Colin Randall

Salut! Sunderland was edited by Colin Randall up until December 2019 - read more

Beating West Ham, and other ways of making Sunderland supporters happy

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Well, there are a few days of doing it – as Channel 4 found when SAFC-mad Ashley Hughes won the £1,000 Come Dine With Me prize (ages ago, but repeated last night). Three points in any game, or advancement in a cup competition (OK not for a long while), will also do the trick quite well. But with Christmas coming, here are some other ideas …

The build-up to this afternoon’s game is over (see our big Hammer preview by clicking here, or memories of a famous Sunderland win here.

But while wondering whether we can play as we did against Chelsea and halt West Ham’s little revival , why not consider choosing from these cut-price Christmas presents that don’t even involve having to go near the shops?

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Tony Gallagher, Daily Telegraph editor, on his beloved West Ham

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This week’s “Who are You?” feature – ahead of Sunderland v West Ham tomorrow (fingers crossed) – richly deserved another outing, in modified form, especially after the distractions of Zurich.

Tony Gallagher*, editor of The Daily Telegraph and Hammers fan par excellence, probably said more to Salut! Sunderland about his footballing passion, and indeed about himself, than he has done in any other public forum in his life. Or so we’ve heard it said. We are delighted he gave such time and energy to the exercise. Go back to Thursday’s original appearance of the interview to see the comments already posted by SAFC and Hammers fans (and Tony himself, in response to points made), or start afresh here.

By way of reminder: even before he became the editor of Telegraph, Tony had made his mark as deputy editor (effectively running the paper in the long absence on other business of the then editor Will Lewis, another Hammer). It was on Tony’s watch that the paper revealed the scandal of MPs’ expenses, and he is credited with masterminding the coverage. At a guess, he is not on the Christmas card list of the former Labour MP David Chaytor, pictured above, now in a spot of bother as a result.

Some MPs, it is fair to say, had visions of pots, kettles and a very dark colour at the thought of journalists lecturing anyone about expenses. But that’s another matter, as is Tony’s lifelong support for West Ham United. Sunderland fans have been jittery all week, some even hoping for a postponement; we’re glad to say Tony takes a gloomy view of his club, too, despite impressive wins over Wigan and Manchester United …

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No Silva service for Sunderland

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In every walk of life, there is information that is available on a need-to-know basis to a small circle of people, but not disclosed more widely.

Football tries to be as secretive as most of those walks of life.

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England 2 Russia 13: maybe we’re not the greatest after all

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As attentive readers will know, Monsieur Salut is in Zurich, reporting on the outcome of the Fifa vote – not for the British media but for a newspaper that is delighted with one of the decisions taken. The National, Abu Dhabi is enjoying a spot of reflected pride at Qatar’s choice for the 2022 World Cup. Meanwhile at home …

When Niall Quinn has a go, the world listens. Sunderland fans have no monopoly on admiration for their club’s chairman; he commands respect and attention throughout the game.

And Niall is deeply unhappy about Fifa’s humiliating rejection of a bid its president called outstanding and remarkable but then joined almost every other member of the committee in ignoring. Two votes, one of them the English one anyway, and summary elimination after Round One: sounds reminiscent of Sunderland’s performances in the last two relegation seasons.

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Sunderland 2 West Ham 0: now as then would be nice

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Some of us can remember it as if it happened yesterday and we still played at Roker Park.

But it didn’t, and we don’t. Just as Hammers of a certain vintage hark back to a certain date in October 1968, we think of May 12 1980.

There was a difference in the scorelines – 8-0 against 2-0 – but our win was over newly honoured FA Cup winners and, though they started strongly and might easily have gone ahead, our victory secured promotion.

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SAFC v West Ham: the Hammer who still fears the worst

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Even before he became the editor of The Daily Telegraph, Tony Gallagher* had played a blinder as deputy editor (and acting editor) when the paper put MPs through the mill for their outrageous expenses. Some MPs, it is fair to say, questioned the notion of journalists lecturing anyone on expenses. But that’s another matter, as is Tony’s lifelong support for – and, despite two good results, gloomy outlook on – West Ham United, Sunderland’s opponents on Sunday if snow permits …


Read an updated version by clicking here

Salut! Sunderland: (Before this mini-revival), a Hammers-supporting pal declared himself lost for words. What the devil went wrong, and did you not share the excitement of some fans when Sullivan/Gold moved in?

Notwithstanding our amazing result against Man United, we’re paying the price for undermining a series of decent managers. Pardew was sacked peremptorily a few months after taking us to the FA Cup final; Curbishley steered us to mid-table safety and then he was sacrificed; Zola was obviously an outstanding coach – it was no accident that Carlton Cole, Scott Parker and Robert Green were playing the best football of their careers under him – but he was destabilised the moment Gold and Sullivan arrived and never recovered. Grant, demonstrably, lacks the motivational powers required to effect a change.
The Sullivan/Gold era has been pock-marked by one ugly dispute in the press after another which is extremely undignified. Personally, I have never warmed to them, assuming their passion is really for the Olympic Stadium, which I guess would generate huge revenue.

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Just tell Manchester United Danny Welbeck is useless

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Image: addick_tedKevin


Pete Sixsmith is getting used to Manchester United fan sites asking about Danny Welbeck. For this latest form report, for the Stretford End Arising, he added the words: “You can’t have him back, you know. He’s ours now.” That won’t work, Pete: tell them he’s hopeless …

I like to think that I know a bit about football.

As a literal and metaphorical greybeard, I go back a long way and I can convince gullible folk that I am something of an expert. So, when I said Danny Welbeck was a bit of a disappointment in the October review, I would imagine many of you nodded your heads sagely and said: “He knows what’s what.”

Well, of course I don’t because Danny has shown the likes of me and 36,000 other regulars at the Stadium of Light, that he is a very, very good footballer and that he is totally undeserving of the criticism that some have made of him.

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West Ham, Darren Bent or snow can brighten our lives

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Image: addict_tedKevin


Always look on the bright side of life – even when hubcap thieves in Liverpool are casing the joint, intent on stealing our star striker, and our next opponents suddenly start winning. Monsieur Salut, off to Zurich to report (but not for the British media) on the Fifa decision on 2018/2022 World Cup venues, tries to keep smiling …

The Reserves’ great win at Chelsea aside – and we’re still waiting to hear from the much-praised Louis Laing with a photo we can post – it has not been a week for good news.

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Melanie Hill, flirt of the Fulwell, catches the eye

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Don’t tell our regular contributor Bill Taylor, since he thought the film was sentimental, cliche-ridden rubbish, but Salut! Sunderland has a lot of time for Brassed Off and all who sailed in it. And especially for Melanie Hill, who played Mrs Coco the Scab and is generally a terrific actress AND a lifelong supporter of Sunderland …

Tonight, for readers in the North East or able to see BBC regional programmes online, there is a chance to see Melanie telling the story of the seven venues on Wearside where the Lads played before the move to the Stadium of Light in 1997. BBC 1 at 7.30pm are the place and time.

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