Burnley

SAFC vs Burnley ‘Who are You?’: Dyche, Barton, Bob Lord and us

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Duncan Sutcliffe (on the right, with his dad Colin): ‘sorry, Sunderland, you’re the worst we’ve seen at the Turf’

Colin Randall wites: What a fabulous set of answers, from a proper supporter of a proper football club, brought to us by Pete Sixsmith, who met him on holiday in Italy and tried to lead him astray (ie by persuading him along to some some Under 23s reserve game Sixer had spotted in the local paper). As I read the first, long answer from Duncan Sutcliffe* I wondered whether the interview ought to be cut in two. I decided against, because a) it’s the sort of read I’d personally want to see in one go and b) because Salut! Sunderland readers generally warm to exchanges of this kind and this quality with people who essentially, share their outlook on football. Great stuff, if ultimately grim reading for us, Duncan – what a pleasure to have you back again ….

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Burnley Guess the Score and a Hull fan aids Bradley Lowery’s fund

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Jake: ‘is there any point in urging a special performance?’

Monsieur Salut writes: I had an itch to get this week’s Guess the Score out there, but an e-mail from a Hull City supporter exiled in Sri Lanka removed any doubt. You may recall that last week, despite Sunderland’s inactivity, we offered a mini-edition of Nick Barnes’s splendid Matchbook for the first to post correct scorelines in two games of interest to but not involving SAFC, partly because some unexpected advertising enabled us to do so and partly because the publishers, Tales from Red and Whites are paying £5 into the Bradley Lowery fund for each copy bought. So there were two winners – a Hull supporter and Bradley. Read on …

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Sixer’s Travels: as a postponed trip to Middlesbrough mercifully spares one fate …

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But it was still a weekend of pleasure rather than the usual Sunderland-induced pain, according to Pete Sixsmith. He saw some decent non-league football, albeit watching Shildon lose, and some rugby league. He’s already worried about Saturday but put aside such cares to compose another piece of classy writing combining sport, social observation, politics and travel …

Thanks to Middlesbrough for making the quarter finals of the FA Cup. Not only were they brushed aside by Manchester City, their presence in what used to be called the Sixth Round, spared us from having to go there on a Saturday and thereby probably spoiling our weekend.

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Wrinkly Pete: Nice legs, shame about the football.

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Peter Lynn, aka Wrinkly Pete

John McCormick writes: Pete Lynn, aka Wrinkly Pete, is no stranger to this website. Nor is he a stranger to the Stadium of Light, despite having to make a considerable effort to get there.

But make the effort he does, and sometimes the journey, if not the result, makes him wax lyrical. Here he is explaining in his usual inimitable manner why he enjoys the trip up north:

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Sunderland and Hull, Middlesbrough or Palace? Swansea or Bournemouth? Not WBA, as Leicester take off

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John McCormick
John McCormick: We’re  bottom and there’s now a gap

When I last reported in with the Salut Sunderland relegation watch we had had some recent wins but were still in the relegation zone, along with Swansea and Hull. (Swansea weren’t one of the clubs chosen in our start-of season poll but I included them in December on the grounds that some people did vote for “another club” and they  had begun to fit that bill after a decline).

That was only a month ago, just after the transfer window closed, since when new signings have had time to settle and new managers to generate – but maybe not sustain – a bounce. With a cup  weekend giving most of them a breather we have another chance to review  the situation.

But before I do, I have to congratulate West Bromwich Albion, who passed through our metaphorical barrier with ease. Would that we could reach such heights.

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Sunderland, Palace, Hull, Swansea, Middlesbrough and Leicester – pick any three

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John McCormick
John McCormick: We’re  bottom but the gap’s closing

When I last reported in with the Salut Sunderland relegation watch we had had some recent wins but were still in the relegation zone, along with Swansea and Hull. (Swansea weren’t one of the clubs chosen in our start-of season poll but I included them in December on the grounds that some people did vote for “another club” and they  had begun to fit that bill after a decline).

That was just before Christmas, not long before the transfer window opened, and just around the time struggling clubs might decide a new manager might help them take advantage of it. Now, with all that business done (free agents notwithstanding) it’s time to take stock before we head to the end of season crunch games, six pointers and desperation sackings that define the struggle for 39 points.

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Sixer’s Sevens: FA Cup 3rd Round replay. Burnley sink SAFC after another sad performance

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Jake: catch Sixer's instant seven-word verdicts throughout the season
Jake: catch Sixer’s instant seven-word verdicts throughout the season

Monsieur Salut writes: The more Pete Sixsmith mentioned going to Burnley for the replay, the more I felt he was forcing himself to make the trip, such is the burden he carries as a Sunderland supporter and Salut! Sunderland chronicler. On commentary courtesy of Radio Newcastle, an increasingly exasperated Gary Bennett kept insisting we had a chance to rescue the game. Familiar as he is with the Northern League, Benno hoped against hope that a floodlight failure would necessitate a replayed replay. It wasn’t to be and in his succinct seven-word summary Sixer sums up his own frustrations after another disappointing trip across the Pennines …

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Burnley vs Sunderland Guess the Score as Rodwell admits supporting SAFC’s tough

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Jake: ‘let’s see if we can finally beat them’

This is a Guess the Score and Who are You? combined for the FA Cup 3rd round replay at Burnley.

Salut! Sunderland is not on a go-slow or work-to-rule or in any greater sulk than usual. It just seemed unnecessary to run yet another interview with a supporter of a team we will by tomorrow night have played three times since New Year’s Eve. There’ll be a reminder later in this piece of the refreshing thoughts of our previous Burnley interviewee, Andy Robinson, about the importance of the cup to him.

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