another form. You are 100% correct in trying to avoid the spectre of betting ads and I admire WSC stance against them. Not a nice world we live in at the moment. Sixer’s report was the first one I really looked for – as well as Sobs at ALS. I’ve already told Pete he needs an outlet and more recognition for his writing. Up there with Harry Pearson.

Colin Randall

You wouldn’t believe the verbal acrobatics I went through to make those betting links look as if surrounded by innocence and relevance. But I hated every one of them and hated myself for using them even if I imposed a huge edit or they, very rarely, supplied interesting content

John Lawson

Sad news but can see your difficulties.
Thank you for your writings which I have enjoyed very much!
Au revoir, monsieur

 

Paul Dobson

Sorry to hear this, Colin  … .does this mean you want the Ellis Short mug back?

John Marshall

Sad news, Colin. Have thoroughly enjoyed reading excellent articles, reports and opinions. I am proud to have contributed my little bit, and even prouder of my mug for correct score ( unfortunately Rodwell is on it !) Hope to see you at a game in the near future

Brian Todd
was proud to be published on the site. Many thanks for allowing me my first and so far last contribution as Salut’s Scotland Correspondent

Bernard Ramsdale

Feel for you Colin. Similar things saw me give up my Wigan Athletic site. The team and the bug never leaves you though. Facebook kind of ruined things as well. You probably know what I mean. All the best

Marje Scott

Sorry to hear that.

Paul Hooper

I’ll miss your intelligent commentary. Good luck.

Graeme Pritchard
Sorry to hear mate, all the best. KTF, and of course, FTM.

Paul Summerside

A crying shame.

 

Doug Pattie
Very good site, excellent reporting, considerable loss.

 

Edward Watson
Colin, I’m really sorry to read that Salut will be no more. The articles were excellent and the comments worth reading.  Many thanks to you and all the others for a brilliant site and sterling work.

Jim Minton
Sorry to hear that Colin- you’ve built a really great body of work about safc over the years; and you and the regular contributors have provided much entertainment and wisdom through that time. It is a really massive achievement and will be missed by lots of Sunderland supporters and many others I am sure. I hope very much that the challenges you outline in your piece can be resolved and to read more of your great writing in other places – and of course to see you at the match soon. Thanks for all you’ve achieved – you should be really proud of Salut. Cheers / Salut!

Michael Goulding
Creating a website is a challenge, but maintaining and keeping it up to date is a full-time job – especially when it has to be as topical and immediately relevant as a football site. You’ve done a great job Colin Randall and I was happy to have made my own small contribution. But it’s completely understandable and time becomes more precious than anything else as we get older! Good luck!

 

Mark Scorer
Sorry to hear that and good luck for the future

 

Vince Richardson
What a shame, but thanks for all the great posts and match summaries. I’ll be at a loss for those now.

Andrew Stuart Neil

It was good

Ed Stevenson

Always enjoyed it – good luck for the future

 

Jeremy Robson

I’m very sorry to hear this. I’ve not contributed much these last few years but have always enjoyed the site as a reader tremendously. It’s a shame. Thanks Colin and to everyone that I’ve ‘met’ via Salut. ?????

 

David Miller

Like others I send my grateful thanks to all who maintained the site and contributed so many excellent articles. I will miss it.
Good luck for the future.

Mike Dennison

Really sorry to hear of the site’s demise! It’s so tough out there to keep a site running. Thanks for all your efforts – it will be a big miss!

 

Richard Smith

Sad, but understandable. Thank you. and your team, for all the good work you have done. A tout a l’heure.

 

 

 

There is, even now, so such more. I shall try to post further messages when I have a moment (actually, several moments – its a fair old task) …

 

And before we forget. Ha’way the Lads at Scunny …