Countdown to Wembley: the long and short of Sunderland’s big day out

Jake: 'que sera sera'
Jake: ‘que sera sera’

Salut! Sunderland offers all readers, contributors and stray visitors the chance to have their say about reaching Wembley again for the first time in 16 years, the first cup final in 22. Kevin Maguire, associate editor of the Daily Mirror, political pundit and a familiar voice on radio and TV, is a lifelong Sunderland fan. To prove that any contributions to this series will be welcome, long or short, he is distinctly economical with his words. They’re heartfelt all the same …

I still pinch myself we’re going to Wembley.

If you’d have told me back in August, when I was sitting in the Stadium of Light, 2-0 down to MK Dons with 12 minutes left, that we’d be in the final, defeating Southampton, Chelsea and Manchester United on the way, I’d have recommended psychiatric help.

But we are going to Wembley. We’re living the Sunderland dream.

I want a win. End of. We didn’t have the money to go to the 1973 Final but I watched us lose four times in the old stadium.

In the ’85 League Cup final and ’92 FA Cup, the play-offs of ’90 and ’98, I left with the gut-wrenching disappointment of defeat. The other end of the ground cheering deliriously as you file out beaten is horrible.

It’s what I remember most about the four trips. I want the fifth to be like the end of that MK Dons match when we’d won 4-2 and couldn’t quite believe it.

* If you want to join in the build-up, e-mail your offering – any length, within reason (half a sentence and War and Peace are ruled out as word-count options), to salutsunderland@gmail.com. Write about any aspect of the league cup final that takes your fancy – memories of 73, 85, 90, 92, 98; ticket memories good and bad; what it means be going to Wembley for the first time if that’s your story ….

Has your crystal ball got any track record, Jake?** Catch all our Countdown to Wembley articles at https://safc.blog/category/countdown-to-wembley/


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Jake flags the new feature allowing you to have your say on topic or off
Jake flags the new feature allowing you to have your say on topic or off

Fancy leaving a comment? Not sure what you have to say fits this post? Go to the new feature – https://safc.blog/2013/07/s
Fancy leaving a comment? Not sure what you have to say fits this post? Go to the new feature – https://safc.blog/2013/07/salut-sunderland-the-way-it-is/ – and say it there.

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