SAFC v Stoke City Who are You?: beyond Pulis’s ‘hoofball’ (listening, Pelligrini?)

by
Jake has ways of making them talk
Jake has ways of making them talk

Mike Alderson* was the second Stoke City fan, and the second official of City’s South West supporters’ club branch, to respond to our request for volunteers for the two forthcoming games at the Stadium of Light. We will hear from his pal ahead of the league game a week on Saturday. Mike sees Tuesday night’s league cup tie as just the sort of match our two clubs should take seriously, since league honours are perhaps beyond both. One obvious question we would ask with hindsight: would he be as ready to tip Man City for the title, in honour of their more modest, proper-club recent past, now that Manuel Pellegrini has decided the worst insult he can aim at Chelsea is to say they played like Stoke to grab a draw at the Etihad? ….

Read more

Sixer’s Burnley Soabox: Black Cats not good, Black Cat not bad

by
Pete Sixsmith
all in the line of duty

John McCormick writes: My senior railcard expired last week. I didn’t bother to renew it as I knew my chances of getting a Burnley ticket were remote and my next trip to the SOL won’t be for some time.  It’s possible I won’t even get there before the January window, at which point I hope we’ll buy a goal scoring forward. We don’t have one now, according to Pete Sixsmith’s report on a match we were expected to win:

Read more

Pure Poyetry across the Pennine Way: faint praise for draw at Burnley

by
Jake captures the Bard, with thanks to Owen Lennox
Jake captures the Bard, with thanks to Owen Lennox

John McCormick writes: This morning I was still hoping I’d get that phone call to tell me there was a spare ticket. I was ready for a last minute rush but I’d have got there. Was I lucky or not? Even our esteemed manager accepts it wasn’t the best game in this, the post match e-mail he sends to our equally esteemed editor and maybe one or two others …

Read more

Sixer’s Sevens: Burnley 0 Sunderland 0. A game to forget but bravo Durham

by
Jake: 'Sixer does it in seven words, no more, no less - unless he miscounts'
Jake: ‘Sixer does it in seven words, no more, no less – unless he miscounts’

This is the place where, game after game and ahead of his more considered view, Pete Sixsmith sums up the play in just seven words. Today took him to Turf Moor; at half time he probably wished he’d gone to see Durham win the one-day final Lords, announcing to the world: ‘Seen more threat at a pacifist meeting.’ Maybe he hoped for the rest of the afternoon off. The second had more thrills, with the woodwork seeing action at both ends, but Sunderland remained unconvincing enough for Sixer to see the event as a great advertisement for the alternative attractions of cricket or Rugby League …

Jake: 'firing blanks'
Jake: ‘firing blanks’

Read more

Football Blogging Awards: make your Yes vote count for Salut! Sunderland

by
Jake invites support
Jake invites support

It is time to vote in the annual Football Blogging Awards. There are some big guns in the field and Salut! Sunderland is under no illusions about its chances of picking up an award. We are not sure this is how it works in the Oscars but invite you, all the same, to consider voting for us. You can go directly to the voting form at http://www.footballbloggingawards.co.uk/about/how-to-vote-football-blogging-awards/, or read on first to learn a little about one site courting your support. Salut! Sunderland qualifies for votes in four (not three as I thought) of the 11 sections: Established, Forum, Club and Young Blogger …

Read more

The Robson Report: Sir Alex Ferguson had millions, Clough charisma and brilliance

by
Jonathan Wilosn's book on a Sunderland great
Jonathan Wilson’s book on a Sunderland great

NB: COMMENT ON: A technical blip prevented them until now

Jeremy Robson pays a grand tribute to Brian Clough to mark the imminent 10th anniversary of his death (aged 69, on September 20 2004). Sunderland fan and top writer Jonathan Wilson’s book, Nobody Ever Says Thank You, is available at very decent prices at Salut! Sunderland’s Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0753828715/salusund-21/ …


It’s hard to believe that ten years have lapsed since the passing of the great Brian Clough. Arguably, the finest manager of all time, he didn’t have to spend millions or be in charge at clubs with the deepest pockets to win trophies. He did it on the strength of team work, charisma and sheer brilliance.

Read more

Striking out for victory at Burnley

by
Jake: bBack to scoring ways?'
Jake: bBack to scoring ways?’

What sort of team will Gus Poyet send out at Turf Moor? If we are at last to start winning, where will our goal or goals come from?

The summer transfer dealings brought in no new strikers but left us, for now with the three we already had. I raised the question of our attacking options in a preview for ESPN.

Read more