All Sixer’s own work – whatever it says about who wrote it
Monsieur Salut writes: for those who bought the matchday programme on Saturday, it is worth pointing out that the article attributed to me was in fact the work of Pete Sixsmith. He was reflecting on the distances that have to be covered by supporters wishing to attend away games, obviously a topic of interest to the impressive bunch of Argyle fans who made the trek to Sunderland …
John McCormick writes: A joint effort brings this to you on a fine morning. Fine not because of the weather, which is a bit iffy, but because we have just won our third in a row and have a semi-final in a couple of days. Malcolm did the proof-reading and uploaded the text, leaving the final layout for me.
There’s a busy few days ahead, so the plan is to have a match report up tomorrow morning, though I’ve no idea who will be doing it as Colin, Pete and Malcolm are all at the game. A “Guess the score” will follow the match report some time tomorrow afternoon and then on Monday we have a brief “Who are you?” before Bristol Rovers entertain us once more.
There’s no Bristol “first time ever” from Pete Sixsmithas he did it a few days ago but there is the traditional seven word text he sent on the final whistle today
There are some famous names on display today as Pete Sixsmith takes us on another of his legendary rambles. If I had to choose one of these players it would be Micky Horswill. I loved the way he lurked outside the box to pick up and ping in loose balls, not to mention his no-nonsense, take no prisoners style of play.
Is he a legend at Plymouth? I don’t know, but I do know he deserves high praise on Wearside.
Photo: Matt Austin. Click on it to read more about the squeezebox king
Monsieur Salut writes: time for another Salut! Sunderland first. The Plymouth Argyle Who are You? interviewee and I will be sitting next to each other at the match we discussed. That hasn’t happened before, though I did once accompany Melanie Hill (Mrs Coco the Scab in Brassed Off) to a Charlton away game some while after her interview – Flirting on the Fulwell – appeared.
It is a necessarily short exchange. Geoff Lakeman and I have known each other since the year Sunderland last won the FA Cup, so he is also a little long-in-the-tooth. But he is still a busy man. We met through folk music; he played regularly at the Herga folk club in Wealdstone and I, newly down south, went there most weeks. After a long and distinguished career in journalism, Geoff has returned to music. Not content with producing three sons – Seth, Sean and Sam – who are all fine musicians (and Sam and Sean are married to superb singers, Cara Dillon and Kathryn Roberts respectively), he is on the road again – this time as a troubadour, not a roving reporter
The Plymouth match coincides with a tour by Geoff of northern folk venues and a day off allows him to attend the SoL. I have sorted his ticket and he promises to be on his best behaviour …
Jake: ‘Stop press: Sixer stepped off the Soapbox and it’s John Marshall in his place’
Monsieur Salut writes: John Marshall can always be relied upon to step in as an admirable substitute on occasions when Pete Sixsmith is absent from a Sunderland game. Sixer did see a SAFC win – Shildon’s ‘best performance of the season’, according the manager, to beat Barton Town 2-0 away in the second round of the Buildbase FA Vase – but arranged for John to provide both the Seven and the Soapbox report on a terrific result that took us to five wins on the trot and a place in the top two …
Monsieur Salut writes: no Pete Sixsmith at Home Park for Sunderland’s fifth league win on the trot, Aiden McGeady claiming both goals and more crucial saves from Jon McLaughlin, plus some solid defending, keeping another clean sheet before 1,300 travelling fans. And Sunderland are now second top. Sixer’s supersub, John Marshall, provides the seven-word verdict and will be followed by a full report.
Monsieur Salut writes:Mike Arthur* is a salt-of-the-earth Cornishman, so much so that we can forgive him for being not only the president of the Plymouth branch of the Argyle Supporters’ Club but also a supporter of Manchester United. As many will know, I don’t really hold with having a second team (unless it’s Shildon in my case). But Mike’s attachment to the Red Devils dates from the same horrific event that drew so many of us, if most only briefly, to the nation’s United love-in: Munich.
Mike, a retired police superintendent, is recovering from a hip injury sustained when some oaf reversed into him as he crossed a road. But despite advancing years – he’s 76 – he’ll be there for our match and also hopes to travel up to Sunderland for the return towards the end of the season. Now why is it that his own pessimism – optimism as seen by us when anyone says we’re going to win a game with ease – has me worried? …
Jake” ‘what five wins on the trot would feel like …. ‘
Having hobnobbed at the SoL on Saturday, Monsieur Salut is nowhere to be seen (unless you, too, are in a small French town where Salafists allegedly took over one area).
He remains skint. So no question of a prize Guess the Score for Plymouth Argyle. Another multiple winner collects the latest mug, having gone for 3-0 versus Southend. Heaven knows when we’ll get around to sending it but it shall be done.
John McCormick writes:
