Northern Echo

Bomber Brown, player power and Michael Gray’s Ferrari

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It was a good day at the office for the Salut! Sunderland Comments department yesterday. Some sharp thoughts on Blackburn’s plight and on our own progress, plus a simple, moving response to our tribute to Ralph Coates. And once again Frank Johnson, who covered Sunderland for the Northern Echo for four decades, popped up with priceless memories. We just hope he doesn’t mind them being elevated in this way to ensure a wider audience …

I wonder what Alan Brown (the manager, not the player) would make of today’s game and today’s players.

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Darren Bent’s mum: an update on the “racial slur” incident

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LATEST NEWS (Dec 1):

The media are reporting the arrest of a 26-year-old man from Chester-le-Street on suspicion of racially abusing Mrs Bent. He has been bailed pending further inquiries. No further comments can be accepted on this posting.


More details have emerged about the alleged racial taunt that caused such offence to Darren Bent’s mother, and therefore to her son. However, the reporting of the incident is inconsistent and in serious need of proper clarification …

Salut! Sunderland takes no pleasure in returning to the subject of the alleged racial slur that so outraged Darren Bent.

If a report in today’s Northern Echo is correct, then the location of the incident has moved. But it remains a matter of no less concern to what I am sure is the overwhelming majority of Sunderland fans.

Also, taking this account at face value, we can exclude any suggestion that Darren Bent’s mother misunderstood a fan’s accent or attempt at humour (which was suggested as a possible explanation in a comment posted here after our first report).

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