Charlie Hurley - SAFC Blog

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Ground: Blackpool and Bloomfield Road

December 31, 2018 by Colin Randall

John McCormick writes: I thought it was when I was old enough to go into pubs but not old enough to do so legally that I first went to went to Bloomfield Road, which would put the date around 1968. I’m pretty sure, however, that it wasn’t Sunderland I saw playing there but Bolton Wanderers, who had Charlie Hurley turning out for them and he didn’t join Bolton until the start of the 69-70 season.

Pete Sixsmith has no such doubts. He was there before me and he remembers it, or at least the bits thatmatter, well.

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Team: Charlton Athletic

August 3, 2018August 3, 2018 by Colin Randall

League One fans probably don’t know that Pete Sixsmith is a member of the 92 club, or whatever it’s called. In fact, given his proclivity for non-league and his propensity for travel he’s probably a member of the 192 club, and for many seasons he has regaled us with tales from around the country and beyond. Last season he stepped it up and provided an account of recalling the first time he saw every club we played against at home and his first visit to every ground we were due to play at in the lead up to match.

It was a tremendous series and we didn’t think he’d be able to keep it up. But he reckons he can and here’s the first effort. Charlton fans in particular, League One fans in general, I suggest you bookmark the page. After you’ve read it you’ll appreciate why.

We all agree: name the North Stand after Monty (or do we?)

August 2, 2018August 1, 2018 by Colin Randall

We’ve chosen one of Jake’s generic Salut! Sunderland images as this is a democratic effort

John McCormick writes: It was Malcolm who sent the e-mail about a poll to decide on names for the stands at the SOL but it was Eric who made the original request, via the comments section, in Colin’s guess the score for the opening game of the season. My contribution was the headline you see above and the construction of the page.

Charlie Hurley, Bob Stokoe, Bradley Lowery, Raich Carter, Stan Anderson, Jimmy Montgomery and Ian Porterfield, in no particular order, were the first names we came up with; I added Cloughie and Shack when setting up the poll.

Has the luck of the Irish in English football run out?

August 22, 2017August 22, 2017 by Colin Randall

Kevin O’Neill is an Irish football writer who knows his subject. In a new book, he traces the declining role …

Clough, Monty, trouncing Chelsea … Salut! Sunderland shares memories with Football Friends

June 13, 2017June 13, 2017 by Colin Randall

Monsieur Salut writes: Why does Salut! Sunderland exist? What prompted its creation? What was my first game? What have been my highs and lows of supporting Sunderland? All the kind of questions we regularly ask Who are You? candidates. This time the boot was on the other foot. The newish Football Friends site wanted answers from me. Here they are – and do check out the site for chats with those responsible for other club blogs …

Sunderland and relegation: been there, done that, collected too many T-shirts

May 4, 2017May 3, 2017 by Colin Randall

Pete Sixsmith doesn’t intend to spend the summer moping about our most recent relegation.

He intends to spend the summer moping about all of our relegations.

As he puts it: ‘Relegation Number 10 so lots of memories to ramble on about as our season rambles to an end. So depressing……’

Sixer’s Tottenham Soapbox: Plenty to like in a hard fought game

February 4, 2017February 1, 2017 by Colin Randall

*Pete Sixsmith: a man of myth and legend*

John McCormick writes: I didn’t see much of last night’s game. I did see Jack Rodwell’s foul and would have had him off at half time to prevent a potential second yellow. But David Moyes apparently didn’t think there was any need to worry; Rodwell stayed on and had a “quietly effective game”, according to Pete Sixsmith.

What else did Pete note?

Find out for yourself as he regales us with not only another fine match report but also a slight diversion down memory lane, past Roker Park and towards 1961, when Spurs used only 17 players, all from the UK, in doing the double.

Steve Cram opens his heart: Charlie’s his darling and he means Hurley

February 26, 2016February 25, 2016 by Colin Randall

Years ago, when Sixer, Malcolm Dawson, John McCormick and Monsieur Salut were still young, or at least a long way from qualifying for bus passes, Salut! Sunderland reproduced a nice little interview that formed part of a Celebrity Supporters series for the newsletter of the London and SE branch of the SAFC Supporters’ Association.

The interviewee was Steve Cram, then as now president of the branch as well as being “The Jarrow Arrow”, a world record-breaking middle distance runner with impeccable credentials as a Sunderland supporter.

Sixer’s Man Utd Soapbox: new boys show their class

February 14, 2016 by malcolm

Malcolm Dawson writes……….before the game they were showing highlights of the 6-0 win over West Ham in 1977 on the …

Cheer up Jan Kirchhoff: even Charlie Hurley had a debut to forget

January 19, 2016January 19, 2016 by Colin Randall

Jake: 'in time, Jan ...' — Jake: ‘in time maybe, Jan …’

The Hoff needn’t get The Huff. We’ve all had rotten days at work and sometimes, for some of us, on the first day of a new job. Before he knows it, the fans will be singing, ‘Who’s the greatest centre half the world has even seen … Jan Kirchhoff is his name’. Anyone with the sense of history shown in Iain Foster’s comment knows Charlie Hurley also made a wretched start to life with Sunderland. Iain wonders whether we might follow King Charlie with Kaiser Kirchhoff and Pete Sixsmith takes up the story …

Charlie Hurley: courtesy of therokerend.com - see footnote — Charlie Hurley: courtesy of therokerend.com