James Bloodworth: ‘Don’t know about posh football but it’s certainly effective’
Monsieur Salut writes: as a boy, I briefly loved Peterborough United almost as much as I have most of my life loved Sunderland. There was the romance of a little club battling against official woodentops for entry into the Football League despite astonishing non-league success. Finally, they made it – and continued to excel. I’d even travel to northern grounds to see them – York, Darlo, Newcastle – and I saw them win each time. Now we meet in similar positions at or near the top of League One. Let James Bloodworth* take up the Posh story, including the bizarre tale of Victoria Beckham objecting to a nickname given to the club 53 years before she was born …
Salut! Sunderland: what a fabulous start to the season, I remember seeing you as a possible promotion contender pre-season, but what has gone right?
James Bloodworth: fabulous is an understatement! Steve Evans has been allowed free reign to bring in his players: a luxury not many of his predecessors have had. It’s not the free flowing football that we became famous for in lower league circles over the past decade, but it’s effective! We had 19 signings over the summer, which is absolutely mental and the fact they’ve all gelled and created a solid, hard to beat unit is nothing short of miraculous.
John McCormick writes: The time’s right and I saw all of the players Pete mentions below, including George Kinnell, but I have only the most fleeting memories of this game. So fleeting that the scoreline rings no bells with me, and surely it should.
Could it be that I wasn’t there and I’m suffering from false memory syndrome because I can’t bear to have missed such a score?
There’s no such doubt troubling Pete Sixsmith. He was there. He saw it. And he hasn’t forgotten:
Jake: ‘Like a cup final? Nah, much more important than that!’
If Sunderland beat Peterborough on Tuesday night, that would be our result of the season so far.
Posh have been playing outstanding football and are still second, two places above us, despite unexpectedly dropping two home points against Blackpool while we, slightly disappointingly, could only draw at Coventry, What greater test of the Jack Ross revolution could there be at this stage of our own season?
Pete Sixsmith felt a draw was fair, and listening to Barnes and Benno, Monsieur Salut thought the same. Injuries – Loovens off in the first few minutes, with more to follow – certainly harmed our cause but we must somehow learn how to keep a clean sheet. Pete did not, he assures us, ride naked on Lady Godiva’s horse to the Ricoh but will be writing more fully about being sent to Coventry ….
Ian Davidson: ‘at Wembley for the playoff final last May with my wife, Chris, and daughter Nikki’ City beat Exeter to go up
Monsieur Salut writes: Salut! Sunderland, it is fair to say, has had fun and games with Coventry City fans over the years. We still, absurd as such a long-held grievance may seem, don’t like what happened that night in 1977 when our relegation was sealed by a deliberately non-competitive end to the delayed Coventry-Bristol City game. Congestion in the Midlands meant they knew our result before the game ended; our defeat at Everton while they were level on 2-2, meant both sides needed only to play out a draw to stay up. They, in a nutshell, say get over it and some say there was nothing to get over in the first place. We still feel an acute sense of foul play.
Ian Davidson*, who happens to be deputy chairman of the Coventry supporters’ club’s London branch and is also secretary of Sky Blues International for exiled fans, was there that night. He’s also a level-headed City fan and his point of view on that event is important. It should be read in the context of a tremendous set of answers to unrelated questions, which he stresses represent his views alone. I hope and expect any responses from Salut! Sunderland readers to be respectful …
There is a prize and City fans are warmly invited to have a go, too. You judge whether it’s a great one
Another big Sunderland following will be on the road this weekend for the visit to Coventry City and the Ricoh, hardly a name with the appeal to any football fan of Highfield Road but the one demanded by the Japanese sponsors of the the sports, hotel and shopping complex where it is situated.
Will the travelling support witness the sort of Sunderland display that dismissed Rochdale with some ease or the one that stuttered and stumbled at Burton? We’ll see.
Max Stryjek saved a penalty, Danny Graham and Steven Fletcher both scored and John O’Shea was sent off. Does it matter? Not at all. None of them were at the Stadium of Light.
Pete Sixsmith was, however, and his seven word text, sent as the whistle blew, sets the scene for a report that people will really want to read tomorrow.
A couple of days ago I thought I’d got it wrong, writes John McCormick, and should be looking at trains to Manchester, or at least asking the boss if I could have the car, in order to get to Rochdale. I had got it wrong as Rochdale head north over the weekend and I have no chance of getting up for that game. This means I’ll be relying on Pete Sixsmith for mid-game texts and a final report.
And what does Mr Sixsmith rely on himself? Nothing more than his memory, which luckily goes back a long way, although sometimes it’s a struggle:
Monsieur Salut writes: we are honoured to have some lovely Who are You? interviews with opposing fans. This is up there with the best in my view. John Beckett*, a former Manchester police emergency dispatcher and now a driving instructor, has been hooked on his local team – not United, not City but good old Rochdale – since early childhood. He’ll be among the away fans on Saturday …
Salut! Sunderland: small club in the shadow of giants but you have a strong community identity and probably feel superior to them on that basis alone! Explain Rochdale AFC for those who remember only that you beat us on penalties in a Checkatrade game.
John Beckett: Rochdale AFC (or The Dale) were formed in 1907. We were accepted into the Football League in 1921 and have remained in the 3rd and 4th tiers ever since.
Thankfully after 36 consecutive seasons in the old Division 4/League 2 we finally won promotion in 2010.
This alone is one of the main reasons we have a great support. No one can ever say we are gloryhunters but we are true die hard fans!
