Colin Randall - SAFC Blog - Page 42 of 572

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Ground: Doncaster Rovers and the Keepmoat Stadium

October 31, 2018October 22, 2018 by Colin Randall

John McCormick writes: Yorkshire seems to be cropping up a lot, even though we left a few of their clubs behind when we dropped out of the Championship. The truth is there are only three Yorkshire clubs in the third division and we’re playing two of them them close together.

I’ve passed through Doncaster on the train loads of times and hitched around it enough yet I know little about the town or the club. The closest I’ve been in a footballing context was that April 45 years ago, when I was stuck on a roundabout on the outskirts while I was on my way to Sheffield for a game that we won.

Pete Sixsmith can do better than that:

‘4,000 Sunderland fans, midweek game says it all’. Doncaster Rovers Who are You?

October 23, 2018October 21, 2018 by Colin Randall

Darren Burke (right): the Donny generation game

Monsieur Salut writes: Pete Sixsmith has, as ever, written a wonderful article on Doncaster Rovers for his twin series on the ‘first time ever I saw you team/ground‘. It is sheer class, should appeal to fans of both Donny and SAFC and will appear here tomorrow. For now, we have Darren Burke*, a passionate Doncaster Rovers fan whose enthusiasm and pride shine throughout another fine contribution to Salut! Sunderland‘s Who are You? series …

Doncaster Rovers vs SAFC Guess the Score

October 21, 2018 by Colin Randall

Jake: ‘Monsieur Salut must be in a bad mood again – no prize this time’

For this midweek visit to Doncaster Rovers, Salut! Sunderland reverts to a “just for fun” format for the Guess the Score.

The coffers are empty and there’s a backlog of prizes to be ordered for previous winners.

Normal service – ie prize mugs – will be restored once M Salut feels less skint and has honoured outstanding obligations.

Shrewsbury v Sunderland: The view from the middle ground

December 8, 2018October 21, 2018 by Colin Randall

I’m busy today, with stuff to do, so I only have time for some quick thoughts. Don’t forget these are from someone who hasn’t been to a game since the season opener. And don’t forget Pete Sixsmith has already done us his usual masterly report, which you’ll find at this link.

Sixer’s Shrewsbury Soapbox: Success in Salop

October 21, 2018October 21, 2018 by Colin Randall

John McCormick writes: It’s only 70-80 miles from home to the New Meadow but three trains meant for a time-consuming journey. I left home about 9.30 in the morning and got back about 9.30 that evening. In between I had some long waits, a bus ride, a long walk, some excellent beer in excellent company, a very decent pork pie and a mediocre burger that did not live up to its billing.
And, let’s not forget, a football game that lived up to the cliché of having two halves. Pete Sixsmith takes up the story:

Sixer’s Shrewsbury Sevens: 2-0 to SAFC, a comfortable win and that elusive clean sheet

October 20, 2018October 20, 2018 by Colin Randall

Monsieur Salut writes: this is where Pete Sixsmith offers his customary seven-word verdict on each Sunderland game he attends. He wasn’t impressed by a goal-free first half – ‘poor stuff’ – but found the second half much more enjoyable. It ended with the 2-0 scoreline in our favour that our excellent Shrewsbury Town Who are You? interviewee Glyn Price had predicted. A happy return to Salop for Sixer, in the company of 1,600+ other Sunderland fans including our associate editor John McCormick. And we’re back up to third with a game in hand. There’ll be more from this win to come …

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Ground: Shrewsbury Town, Gay Meadow and the New One

October 19, 2018October 19, 2018 by Colin Randall

John McCormick writes: I’ve walked past the Gay Meadow ground once or twice and I’ve driven past the New Meadow, though probably before there was a football ground there, but I’ve never been inside either ground and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Shrewsbury play at all.
That’s something I’m hoping to rectify this weekend, which would add another name to my grounds visited list and leave me only a hundred or so behind Pete Sixsmith who, as you might expect, has been to both.

‘SAFC should walk this division.’ Shrewsbury Town ‘Who are You?’ (2)

October 18, 2018October 17, 2018 by Colin Randall

Click Jake’s image to see all editions of **Who are You?** this season, including part one of Glyn Price and Shrewsbury Town

In the first part of a long interview with Glyn Price*, co-presenter of the Shrewsbury Town podcast Salopcast, we heard about what he calls the ‘massive’ community pride in the club and the highs and lows of supporting a lower league side (don’t expect a Salop fan to thank you for a ticket to see the team at Wembley – they always lose there). Now on to Glyn’s thoughts on Sunderland and his scoreline prediction for Saturday…

Ha’way this Lad: Eric Keeler runs from sea to shining sea for Spinal Research

October 17, 2018 by Colin Randall

Eric on Oct 9: ‘Yesterday I passed through the stunning Rio Grande Canyon”

Put aside thoughts about any other Keeler you may have heard of.

Ours – that is to say, our fellow-Sunderland supporter Eric Keeler – has taken on a mighty but admirable challenge.

He is running coast-to-coast – not west Lancs to East or North Yorks but a more exacting slog across the United States and from corner to corner at that – to raise funds for Spinal Research.

Armchair Liverpool fans ‘can never feel our pride’. Shrewsbury Town Who are You? (1)

October 19, 2018October 17, 2018 by Colin Randall

Glyn Price: click his photo and you will see all the ‘Who are You?’ interviews for this season so far

Monsieur Salut writes: League One is proving a goldmine for Who are You? interviews. Glyn Price* maintains the standards set by several others. He’s the co-presenter of the Shrewsbury Town podcast Salopcast and assists the club’s Supporters’ Parliament. Some great responses await you, but it’s a long interview so has been divided into two. The second instalment – in which Glyn jokes that Jack Ross should be strung up or worse if he fails to win us automatic promotion – will appear tomorrow (and can now be seen here) …