Salut! Sunderland continues its mission to make the “Who are You?” feature a global exercise, locating a passionate Manchester City supporter on the Iberian peninsular. Simon Curtis*, who runs the City fan site Down the Kippax Steps and a lot else besides, all from his Portuguese exile, tells us of his esteem for all things Sunderland and his belief that few people really begrudge his club its new-found burst of success …
As one whose younger daughter is a far better player than her dad ever was, Monsieur Salut enthusiastically welcomes the announcement from the London and Southern England branch of the Sunderland AFC Supporters’ Association that it has joined the list of sponsors of the Sunderland Women’s football team.
Stephen Goldsmith writes: Apologies for my rather botched attempt of the predictions last Saturday. Everybody must have been sick to their back teeth of my requests for their predictions; believe me, I wasn’t enjoying it either.
Add to that my computer deciding it was less competent at creating and editing Salut! posts then it was last week, and I was ready to take my fists to some machinery or other (akin to that scene from Office Space where that bloke punches his photo copier to pieces). After spending the rest of the day sulking, I have kind of made my peace with modern technology.
On a wet night in Hetton, Pete Sixsmith assesses our strengths and weaknesses in reserve and invites suggestions for the post-Virgin Newcastle shirt sponsor. By adding the words ‘Newcastle lose Virginity’ to the headline, we could have attracted NUFC supporters in their hundreds, even thousands, but life is too short …
For those who like my occasional updates from the French league, the big news of the weekend was that Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille chose in different ways to reinforce the idea that it is PSG and the rest in Ligue 1.
Positives: winning, being unbeaten, Mignolet’s world class shot-stopping, Fletcher’s Fifth …
Negatives: matched and menaced by Wigan for half the match, unable to build on a lead even against 10 men. Maybe we should acquire the wonderful gift identified by a certain Scottish bard: ‘to see oursel’s as others see us!’ Over to our resident Burns specialist in – if we are to believe him – pious, farewell mode Pete Sixsmith…
It could all have been so much different. After three minutes and then again after fifteen, Simon Mignolet won this game for Sunderland. He did what he is paid to do but these early, crucial saves meant that Stephen Fletcher’s fifth goal in four games got the Lads their first league win of the season. Whether McClean’s cross was intentional or whether it was meant as an attempt on goal only he knows for sure, but there was no doubt about the clinical way the chance was put away.
Martin O’Neill delivers his post-match e-mail after today’s first League victory of the season.
Who else? That was Peter Sixsmith‘s rhetorical question as Sunderland finally took the lead shortly after Wigan had gone down to 10 men when Gomez was sent off for a bad challenge on Danny Rose. Steven Fletcher was indeed the scorer, his fifth and also Sunderland’s fifth in the Premier this season. Simon Mignolet had earlier kept Wigan scoreless with a remarkable first-half save but SAFC were in the end reasonably comfortable if narrow winners …
I have been having problems with my e mails again. I will save myself from editing my own insults thrown …
Stephen Goldsmith writes: I have defended the abilities of Jordan Henderson as a footballer to quite an extent since his big money move to Anfield a year ago. If you believe your opinion is accurate regarding something, you are likely to express it and fully believe in it if you feel it is necessary to do so.