The original promotion poll ends soon. But there’s a follow-up survey …

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This is really your last chance to vote – or update your vote based on later developments or your assessment of the new regime – in the Salut! Sunderland “gut feeling” poll (above). It closes in about one hour from the moment I post this item.

News on possible new signings is developing fast. Check out https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc, where you can expect to see what they know at the Echo and what they think worthy of being repeated from elsewhere.

We’ve reached 750+ votes and there is an overwhelming majority expressing a belief in automatic promotion – 81 per cent in total, marginally more than half feeling we’ll do it as champions.

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Progress seems slow but the signs are encouraging. Vote now in our promotion poll

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Take a bow, Jake. And see Salut! Sunderland’s home page by clicking on the image

Stop Press: Jon McLaughlin, the goalkeeper mentioned favourably by Jeremy Robson in his comment below, is reported in Scotland to be due to undergo a medical at SAFC with a view to signing as a free agent. He left Hearts at the end of the season, is 30 and has a full Scottish international cap. Chris Maguire, a striker who has never been hugely prolific but is highly experienced and has also played for Scotland, is also said to be on the point of signing …

The original Salut! Sunderland poll on prospects for next season has probably run its course. It is at the foot of this posting so you can still vote but Monsieur Salut will close it tomorrow (Monday).

Our associate editor John McCormick, in his first piece of statistical analysis on what may transpire in League One, introduced a variation – “who will go up?” as opposed to “will Sunderland?” – and that will take the place of the version relating solely to SAFC.

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The bookies say Sunderland, Barnsley, Charlton, Portsmouth, Luton and Scunthorpe. What about you?

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And so we have it: the fixtures are out. You’ll be getting your fill of dates, and conjecture from all over, no doubt, and enjoying the pre-season buzz of anticipation that it brings.

But when you’re tucked up under the sheets, reading Charles Buchan’s “Football Monthly” with a torch and reality bites, do you think you’ll win League One?

Or even get promoted?

If you do, please let us know. If you don’t, let us know who you think will make the grade.

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Charlton at home to start. Seaside promotion party at Southend to finish?

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Can these gates become part of the new fortress?*

Monsieur Salut introduces the full fixtures list for next season, starting with Charlton at home, remembers an ambitious pre-match request from Boy George (a Charlton fan) and reproduces the will-we-go-up? poll …

It’s hardly Man City at the Etihad or even Derby County at the Stadium of Light.

But at least Sunderland’s unwelcome visit to the third tier, for only the second time in club history, kicks off with a home game and the opposition is Charlton Athletic, beaten playoff semifinalists last season.

With that element of importance – big club negotiating troubled waters versus once biggish club, both trying to recreate past glory – comes a first taste of televised action for Sunderland in the 2018-2019 League One season. The game has been switched to a 1230pm kickoff.

[polldaddy poll=10001532]

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World Cup Diaries: (4) Moscow en fête as Russians celebrate another big win

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Our Boro-suppporting World Cup diarist – Monsieur Salut’s nephew, Andy Falconer – changes city. After revealing in the beauty of St Petersburg, he headed for Moscow. His 2018 tournament will soon enough be over – that pass-out from Sarah back home is about to expire – and he has now caught his last stadium game (see footnote for quick thoughts on the end of Morocco’s hopes)* and is returning to St Petersburg to fly home.

Here a few of his Moscow reflections. See earlier jottings at this link …

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The Paddy McNair question and the ins and outs of squad rebuilding at Sunderland

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This tweet, from a Twitter contact (we follow each other), caught the attention.

Julie is somehow both right and wrong.

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World Cup Diaries: (3) our Middlesbrough-supporting chronicler enjoys his first game

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Andy with – it seems – a Hibs fan

This is the third instalment of the World Cup musings of Monsieur Salut’s Boro-supporting nephew, Andy Falconer, who saves hard-earned money to get to far-off places every four years (he’ll feel lost when England or the UK finally gets to host the tournament again). He wrote it on Saturday, having had to settle for a pub screen in St Petersburg for his first game – the trouncing of Saudi Arabia by Russia – before making his first stadium visit for Iran’s unexpected defeat of Morocco …

 

 

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