Barry Emmerson is a footballing man in the mould of Pete Sixsmith. In other words, he knows his stuff. He told Ellis Short as much when they found themselves answering the calls of nature at the same time at the Stadium of Light recently. Barry modestly suggested he could sort out Sunderland’s troubles and handed the owner his business card. Chances are it will be used only if Mr Short ever needs Barry’s comfortable private-hire limousine rather than to talk football. But let’s hope the owner is an avid reader of Salut! Sunderland and, having parted company with David Moyes, gives some thought to Barry’s views (he has already floated the idea of a Keano-O’Shea dream ticket, though that might require a major act of Irish-American reconciliation …
