We’ve had great fun over the past few days, keeping an eye on – and making our own contributions to – what has been said about our survival and Newcastle United’s relegation.

There will be more fun (and that, above, is Adamfearman’s YouTube reminder of Sunday’s potent mixture of relief and joy) plus, today or tomorrow, the announcement of Salut! Sunderland‘s winners in the Who Are They? awards, in which the previews supplied to us throughout last season by opposing fans have been assessed by a panel of three.

Read more

First things first: it was not Pete Sixsmith that we captured from TV coverage of the end-of-match celebrations, but Gerry McGregor, a stalwart of the Blackcats list. Look at the pictures below and decide whether we were justified in being misled for a short time. Now on to the business: an emotional day provided perfect inspiration for Pete’s eloquence …

In my years on this planet, 58 and a bit, there have been a few highlights: Leeds winning the Rugby League Challenge Cup in 1957, us at Wembley ’73 and Michael Portillo’s face in 1997. To that sparse total add May 24 2009 and a home defeat by Chelsea.

I don’t think I have ever celebrated a defeat as much as I did this one. At the infamous game at Notts County in 1994, we slunk out ashamed that a late goal had relegated Brentford rather than us. Sunday was completely different.

Read more

This is how it was for us – Salut! Sunderland – after an explosion of hits all day long, driven first by fast-spreading news of the Who Are They? awards shortlist and then by the red-hot nature of events.

But this morning we are indebted to the Villa Talk fans’ website for dramatic news that Mike Ashley, convinced that the world of English football reneged on guarantees to ensure Newcastle United Premier League status for ever, is prepared to lead the Toon north and into the Scottish Premier League.

Read more

***** see also Toon truly Doon *****

AND some restrained, non-gloating images – utterly priceless – at Ready to Go

SUNDERLAND SAFE … TOON DOON with BORO …

… from the SoL and the south of France, both Pete Sixsmith – surely, I thought, that’s him above but it’s not* – and Colin Randall did their bits to keep Salut! Sunderland abreast of momentous events.

But Villa earned our undying affection by sending Newcastle United crashing deservedly out of the Premier League.

Minutes after the final whistles sounded everywhere, Salut! Sunderland passed the 1,000 mark for hits so far today – helped hugely by visits from fans of other clubs after our feature on the Who Are They? awards – and then Niall Quinn announced that Ricky Sbragia had stood down as manager but had a guaranteed future at the Stadium of Light if he wanted it …

Read more

Each matchday, Pete Sixsmith – Sixer to friends – delivers his seven-word verdict. It has not always made a pretty sight, but it IS always to the point and fair. His seven words* at around 6pm today are some of the most important he will ever have written – which is saying a lot for a bloke who has passed exams, taught Stan Cummins’s sister (isn’t that right Pete?) and filled in his own tax forms … roll on salvation

May 24 2009 Sunderland 2 (0) Chelsea 3 (0) Better performance but Villa are the heroes
May 18 2009 Portsmouth (0) 3 Sunderland (0) 1 Another defensive horror show threatens another relegation
May 9 2009 Bolton (0) O Sunderland (0) O Effort and commitment but still need point
May 3 2009 Sunderland (0) 0 Everton (0) 2 Another defensive shambles, another nail in coffin
April 25 2009 West Bromwich Albion (1) 3 Sunderland (0) 0 A performance so bad it defies description
April 18 2009 Sunderland (1) 1 v Hull City (0) 0 Vital win in a truly awful game
April 11 2009 Sunderland (0) 1 v Man United (1) 2 Better performance than result gives some hope
April 04 2009 West Ham United 2 (1) v Sunderland (0) 0 Dreadful result and performance enhances relegation credentials

Read more

So we’re all fretting away like mad. We need our minds taking off the trauma of 4pm-6pm Sunday.

Then let Salut! Sunderland offer a little relief by announcing that it has found three prizes for winners of the great Who Are They? awards.

No, we cannot offer a Championship season ticket for St James’ Park as they haven’t been printed yet and we wouldn’t want to tempt fate anyway. No flyaway holidays; not even a measly million from Chris Tarrant or your MP’s duck pond account.

But we have things football fans would actually want to possess:

Read more

See also: How many SAFC games have mattered so much? Follow this link

So it’s come down to the game that we feared when the fixtures came out in July.

“Chelsea at home, last game of the season, hope we don’t need anything from that,” went the crack.

“Nah, we’ll be pushing for the top half by then. Keano’s made some nifty signings in Chimbonda and Diouf and I’m sure that this is the season when Stokes really breaks through. In fact, Chelsea will be more worried than us. Reckon it could stop them winning the league. Scolari won’t like 48,000 Mackems roaring their heads off.”

Read more

Two last looks at the vital game on Sunday start here. We can lose and stay up, of course. But, Colin Randall insists, it is not good enough to settle for second best against Chelsea and pray for comforting news from other grounds …

We all have memories. For Sunderland fans, there have been exhilarating moments to make all that passion and loyalty seem worthwhile.

There have been a good deal more gut-wrenching ones that will stick with you until long after the cows have come home.

Vital games are sometimes dotted around a season. This time, we’re concerned only with last games of seasons. And Sunderland v Chelsea matters a massive amount, as did the same encounter back in 1963 about which Pete Sixsmith is preparing a Soapbox piece as I write.

Read more

Blue murder for us on Sunday, forced to pray for good news from Hull or Villa? Or an extraordinary win that makes it unnecessary for us to want for anything except defeat for the Mags? If only Jerry Evans, in the second part of the final Who are They? of the 2008/9 season, could be proved right; Blues fan though he’s been since childhood, he not only thinks we’ll somehow manage it, but hopes so too. He is also a true gent who wants “hate” taken out of footballing rivalries – and rather disapproves of our desire to see the Mags go down – and whose thoughts have been joy to deal with. See the first part of his contribution here and then enjoy his responses to our questions …

So how has the season been for you?

The overall results have been excellent. Third behind an outstanding Man Utd and a resurgent Liverpool is no disgrace. Perhaps the long term injury to the magnificent Essien made the difference. And to hold the stunning Barcelona to one goal in three hours was a great achievement. If Chelsea had set out to throw everything at the Catalans, I believe they might have leaked several goals. Iniesta, Xavi, Messi and co are at the pinnacle of this wonderful game.

Read more