Most weeks, readers of Salut! Sunderland drop by on Friday morning to catch the latest instalment in Pete Sixsmith’s twin series, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Ground (if the game in question is away), Team (if it’s at the Stadium of Light).
This week, the Millwall edition was posted earlier than usual – namely at this link.
Sunderland finished a dismal 2017 with an away win. Pete Sixsmith was there to see it and he finishes the year with yet another fine report.
Well, not quite, because later today there’ll be another of his “first time I ever..” series. It should appear just about when you’re returning from the pub and you’ll have time to read it while warming up the valves before tuning into Andy Stewart and the White Heather Club.
But first, here’s the aforementioned match report:
John McCormick writes: Rob Hutchison did his one-words verdicts, passed them to Olivia, who forwarded them to M Salut, who put them into an email in the hope that someone would be able to get them up before tomorrow, which will be very busy. And I just happened to pick up the e-mail.
Teamwork, eh. It’s not just SAFC that can do it
Pete Sixsmith, back on duty, must have spent a good five minutes applauding. I can’t think of any other reason why his seven word summary took so long to arrive. It’s worth waiting for, however, as it contains a message of hope:
John McCormick writes: I’ve sort of begun a tradition within this series, of adding material, especially video, that Pete Sixsmith hasn’t come up with himself, although he has provided some great photos. I was setting this one up in advance, hoping as I did so that Pete would include something I could use to keep the tradition going. It’s Nottingham Forest this time, so can you guess what I put at the end in anticipation?
Pete delivered perfectly, but he also provided the opportunity for a mid-piece piece as well. And the beauty of it is that neither diverts from another fascinating reminiscence:
John McCormick writes: a midwinter journey to one of the proper clubs. Founded 1865, occupying the same ground during three different centuries, and they had the sense to take on the best manager we never had. And then it all went wrong.
But it looks like it’s going right again as we welcome Forest season ticket holder Dan Watts, founder of Talk Forest TV and spotted for us by our own Pete Sixsmith, to give us the lowdown …
Let’s not waste too many words. Chris Coleman said his players allowed themselves to be intimidated by Sheffield United. Maybe; we were second best all over the pitch and the game was already beyond us when Asoro and Maja came on.
Another international break, another chance to catch up on our favourites for the promotion and playoff places.
You might remember they were, in no particular order, Fulham, Leeds, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland. How have they done?
(If you’re new to this series, or if you want to catch up, you can trot over to Mccormick’s dodgy numbers, find the first post in the series (27th June) and work your way up the page).
Put it this way. Pete Sixsmith gives a lot more to the football-supporting public than he gets back. …
Malcolm Dawson writes……”he’s gone too wide, he’s gone too wide.” Memories of Sunday evenings and the voice of Phil Drabble …