Even before the announcement that Dick Advocaat would not be staying at Sunderland, the End of Season Review series had produced some exceptional reads.
As already indicated, no more contributions can be considered. The series will end with the assessments of our deputy editor, Malcolm Dawson, followed by our home-and-way sage, Pete Sixsmith.
The whole Salut! Sunderland team owes our old mate Jeremy Robson a huge apology. He was one of the first …
So the HAWAYS are over for another season. Our judging panel has had its say and, heaven forbid, a Mag has emerged in first place with Everton and Stoke City supporters – the latter our former manager Denis Smith – in joint second. A Burnley fan collects the editor’s special award, having come fourth.
And amid much gnashing of teeth and general anguish, the judges – Sunderland fans one and all – have resoundingly plumped for an entry from Newcastle United, OK an entry from a NUFC supporter.
Pete Sixmsith offers an appreciative, heartfelt and understanding adieu to our departing saviour. Even after just nine games in charge, Dick Advocaat will be a hard one to follow …
Since I started writing for Salut! Sunderland I have written valedictory pieces for Roy Keane, Ricky Sbragia, Steve Bruce, Martin O’Neill, Paolo di Canio and Gus Poyet. And now it’s the turn of Dick Advocaat.
This one is unique because all the others were sacked, but the departure of the Dutchman is different because he has left of his own volition, having done the job that he was brought in to do.
Michael Robinson, who quietly but regularly comments on items at Salut Sunderland!, broke cover when winning one the last pair of Guess the Score prize mugs, describing SAFC’s unlikely links with his home town of Corbridge.
The series will conclude with the reviews of our deputy editor, Malcolm Dawson, and star chronicler, Pete Sixsmith. No further entries are required. Here are Michael’s end-of-season thoughts..
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Salut! Sunderland is very close to announcing the 2015 winners of our annual Haway awards – in other words, fans of other clubs who contributed Highly Articulate Who are You? interviews to our regular pre-match feature.
The shortlist supplied to our judges – see it here – has been whittled down from 13 to five. From Aston Villa, Burnley, Everton, Newcastle and Stoke – listed alphabetically – will come our top three.
Just to tidy things a little, let Salut! Sunderland record the last pair of Guess the Score winners of the season, with thanks as ever to our Weardale-based, Mackem-owned sponsors, Personalised Football Gifts.
Mike Thomas, a Chelsea supporter, correctly predicted the Blues would exploit tired legs, burst our survival bubble and win 3-1.
“I wish I had been blessed with enough confidence having made my prediction to back it up with a few quid at Corals'” he writes, as if the Chelsea mug is not reward enough. “Please pass on my thanks to Sunderland Supporters who attended – I thought they showed class throughout.”
Marcus Procopio has graced these pages before. Being based in Perth (I think that’s the Australian one) it could be said he has taken a distant view. Distant or not, it’s certainly far-reaching. He begins with an overview of the season then moves to some individual performances before giving what might be the solution to Sunderland’s problems.
And he does it in his own inimitable way:
The end-of-season reviews continue to flow in. Ken Gambles is another of our writers with a wealth of experience of watching Sunderland, good and bad. It’s fair to say he felt cheated at times in the season he now reviews, but at least he found one huge positive. All the reviews in this series can be seen at https://safc.blog/category/end-of-season-reviews-2015/ …