John McCormick writes: in this short piece Pete Sixsmith casts his eye over a couple of the more minor changes that have happened to our club in recent days. I say minor, that’s just in comparison to what else has gone on. We have lost three of the more successful, and more unassuming, people at the club.
At least, that’s Pete’s view. It’s one I happen to agree with; how about you?
Pete Sixsmith is on leave. In his place, Benjamin the Donkey interprets his thoughts … unless it’s Sixer in disguise
As is well known around the area, we donkeys are noted for our cynicism and unwillingness to believe that, to quote the song, “Things Can Only Get Better”.
The general consensus amongst we members of the Equus Asinus family is that things rarely do get better and more often end up a damn sight worse.
Photo – old strip as you can tell – courtesy of Sunderland AFC Ladies
Imagine Watford or West Ham in the Premier League, and QPR and Nottingham Forest in the Championship, being told they were no longer wanted in their respective divisions despite having achieved safety in relative comfort.
Couldn’t happen, you’re thinking. Now consider the fate of the Sunderland Ladies football team. In wretched circumstances, victims of penny-pinching cuts wielded at Ellis Short’s bidding by our equally unmissed CEO, Martin Bain, they finished seventh top in the Women’s Super League , the highest English division in the female game.
And their reward for such sterling efforts: booted out by the FA. And not even allowed to compete in the WSL second tier, or Championship.
This FA decision boils my blood & I'm struggling to understand the logic of any explanation spouted. Puts women's football in the NE to the back of the queue & is a slap in the face for everyone in Sunderland. I know your "to do" list is huge @stewartdonald3 but please help!
Monsieur Salut keeps his promise (threat?) to repeat the obvious poll as developments present themselves. You can check the results for yourselves but as the number of votes cast reached 600, we were just above 82 per cent not just wanting but believing in promotion …
Salut! Sunderland’s associate editor John McCormick has already bagged naming rights should Jack Ross – could a Sunderland manager be blessed with a better moniker? – restore the tradition of post-match managerial e-mails. They shall be called Ross on Why, and wye not?
John McCormick writes: you’ll have read about our goings-on in all or some of the Guardian, the Evening Chronicle, the Sunderland and Northern Echos, various websites and possibly even the Daily News,and you’ll no doubt have felt so energised and enthused that you could have knocked a horse out, had you been inclined to punch one. But this has been but a mere bagatelle – nothing more than a taster. I promised a short while ago that Pete Sixsmith would provide the Salut take on our new manager and here is the master himself, with this and more; you can leave the front page news to Wishbone Ash, there’s no need to go elsewhere.
John McCormick writes: In keeping with the character of this website, I’ve used a line from a quite well-known song in the headline. I’m sure M Salut will recognise it, as will Wrinkly Pete, which might give you some clue as to its age.
There’s no competition, so no mug, but if you think you know the artist(s) and title just pop in your answer as a comment. The non-mug will not be posted to the first person to get it right but she or he will have the satisfaction of being able to look (s)mug her/himself for a while.
Nic Wiseman, not so long ago of this parish, and kindred spirits
For what it is worth, the bookies are already putting Sunderland among favourites to go up from League One next season. But as you’ll see at Betway sports betting they are naturally more concerned just now with flutters on the World Cup.
Unless we count Wahbi Khazri, whose form since going on loan to Rennes has won him a place in Tunisia’s provisional World Cup squad, the only Sunderland player who may feature in Russia is Bryan Oviedo, with Costa Rica. Senegal obviously had Papy Djilobodji watched while he was at Sunderland, where he was wretched, and not on loan at Dijon where he was a lot less accident-prone. In any case, none of the three seems remotely likely to be at the Stadium of Light when the League One season kicks off …
Monsieur Salut knew, or had a good idea, this was coming, but thought it prudent not to say. Now it has happened. Martin Bain, CEO of Sunderland AFC, is now Martin Bain, ex-CEO of SAFC. No one takes his place because the “place” has been declared surplus to requirements – quite a dramatic change from being one considered worthy of £1.2m a year.
Monsieur Salut couldn’t be in Sunderland today but pieces together the bits he has gleaned about the confirmed purchase of SAFC …
Stewart Donald confirmed today that his takeover of Sunderland AFC from Ellis Short had been completed. The club is now debt-free after Short accepted a £40m purchase price to be paid over two years.
Donald told a news conference at the Stadium of Light that the takeover was concluded on Sunday night after being approved by the EFL on Friday.
He said it was his hope to have a new manager appointed in a week or less to give him as much of the summer as possible for rebuilding.
No need for much more to be said than that Stewart Donald is now on the brink of completing the takeover of Sunderland AFC from the hapless Ellis Short. The EFL seems ready to confirm the change of ownership.
Here is the helfpul if limited club statement:
Following a meeting with the EFL on Friday, and the provision of further information, we can now confirm that the proposed sale of the club could be concluded as early as next week.
We would like to place on record our thanks to the EFL for their assistance during the process, at what is a very busy time of the football calendar for them.
