Hobnobbing with Darren Bent, remembering Stephen Elliott’s night of glory

by

Anything Tash can do, Victoria can do – as well. To think Salut! Sunderland was moaning only a few weeks ago about the lack of female contributors, so much so that we issued a Calling All Mackemoiselles appeal. The re-appearance of Tash Scott’s admirable essay, written at 14, that helped her towards an A* grade in GCSE English prompted Ken Gambles – see comments to Tash’s piece – to draw our attention to Victoria Clare of Consett.

Ken, a prominent Sunderland supporter (N Yorks branch of SAFCSA) and author, praised Tash’s work. But he added that Victoria’s account of a vital game at West Ham in 2005 when she would have been about 15 was also “an excellent evocation of what it means to be a young female Sunderland supporter”.

He was right.

So here it is, with thanks to Ken; click here if you fancy buying a copy of Black Catalogue, the book edited by Ken where it first appeared.

And Salut! Sunderland‘s plaudits go to Victoria, or Vicky (pictured with a current hero, Darren Bent), for an impassioned and mightily impressive piece of writing. It is a long read, well worth setting aside 10 minutes and a mug of tea to savour …

Read more

The West Ham Soapbox: head start on the Hammers

by



Not a great game. Pete Sixsmith‘s words, echoed by many, but he also sees reason to draw on such results, from largely uninspiring play, for hope that we may actually be on course in our loftier ambitions …

So, another three points in our relentless quest for a Europa League place and the delights of Sherif Tirana or Bangor City on a Thursday night. I am tingling with excitement at the prospect of playing such giants of the European game.

If we do make it to such exalted heights, games like this one are the ones that really count. This was a bread and butter fixture, against a side similar to what we were: one perennially struggling in the lower reaches of the Premier League.

Read more

How the Stadium of Light made Tash an A* pupil

by


Everyone likes a happy ending. As we await Pete Sixsmith’s reflections on the subdued win against West Ham, let us offer belated congratulations to another star – if only once so far – of these pages …


Who recalls, from the photograph, the day last year when they read Tash’s tale, the beautifully descriptive account of a far-away, handed-down Mackem’s introduction to the Stadium of Light?

Read more

Ways of making Sunderland fans happy: part 2

by


Pete Sixsmith got his Christmas present early from Monsieur Salut: a Soviet-style hat from St Petersburg that may become a collectors’ item if the World Cup row leads to the English being banned from Russia.

For others: this continues the posting – first part here – which introduced some of the Amazon bargains available at their usual rock bottom prices and maybe ideal as Christmas gifts for Sunderland supporters:



Charlie Hurley: The Greatest Centre Half the World Has Ever Seen – that man Mark Metcalf again. Order here

Read more

Beating West Ham, and other ways of making Sunderland supporters happy

by


Well, there are a few days of doing it – as Channel 4 found when SAFC-mad Ashley Hughes won the £1,000 Come Dine With Me prize (ages ago, but repeated last night). Three points in any game, or advancement in a cup competition (OK not for a long while), will also do the trick quite well. But with Christmas coming, here are some other ideas …

The build-up to this afternoon’s game is over (see our big Hammer preview by clicking here, or memories of a famous Sunderland win here.

But while wondering whether we can play as we did against Chelsea and halt West Ham’s little revival , why not consider choosing from these cut-price Christmas presents that don’t even involve having to go near the shops?

Read more

Tony Gallagher, Daily Telegraph editor, on his beloved West Ham

by

This week’s “Who are You?” feature – ahead of Sunderland v West Ham tomorrow (fingers crossed) – richly deserved another outing, in modified form, especially after the distractions of Zurich.

Tony Gallagher*, editor of The Daily Telegraph and Hammers fan par excellence, probably said more to Salut! Sunderland about his footballing passion, and indeed about himself, than he has done in any other public forum in his life. Or so we’ve heard it said. We are delighted he gave such time and energy to the exercise. Go back to Thursday’s original appearance of the interview to see the comments already posted by SAFC and Hammers fans (and Tony himself, in response to points made), or start afresh here.

By way of reminder: even before he became the editor of Telegraph, Tony had made his mark as deputy editor (effectively running the paper in the long absence on other business of the then editor Will Lewis, another Hammer). It was on Tony’s watch that the paper revealed the scandal of MPs’ expenses, and he is credited with masterminding the coverage. At a guess, he is not on the Christmas card list of the former Labour MP David Chaytor, pictured above, now in a spot of bother as a result.

Some MPs, it is fair to say, had visions of pots, kettles and a very dark colour at the thought of journalists lecturing anyone about expenses. But that’s another matter, as is Tony’s lifelong support for West Ham United. Sunderland fans have been jittery all week, some even hoping for a postponement; we’re glad to say Tony takes a gloomy view of his club, too, despite impressive wins over Wigan and Manchester United …

Read more