This modest competition has been blamed for everything from the extreme right’s rise in French politics to Sunderland’s goal-free April.
Sunderland play Bolton Wanderers: who will win the ‘Guess the Score’ mug?
Bolton Wanderers
The SAFC v Bolton Who are You?: (2) ‘my special night at Villa’
No sooner had ”Bob” supplied his answers for the Bolton Wanderers ”Who are You?” than our old friend Howard Page – doubtless fired by events at Villa Park – overcame pressure of work and did likewise. Salut! Sunderland policy is straightforward: if a supporter takes the trouble to answer our questions, we ensure the effort is not wasted. Howard was also perfectly happy to use his full name – his band The Menu can always use publicity …
The SAFC v Bolton Who are You?: ‘we could become another Portsmouth’
They’re a cagey lot over and down a bit in Bolton. We’re hoping for a double on Saturday; they already have one. Just as before the game at the Reebok, we have a great set of replies – and a request for anonymity that survived even the euphoria of a mightily important win at Villa Park. Over, then, to Bob* from the Burnden Aces fans site aand writing just before last night’s game …
Muted welcomes for Reading and Southampton; mixed outlook for Wigan and Blackburn
The only certainty among the four clubs mentioned above is Reading, promoted thanks to the 1-0 win over Forest. Southampton look set to join them but may still have a little work to do while Wigan’s sensational recent wins have not yet ensured survival. Pete Sixsmith looks at the likely comings and goings and shamelessly allows his preferences to be dictated by geography, politics and beer …
Soapbox at the Reserves: Lynch Party as Sunderland beat Bolton
If the definition of the true fan is one who attends not only just about very first team game but …
Salut!’s Week: Bolton, Aston Villa & corporate football’s ugly face
Click here: £9.50, post-free for UK buyers, from the Salut! Sunderland Shop
Another busy week, another rough guide to Salut! Sunderland for those readers who cannot get here every day … please note that there may be delays this weekend in posting Bruce’s Banter and other post-match coverage. M Salut will be at the game, so will Mr Sixsmith and Ms Dawson and it will be case of who is able to get items posted first (bearing in mind that Sixer wouldn’t know how to) ….
Salut! Sunderland is about to undergo a makeover. It has been a long time coming but soon the home page will more closely resemble a newspaper format. This will bring the benefit of keeping especially good reads prominently displayed for several days rather than slipping ever further down before toppling off the bottom edge and plunging into the archives.
The Bolton Soapbox: what a difference a striker makes
The up-and-down world of the Sunderland supporter is, for now, up. Pete Sixsmith was not especially looking forward to an afternoon near Bolton but, while no one should be getting ecstatic about recording a second win in a season already 10 games old if you count the Carling Cup, he left the Reebok with the warm glow of encouragement …
That was better. Whether you are a Bruce In or Bruce Out person, it’s a relief to see another three points on the board and witness a second half performance that gives us some hope for the next few weeks.
Managers stand or fall by results and team selection. So far this season, Steve Bruce has had a poor set of results and has picked some teams which have not been universally acclaimed.
The collapse of Manchester United: Man City today, us soon?
Were Newcastle United the last team to go down as heavily at home as Manchester United did today and still win the title?
Well that was in 1908, when we hammered the Mags even more comprehensively – 9-1 – at St James’ Park and they just shrugged it off to finish top anyway.
Things have changed in football. Surely after today’s mauling by Man City, 6-1 (going on 9-1 from what I saw of the procession of City chances following Jonny Evans’s correct sending off), United’s odds on keeping the Premier title will lengthen a bit. Probably already have.
Bruce’s Banter: players responded to ‘fantastic support’
Steve Bruce’s pre-match BBC Newcastle interview ended with him protesting he had been misrepresented in his views on Sunderland supporters. If the smarter move might have been to admit his own words have sometimes been ill-chosen, most of us would accept public relations gaffes if more of the post-match e-mails were talking about wins. Tonight Bruce, rightly under pressure, is able to savour a good away victory – and guess who got a great cheer from the away support at the final whistle?
Dear Colin,
I’d like to start by saying a special thank-you to the supporters.
There’s not many clubs who’d bring more than 4,000 to an away match when their team could have been around the bottom at 5pm.
The fans gave us some fantastic support and the players responded to that. They’ve gone home happy today which I’m delighted about.
Bolton 0 SAFC 2: not getting carried away, but hailing Wickham
Ian Porter offered this instant analysis at the Blackcats list soon after the final whistle at the Reebok – an impressive blend of realism and approval …
We totally dominated the second half, but didn’t really make out possession and domination hurt too much.
Mignolet kept us in the game with a good save, but wasn’t really bothered much apart from that.
Defensively, I thought all the back four looked solid. Richardson’s had his critics, myself included, but he played well today.