EFL Checkatrade Trophy

View from the Avenue: how Sunderland benefit from the Checkatrade distraction

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So close

A few days when size mattered, writes Monsieur Salut: first we had Salut! Sunderland passing a grand total of 4m visits since launch. John McCormick, our associate editor, got so close to capturing the moment (see above) that he wins the promised special-ish prize, Art of Football’s Jermain Defoe five-in-a-row print. Then we had more than 34,000 people at the SoL for a League One fixture from which Sunderland took maximum points. Meanwhile England conceded 31 second-half points after leading 31-7 against Scotland in rugby and could only draw and – no offence intended – another ‘only draw’ was the start of UKIP’s little Leave means Grieve Leave march from Sunderland to London, which could only draw 300 hardy souls.

Amid all this number-crunching, Paul Summerside contributes his first piece for a while. It’s short and sweet but lends an opportunity to reproduce John Mac’s 4,000,005 photo …

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Sunderland’s win at Bristol Rovers is also a win down Mexico way

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. This is a beauty but click on the image to view all Art of Football’s Sunderland-related treasures

As we all now know, the Checkatrade Trophy has assumed an importance the Champions League, the FA Cup and the Carabao can but envy. The semi-final win at Bristol Rovers, courtesy of Will Grigg’s first goal for Sunderland from open play and a second from Lewis Morgan, leaves us Wembley bound.

There is still much work to do in the league as we strive to take a top-two position. But for now, we can savour the moment and look forward to the March 31 final against Portsmouth. Two grand old clubs at Wembley = a sell-out crowd and a memorable occasion. More from Pete Sixsmith and/or Malcolm Dawson, both present at the Memorial Ground, will follow in due course but may have to await their return from the West Country. So let’s deal with other business …

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The Bristol Rovers Who are You?: ´the day Sunderland trashed our dressing room’

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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 …

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Bristol Rovers vs Sunderland Guess the Score. Aim for a prize-winning double

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There IS a prize and you know what it is

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.

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Sixer’s Manchester City Seven: one step from Wembley

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Jake: ‘not so silly a cup after all’

As Salut! Sunderland‘s tweet put it, this was game that would take us one step from Wembley if we won, but didn’t really matter if we lost since it’s a Mickey Mouse competition anyway. In the event, Pete Sixsmith and our deputy editor Malcolm Dawson were there to witness a good win. So the Checkatrade is important after all. Watmore could you want than one goal? Another, from Gooch. One of the Salut team will be writing about the match at greater length. This is the place for the instant verdict, preceded by an asterisk if someone other than Sixer proves the seven-word summing-up …

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