Colin Randall - SAFC Blog - Page 467 of 572

Soapbox: the Algarve or East Neuk

July 26, 2010 by Colin Randall

Some took the low road, others took high road. While sunseeking Sunderland fans opted for the Algarve, Pete Sixsmith headed north, experienced the heady delights of the Forth rail bridge – and saw Cowdenbeath put a stop to any notion of dancing on the streets of the suburb of Kirkcaldy that is indeed called Raith …

Couldn’t get to Albufeira, partly because I was still at work, partly because the proprietor wasn’t prepared to finance it, which is a shame. Having said that, the Amazon voucher, which is Salut! Sunderland currency, has been frittered away on Norma Waterson and Eliza Carthy among others and very good too (it didn’t quite stretch to the £6.20 double edition of fROOTS magazine, but Pete realises you can’t have everything – ed).

So, instead of watching Frazier Campbell’s one man demolition job on the Tigers, I was sat with 1500 other hardy souls at Starks Park, Kirkcaldy, watching Raith Rovers’ cup tie- “diddy, diddy” (as John Penman calls them) – against their local rivals Cowdenbeath.

Can Laurent Blanc clean up French football?

July 25, 2010 by Colin Randall

French football is in an appalling state. It was bad enough, following the Thierry Henry handball, even before the team reached South Africa. Once they got there, the rot really set in, from the awful performances to Anelka’s foul-mouthed rant, from the players’ revolt to the manager Raymond Domenech’s disgraceful refusal to shake the hand of his South African counterpart. But wIll the sidelining of Domenech and a single match ban on the striking players make everything all right? …

Even I am beginning to tire of hearing about the rotten state of French football. But comments posted here recently prompt me to reflect on the latest developments.

The millionaires’ mutiny in South Africa was a shameful but logical extension of the self-centred, scowling arrogance of the modern game.

Sunderland 4 Hull City 2: Campbell souped up

July 24, 2010 by Colin Randall

The first time I looked, Sunderland were winning 4-1 against Hull City in Portugal and Campbell, Fraizer not Sol, had scored all four of our goals in the first 34 minutes. The next time I looked it was 4-2 and not far from the final whistle. And my third glance showed that to be the final score.

A challenge to the boo boys who sully SAFC’s name

July 22, 2010 by Colin Randall

albufeira Image; Bill Lapp

So the season’s a third over, we’ve struggled at home and failed to win away. Steve Bruce’s new signings have proved deeply disappointing and the quality of play is generally abysmal.

Then, you might argue, would be the time for the boo boys to vent their anger at the manager and his team. If they thought it would do the least bit of good.

Titus Bramble: canny signing, or a mark of lowered ambition?

July 21, 2010 by Colin Randall

No one likes to be honoured by a clip like this. A year from now, we all hope to be looking back on the season’s glories from Titus Bramble, if join us he does, and not a new bunch of calamities. Scroll down for a much-respected Wigan fan’s warm commendation. And Titus: the clip is meant in fun …

What we wanted was John Mensah back. What it looks as if we are going to get is Titus Bramble, for a reported £750,000-£1m from Wigan (have we simply given up on Mensah? Tragic if so).

Another team I like: (3) the Two Blues of Bishop Auckland

July 21, 2010 by Colin Randall

Long before Bill Taylor set up home in the other Toronto, the one that that isn’t quite capital of Canada, he lived near Toronto, Co Durham. In Bishop Auckland, to be precise, home of great conker trees in the Bishop’s park and – during his boyhood – the all-conquering Two Blues at Kingsway. Bishop Auckland amateur football club won trophies galore, looked down on those of us in places like Shildon and Ferryhill and, in the eccentric but outstanding goalkeeper Harry Sharratt, had a clown prince of their own to rival Len Shackleton. Bill looks back on a magical era …

Clichés tend to become clichés because they’re true. So I make no apologies for repeating one now – the opening line from L P Hartley’s fair-to-middling 1953 novel, The Go-Between:

“The past is another country; they do things differently there.”

My past is in another country – England, where I grew up during the 1950s watching what was probably the finest amateur football team of all time.
Bishop Auckland.

Another team I like: (2) the Tour de France (teams)

July 20, 2010 by Colin Randall

tourde Image: Le Rouleur Lent

When I lived in Paris, part of the finale of the Tour de France took place in the street five floors beneath my front window. It left me cold. All it meant was that it was a lot harder to get around. Pete Sixsmith begs to differ, and just loves those scrawny, “Steroids .. me?” beanpoles and their pelotons. Not strictly speaking “another team”, but it seems to fit the spirit of the series ….

The team have taken off for Portugal without me. Had they gone a week later, I would have been sitting in the sun in the Algarve, sipping a glass of Sagres and deciding which members of the crustacean family I would be devouring.

Another team I like: (1) Peterborough United

July 19, 2010 by Colin Randall

Probably everyone has another team they’re fond of. Most regulars to these pages live, breathe, love Sunderland AFC. Some of us would not dream of having a “second club”. But there are equally loyal fans do who have such a thing in their lives, and indeed third or fourth clubs, too, and many of the rest of us have – or once had – soft spots for another team. This is the first in an occasional series to which Salut! Sunderland readers are warmly invited to contribute. Just drop me a line at the e-mail address you see towards the top of the left-hand column …

It was little more than the romance of a team from nowhere pushing and pushing at a highly obstructive Football League until the tycoons, aldermen and chancers who decided such matters had no real choice. But I fell briefly in love with Posh, not David Beckham’s wife but the Peterborough United of long ago.

Soapbox: Darlington 0 SAFC 1 – the season starts here

July 18, 2010 by Colin Randall

A short trip to Darlington, a modest win to maintain our pre-season run (that’s two wins in a row, rare enough for Sunderland in recent times) and Pete Sixsmith is purring contentedly into his ale …

Another visit to the Darlington Arena (aka as Reynolds Folly) and another win, although by no means as comfortable as last years.

After a morning spent having my feet analysed in Sacriston, the afternoon in Darlo was a pleasant way to spend time in the run up to the end of term next week. Despite the Proprietor’s insistence that I would arrive on the No 1 bus, I drove over and parked just outside of the exclusion zone around Neasham Road, forgoing the chance to visit the Old People’s Home Summer Fayre as I walked to the ground. Time enough for those when I am in one!!

A Celtic nightmare – or dream move for Daryl?

July 17, 2010 by Colin Randall

When word first came through that Daryl Murphy might be on his way to Celtic, the relief of Sunderland supporters was matched only by the indignation of Celtic fans who berated Salut! Sunderland for daring to suggest the change of landscape could do wonders for the lad’s career.

Still no apologies from here, of course. The piece – found by clicking here, and also including a great clip of The Fields of Athenry, by the band Dance to Tipperary at Celtic Park – and our subsequent comments made our position abundantly clear.