John O’Shea

Calling warm, witty or wise Leicester, Burnley and QPR fans: you’re needed

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Sunderland: the new away top*
Sunderland: the new away top*

First off, here – with SAFC’s much appreciated co-operation – is the new away strip for 2014-2015. It will be officially released on June 27 but orders can be placed now at www.safcstore.com or at official SAFC stores at the Stadium of Light, in Debenhams, Sunderland or at The Galleries, Washington. Now on to business of our own …


QPR being what we were and threaten often enough to become again, a yo-yo club, their supporters know the drill. Burnley ones with slightly longer memories will have an idea what is coming, too. For Leicester fans, it is uncharted territory.

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Paolo Di Canio: ‘no bust-up, I could have turned things round’

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'You decide,' Jake used to say.
‘You decide,’ as Jake used to say

Things are never quite what they seem. That probably applies as much to a statement released by Paolo Di Canio to Sky Sports News today as to comments made by at least one senior Sunderland player following his dismissal as head coach. In the statement, PDC denies there was any “training ground bust-up” and claims that with more time, he could have led Sunderland to safety.

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Paolo Di Canio versus the players, his own choices included

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One day we'll find it possible to be positive, thinks Jake ...
One day we’ll find it possible to be positive, thinks Jake …

Andrea Dossena, a left-sided defender from Napoli, and Liverpool’s out-of-favour striker Fabio Borini are all but signed on season-long loans, according to reports. But Paolo Di Canio has still to convince us that anyone he brings in, or has brought in, will be an improvement on the most gifted, if also most erratic, member of his squad, Stephane Sessegnon, seemingly bound for WBA (assuming the Qatar deal is really off). ButMonsieur Salut has something else on his mind ….

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Sixer’s Palace Soapbox: it’s grim down south!

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A trip to South Norwood was a trip too far for the intrepid Sixer. Having had a few days in the deep south before the Southampton game, followed by three days watching Durham revive their County Championship hopes at Scarborough, Salut’s Pete Sixsmith chose to watch his local Northern League team take another step along the road that leads to Wembley followed by Sky’s coverage of the latest counter revolutionary action at Selhurst Park. It had the makings of a good afternoon but alas the real ale bars of Darlington took a hammering on Saturday night. At least Durham CCC won!SoapboxPALACE

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Video kills the radio subs – and other top, fan-friendly Sunderland gestures

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The power of Salut! Sunderland knows no bounds.

Posed by Adam Johnson, kindly supplied by SAFC
Posed by Adam Johnson, kindly supplied by SAFC

No sooner do we open a discussion on how to follow the Lads when you cannot, for geographical or other reasons, be at the stadium than the club takes the bold step of doing away with SAFC TV and launching an entirely free service that includes the live commentary, from BBC Radio Newcastle, which I mentioned yesterday.

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