Sixer’s Sevens: SUNDERLAND 1 Manchester City 0. For days like this


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. Today was a day of unqualified glory.

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The Man City ‘Who are You?’ update: a mighty Sunderland performance needed

Ric with the FA Cup, Tommy Booth and Mike Summerbee

Last season, we got one. It took a fabulous (for us) miss from Tevez and other wasteful City play to keep us in it, but Darren Bent’s last-gasp penalty brought us a massive win. Just imagine what a similar scoreline tomorrow would mean for morale at the Stadium of Light. It is a big, big ask but here’s to the immense performance needed to pull it off.

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Soapbox: forget Osman, this Cheeta was a chimp

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Only Leon truly knows if he was a cheater at the Stadium of Light. Some things are more certain: Cheeta, for example, was a chimp. And Pete Sixsmith clearly has too much time on his hands. Who would have thought being driven in disgust from a match at Highbury would lead him to an exhibition of the Tarzan star’s art? Or that he’d write about it in honour of the poor beast’s death?

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