As promised last week, Jim Chappell makes a brief return to give us an extra helping before our second trip to Bristol in a fortnight.
How do you feel about that trip? Jim has other priorities, as do we, but I somehow think we’ll be showing a little more enthusiasm than Jim can muster, which isn’t surprising given our respective positions.
John McCormick writes: Another clean sheet, another game with more than one goal. Only Charlton’s last minute winner did anything to mar what was a good day all round. Pete Sixsmith texted at half time that to say that this game was a bit scrappy but his post-game seven worder suggests his full match report will be a bit more optimistic:
John McCormick writes: this one was pencilled in when the fixtures came out but by Christmas I knew it would be a non-starter. A pity, as a weekend in Somerset with a quick trip across the border would have made for a brilliant weekend at this time of year. I reckon I’ll just have to make do with reminiscences by Pete Sixsmith instead.
Jim Chappell makes the half time draw presentation at Rovers’ game vs Shrewsbury Town. Photo: Ryan Hiscott/JMP. Click the image to see all Who are You? interviews this season
Monsieur Salut writes: when this is published, I shall be thousands of miles away in the UAE, somewhere between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. I may be celebrating from afar two great home wins to make up for the stumble versus Blackpool. The resident thorn in our sides, Brian, may be eating some of his anti-Jack Ross words. I may not be celebrating; he may not feel hungry (and the quick update, written from afar, is that one win and two draws was not a great return on such an open goal of a home run).
Jim Chappell*, our Bristol Rovers ‘Who are You?’ volunteer, is the ultimate fan. Chairman of his team’s supporters’ club for nearly 30 years, he hasn’t missed a home game since 1972.
Jim answered our questions before I went on holiday. His replies will cover both of Sunderland’s forthcoming games at the Memorial Stadium, Saturday’s League One tie and the Checkatrade Trophy semi-final on March 5.
I may go back to him for a between-games update on his thoughts. Jim niftily shortened the usual questions and did so in such an effective fashion that there is no need to reinstate them in full …
Welcome once again to Salut! Sunderland‘s prize Guess the Score competition as Jack Ross takes the lads to the first of two games in quick succession at Bristol Rovers. Read on and you’ll see it is a special edition of the competition covering both matches.
This is being written before either the Accrington Stanley or Gillingham home ties – Monsieur Salut is away from Feb 16 to 23 inclusive – so you, the readers, are in a better position to judge how we are likely to fare at the Memorial Stadium.
Pete Sixsmith remains busy on the Saturdays before Christmas so it’s a substitute performance over the weekend. Our deputy editor Malcolm Dawson was there to brave rotten weather conditions and at times rotten play, it seems, happy enough that a game that didn’t go as expected still finished well enough. He sent alternative seven-word verdicts to replace John McCormick’s contingency offering ‘Maja ups the price on his head’. Both evoke the Rovers nickname and the second was sent immediately after the away side threatened to snatch a draw with a spot of late pressure …
John McCormick writes: I won’t be in the North East for the home game but I have my eye on the away fixture at Bristol this season. It would be another club and ground on my list, not that I’m collecting. If I was, however, it would be some years before I could approach the number racked up by Pete Sixsmith, who has been here, there and everywhere, despite giving his time to other seasonal pursuits.
And here he is again with the next instalment of his adventures, his first sighting of Bristol Rovers at Roker Park:
Doug Shields before Rovers 0-4 Doncaster. ‘The only time I smiled on Saturday.’ Click on the photo to see all Who are You?s this season
The curse of Who are You? A frantic call from Doug tells M Salut the manager has left today ‘by mutual consent’
Monsieur Salut writes:Doug Shields* is a friend of a friend, my Leeds-supporting, Bristol-based former colleague Richard Savill. He came up with some splendid gallows humour to describe the plight of his beloved Rovers and his life as a fan. He expects a severe beating when he visits the SoL – a common Rovers view that gives me very bad vibes – but looks forward to the delights by night of a certain other city where, he’s been told, ‘all the lads look like Jimmy Nail and all the girls have been on Geordie Shore’ …
