Dean Cruddace Seen from afar on a small screen it is still obvious that PDC wants his team to work hard, close …
With Peter Sixsmith off to Bonnie Scotland for a Ramsden’s Cup game, it falls to Deputy Editor Malcolm Dawson to get off the subs’ bench and give us his seven word verdict on the final of the Hong Kong based Barclay’s Asia Trophy.
Birflatt Boy sees all the summer transfer activity, with more than a few words of gratitude to a former manager, …
In the fifth and final part of his look at programmes from a lifetime supporting Sunderland, Pete Sixsmith brings us …
After such a disappointing campaign last season, this summer’s hectic business in the transfer market surely reflects the club’s determination to achieve better things in the forthcoming campaign, writes Malcolm Dawson. With all the interest in the Italians and the Cape Verde Swiss, the Argentinians and Swedes, the Americans, the Senegalese French and the Uruguayans, it is an Englishman who is occupying Pete Sixsmith’s thoughts …
Peter Sixsmith is as die hard a Sunderland fan as you are likely to find, such a resolute red and …
In the second part of her reminiscences of 5:5:73 Jeanette Sutton (nee Coyle) recalls the game, the post match celebrations …
The mauling at Villa Park has cast a black cloud over what should be a great week of remembrance. But we need to forget it if we can, at least until Monday night. For now that we have reached May 2013, it is time for Salut! Sunderland to join the extended SAFC family and diaspora in commemorating a remarkable event in the club’s mighty history. Mighty as it is, 1973 did not begin as a year of glory. On May 5, exactly 40 years ago this coming Sunday, it became one when Bob Stokoe led his second-tier team to Wembley and came away with the FA Cup after humbling top-drawer Leeds United.
There will be plenty of articles to read, memories to relive, glories (for younger readers) to imagine. But let us start with this …
Back in 1973, Jeanette Coyle was a Sunderland-mad teenager with a part-time job at Roker Park. Her father Bill was a well known and respected local footballer either side of the Second World War, having played for Darlington and West Auckland as well as a host of other Northern League clubs as a guest during the years of conflict.
Jeanette became friends with many of the Sunderland squad and has her own special memories of May 5th 1973. Here in conversation with deputy editor Malcolm Dawson, she talks about the build up to the great day. Her experience of Cup Final day itself will follow shortly, in the second of this two part reminiscence …
Malcolm Dawson (who gets a copy of M Salut’s personal e-mail) writes…
Another away sell out (and home sell out to be fair) and another disappointing day out for the travelling contingent. The manager continues to find a positive spin, but the faithful are getting fed up with the same old excuses. “The opposition were buoyant after a win, we had to deal with the home crowd, we had players out of position and though we bossed the game we still lost.” Well questions are being asked. We had two full backs named as substitutes and two midfielders playing at fullback. We didn’t have a single forward on the bench as three started and you decided to allow the only other one we had at the end of January to go out on loan. We assume that you don’t rate our young players. So who decides to play people out of position? At least we had a full quota of players this week but we are looking a poor side Martin and looking at the teams below us. Next Sunday is a must win. Better get the spin doctors working overtime just in case.
Monsieur Salut was driving home through the Burgundy snow but manager Martin O’Neill was still able to send him his immediate post match personal e-mail. A tale of two penalties, bizarre bounces and missed opportunities.