Hardly cricket: venomous ECB penalty punishes SAFC’s natural sporting ally, Durham

Sixer contemplates new cricket grounds to lick his ice cream next summer
Sixer contemplates new cricket grounds at which to lick his ice cream next summer

A disaster for Durham, says Pete Sixsmith of the enforced relegation of Durham County Cricket Club. I shall leave him to explain the intricacies and implications of the England and Wales Cricket Club decision. Suffice to say Sixer – who traditionally uses what he earns marking examination papers towards the cost of attending SAFC and DCCC matches – is an angry man …

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Sixer on fixtures, Jozy and cricket lovely cricket with Durham’s SAFC contingent

Pete Sixsmith wishes all Sunderland supporterss a happy Christmas (read on ...)
Pete Sixsmith wishes all Sunderland supporterss a happy Christmas (read on …)

Pete Sixsmith soaks up World Cup football and county cricket and offers a thought or two on the fixtures list for 2014-2015 …

I decided to forego the fixtures breakfast at the Stadium of Light yesterday morning and satisfied myself with a home-made brekkie of porridge, blueberries, tea and a bacon sandwich before firing up the trusty Toshiba to see them appear on the screen at exactly 9am (see it here).

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Durham CCC: a magnificent achievement Sunderland and Newcastle fans cheer together

Sixer photographed by M Salut, framed by Jake
Sixer photographed by M Salut, framed by Jake

County cricket tean = Durham, county football team = Sunderland. OK, you have to be nearly 40 to have been alive when Sunderland was a proud part of County Durham. All the same, that’s how lots of people still see things. But at the Riverside ground (can we still call it that?), Pete Sixsmith saw today how that cricket team soothes the mutual antagonism of SAFC and NUFC supporters. The tribes came together to celebrate and acclaim another wonderful county championship title for Paul Collingwood and his men. After just four Premier League games, it might be harsh to write off PDC’s team as County Chumps. Durham CCC, however, are absolutely County Champs …

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Podgy: the tributes and the flags

On tour, Podgy's flag for SAFC supporters in Willington

The death of George Summerside, Podgy to many people and Poledancer or Enigma (if not Podgy) when on the Ready to Go message boards, has touched many people.

George followed Sunderland, Durham Cricket Club and the England cricket team to any corner of the world that games took them.

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RIP Podgy, a true stalwart of Sunderland, Durham CCC, the Barmy Army

It is not often that something that needs an airing here appears first at the Salut! Sunderland Facebook page (you can join the group by following this link).

This is an exception and one that deserves a wider audience. Posted from Cancun, Mexico as M Salut’s holiday nears its end, here is the mini-tribute by Martin Emmerson, from BBC Radio Newcastle and one of Salut! Sunderland’s great friends to George Summerside:

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