Soapbox: goodbye to Coventry? With any luck …

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Thirty-five years is a long time to hold a grudge. When it comes to Coventry City, and especially a past chairman, Pete Sixsmith manages it with ease, even if some Coventry fans have spectacularly misunderstood what it is he’s saying (ie that he’d be happy to see them relegated, not forced out of existence – sadly, many later comments became so abusive that all were temporarily blocked; I have lifted the ban but will keep an eagle eye on content) …

As Papiss Cissé swaps the backwater of Freiburg for the cauldron of the Sports Direct Arena, we Sunderland fans are sitting back waiting for a first move in the transfer market. A number of younger players (and Trevor Carson) have gone out on loan and it is interesting to see where and reflect on what connections those clubs have with Sunderland.

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Off, off, off: an improbable defence of Roberto Mancini

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What, exactly, is un-English about standing by the side of the football pitch and waving an imaginary card when a player from your side goes down under a crude tackle?

It is widely reported that Roberto Mancini has been warned he could face FA disciplinary action if he persists in gesticulating towards referees in an attempt to persuade him to send off offending opponents.

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Bruce, bitterness and moving on

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A penny for Steve Bruce’s thoughts? Given the probable size of our former manager’s pay-off, and the likelihood that discretion on his part was one of its conditions, a penny would not go very far.

But it is tempting all the same to imagine what must be going through his head as he reflects on his own demise as Sunderland manager and watches the exuberance and renewed hope that have accompanied the earliest days of the Martin O’Neill era.

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Sweeney’s Cut: how Martin O’Neill is eliminating cynicism

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A bit early for a mid-term report on Martin O’Neill, but these are potentially exciting times for Sunderland supporters who suddenly see their team written and spoken about in glowing terms, even in defeat, by the Londoncentric media. Eric Sweeney sees further progress ahead and, unlike M Salut, believes MON when he says he hasn’t yet thought about specific transfer window targets.

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Sixer’s Sevens: Chelsea 1 SAFC 0 – if only we’d had a striker

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This is where Pete Sixsmith captures the glory and shame, hope and despair, excitement and ennui of the Sunderland matchday experience. When, rarely, Pete is absent or delayed, a supersub does it for him and the seven-word verdict is preceded by an asterisk. Pete’s full analysis of the game will usually appear within a day or two.

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Salut! Sunderland’s Week: from Wigan to Chelsea with memories of Podgy

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Another image from Mrs Logic's Flickr files

It may go without saying that Joan Dawson has done, as ever, a great job in the absence of M Salut on a cheap(ish) and cheerful holiday in the Mexican sun, and a bit of its rain, of keeping Salut! Sunderland up and running. But I’ll say it anyway: the demands of a busy football site, coupled with the needs to earn a living and have a life, are immense and Joan never fails to rise magnificently to the challenge.

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Podgy: the tributes and the flags

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On tour, Podgy's flag for SAFC supporters in Willington

The death of George Summerside, Podgy to many people and Poledancer or Enigma (if not Podgy) when on the Ready to Go message boards, has touched many people.

George followed Sunderland, Durham Cricket Club and the England cricket team to any corner of the world that games took them.

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