After three defeats in his first four games, Big Sam must be wondering whatever happened to New Manager Bounce.
It has not exactly been a replica of Alan Pardew’s experience at Monday night’s opponents Crystal Palace.
CONDOLENCES to the French midfielder Lassana Diarra on the loss of a cousin, a Muslim like him, in Friday’s attacks by the odious ISIL in Paris. See footnote …
There is not enough time just yet – for reasons I outline in a long footnote touching on the sadness of recent days – to offer a proper review of the volume of Sunderland-related essays edited by Lance Hardy, the author of a superb book on our 1973 FA Cup final win, Stokoe, Sunderland and ’73.
But it is right to record its publication, with the promise that as soon as other commitments permit, a full review will appear on these pages.
Pete Sixsmith was invited to write the review but declined, nobly judging that it was inappropriate for a contributor to the book to assess its merits.
John McCormick writes:
“Salut Sunderland”. That, and the nom-de-plume of our leader, says enough but I’ll leave it to Colin to expand on his connections. Me, I have my own. My sister lived in France for many years. She married a Frenchman, she has French (oh, so French) children, she has French grandchildren.
“Welcome back to the sixties”, said Pete as we entered the lower Bullens Road stand at Goodison. Pete likes the ground, as do most Evertonians. Bernard Walker, in an excellent “who are you” put it like this: “I absolutely love Goodison Park for all its memories, history and Leitch architecture, so would be very loath to move away.”
John McCormick writes: Pete Sixsmith wrote this a couple of days ago but for some reason it didn’t reach me. Not to worry, it’s here now, and it’s up to his usual standard.
Over to Pete:
John McCormick writes: I never saw Marton Fulop play for us. I’m not qualified to make any statement about him. Yet, I feel a loss. Maybe it’s because he was the age of my kids, and my extended family’s next generation – one of whom had his first child two days ago. Maybe it’s just too f***ing young. Maybe it’s because as the SAFC website says “It is desperately sad when we lose a member of our Sunderland family but to lose one so young and in such circumstances is simply heart-breaking.” Whatever it is, I feel for him and my heart goes out to his family.
John McCormick writes: It’s another international break, so another chance to take stock and update my “relegation watch” series. For some of the clubs at or near the bottom, it’s getting scary.
(If you’re new to the series and want to see how it began, or if you want to refresh your memory , you can try this link)
By now regular readers should be familiar with the first graph. It dates from the close of the transfer window and shows our readers’ choices for the relegation spots. I’m putting it in (again) so you can see how closely it resembles reality or, alternatively, so you can work out just what the clubs have to do to prove our readers right by the end of the season.
Peter Lynn, aka the Wrinklier of our Petes, is back on his pop music themes, if only briefly, as he looks back on 50 years of marriage to Mrs WrinklyPete – and another blissful union, or test of endurance, his love affair with Sunderland AFC …
I have used the Tremeloes’ 1967 hit as a musical hook, even though I didn’t like them, to explain my absence from this site – for anyone who noticed!
My wife and I reached our Golden wedding anniversary in September and we have been busy celebrating although (regrettably?) I have seen some games this season which I will comment on another time.
Malcolm Dawson writes…..the forecast wasn’t good for those who had delayed their Guy Fawkes night celebrations. In fact it had …
Malcolm Dawson writes….an old familiar feeling returned today as I took my seat and saw Sam’s team selection. When I …