NB: the official web address of Salut! Sunderland is now https://safc.blog for those who like to bookmark the site. Using https instead of http should eliminate the annoying ‘site not secure’ warnings and, worse, re-direction to a dodgy Turkish site …
Our usual pre-match buildup has been disrupted by a technical issue, now resolved. This was how we invited Pompey fans to take part in our lazy new version of the traditional Who are You? series. Apologies to readers who found a way here despite our problems and have already seen what follows …
Playing the same team five times in one season, in the case of away trips as far away as is possible without falling into the sea, should be like one of those long trials after which 12 good men (and/or women) and true are excused further jury duties for life.
But no, Sunderland must face Portsmouth at least twice season, starting with Saturday’s early kickoff and not in the league we both fancied ourselves playing.
Salut! Sunderland has run a Who are You? series for most of its 12 years of existence. It has yielded superb interviews with followers of opposing clubs, whether celebrities, churchmen, writers, politicians. broadcasters, former players and managers or “ordinary” fans.
But setting up interviews is hard graft and this season, we are posting a shorter list of questions here and inviting supporters to answer as many of them as they wish.
If the quality of the answers we received for the Ipswich Town game is maintained, we will keep the annual Haway (Highly Articulate Who are You?) awards going. If the response is more like readers saw for the Oxford and Accrington games, our kind prize sponsors will not be troubled next May.
Questions for Pompey fans:
1 Does familiarity breed affection or contempt? Are you sick to death of playing Sunderland or raring for another go?
2 Beating us in the Checkatrade doubtless felt good but did it any way compensate for not going up?
3 After such a great start to last season, what went wrong and what has been done to fix it for this season?
4 You’ve decent players through the squad. Who will cause us most problems?
5 Your best and worst moments as a Pompey fan?
6 Your honest thoughts on Sunderland – the club, the fans, the city and region?
7 Hand on heart where will our two sides finish this season?
8 Are you going to the game and what will be the score?