relegation - SAFC Blog

Kate Bush says ‘Don’t give up’, and so does Wrinkly Pete

April 18, 2017April 17, 2017 by Colin Randall

John McCormick writes: So you think it’s bad, do you?

In this post Wrinkly Pete opens with a reminder of a time when the mortgage interest rate was just about dropping into single figures after peaking at 15%+, Sunderland were struggling in the bottom half of the second division and averaging gates of under 20,000, and down here in Liverpool the militant tendency were about to send my redundancy notice out via taxi.

Then he jumps forward almost thirty years to bring a simple message to all our readers.

Nil desperandum: why Sunderland’s relegation would still not lead me to despair

March 15, 2017 by Colin Randall

A younger, slimmer Malcolm Dawson with SuperKev.

This article by our deputy editor Malcolm Dawson appeared two years ago next Monday. Change the names and other details and it is as relevant now as it was then. Pete Sixsmith always threatens to jump ship, without – except in the 1997-1998 playoff season – actually getting wet; in fact, he will probably see a season or two, provided it is no more than that, in the Championship as a pleasant change from enduring life at the bottom of the Premier League. Malcolm suggested re-running the article so presumably feels the same as he did in March 2015, just after he’d watched Aston Villa thrash us 4-0 at the SoL; maybe a few tweaks would bring us up to date, but the article and its sentiments stand the test of two years rather well, so there has been almost no editing …

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Sunderland and Hull, Middlesbrough or Palace? Swansea or Bournemouth? Not WBA, as Leicester take off

March 10, 2017 by Colin Randall

*John McCormick: We’re bottom and there’s now a gap*

When I last reported in with the Salut Sunderland relegation watch we had had some recent wins but were still in the relegation zone, along with Swansea and Hull. (Swansea weren’t one of the clubs chosen in our start-of season poll but I included them in December on the grounds that some people did vote for “another club” and they had begun to fit that bill after a decline).

That was only a month ago, just after the transfer window closed, since when new signings have had time to settle and new managers to generate – but maybe not sustain – a bounce. With a cup weekend giving most of them a breather we have another chance to review the situation.

But before I do, I have to congratulate West Bromwich Albion, who passed through our metaphorical barrier with ease. Would that we could reach such heights.

Sixer’s stand-in’s Soapbox: Everton do enough to guarantee the points

February 26, 2017 by Colin Randall

John McCormick writes:

Pete has asked me if I can do a match report for him as he’s taking in Bradford v Toulouse and won’t get in until late.

I can, but you mustn’t expect his level of wit, nor his keen observation and erudition. This was only my third live game of the season and I have enough trouble recognising September’s signings, never mind any from January, and have yet to work out what system we use and where different players slot in, assuming we have one.

Sixer’s Southampton Soapbox: “for 25 minutes we looked good”

February 13, 2017February 12, 2017 by Colin Randall

Jake sent a message with the graphic on the left:

“Another false dawn is snuffed out.”

Is there any hope?

David Moyes suggests there is, other results suggest there may be.

But, for the real truth, there’s only one place to go. Pete Sixsmith – he’s seen it all, he knows what’s what.

Over to Pete:

Sunderland, Palace, Hull, Swansea, Middlesbrough and Leicester – pick any three

February 9, 2017February 7, 2017 by Colin Randall

When I last reported in with the Salut Sunderland relegation watch we had had some recent wins but were still in the relegation zone, along with Swansea and Hull. (Swansea weren’t one of the clubs chosen in our start-of season poll but I included them in December on the grounds that some people did vote for “another club” and they had begun to fit that bill after a decline).

That was just before Christmas, not long before the transfer window opened, and just around the time struggling clubs might decide a new manager might help them take advantage of it. Now, with all that business done (free agents notwithstanding) it’s time to take stock before we head to the end of season crunch games, six pointers and desperation sackings that define the struggle for 39 points.

Wrinkly Pete’s Crystal Ball: on course for survival, oddly enough, despite Stoke

January 19, 2017January 19, 2017 by Colin Randall

Peter Lynn, aka Wrinkly Pete

Before the Stoke game, “Wrinkly Pete” Lynn calculated the points Sunderland might pick up from the rest of the season and concluded, perhaps generously, that we would snatch survival once again – even if we lost to Stoke, which we duly did and in style (what kind of style would require the sort of bad language Salut! Sunderland tries to avoid).

Using that article as his template, and then adding progress reports, Pete proposes periodic updates to let us all know how each result affects his prognosis. It could end in tears. Whether those tears are of joy or distress remains to be seen …

Hull, Swansea and Sunderland down? Bournemouth, Watford, Middlesbrough, Burnley, West Brom and Crystal Palace safe? Maybe, maybe not

December 23, 2016December 23, 2016 by Colin Randall

Wrinkly Pete alluded to my dodgy numbers in his post earlier in the week so here’s an overview on our performance to date, along with that of the clubs named in the headline, which were chosen by a free and democratic poll at the start of the season. I’m keeping it brief – only a quick trip to set the scene for a “before and after” post early in the new year, and I’ve included Swansea this time, on the grounds that some people did vote for “another club” and they fit the bill, being as it were, eleven Swans a sinking

Sunderland, Hull and ‘Boro descending; Watford rising; Palace, West Brom, Burnley and Bournemouth on the level

November 11, 2016 by Colin Randall

John McCormick: stats is thirsty work

During the close season we gave readers the opportunity to select their relegation favourites from the entire Premier league. Then we asked readers to select three candidates from the eight clubs which came top.

By the season’s start some 3,500 votes had been cast in our relegation poll

Hull were firm favourites to go down, with Burnley and Sunderland giving the North a full house. Watford weren’t far behind Sunderland, then came ‘Boro, Bournemouth and West Brom, followed by one hundred votes for “another club” and finally Crystal Palace, whose 67 votes (we got three times as many to become third favourites) must surely mean safety for them.

Take pity on Hull, Burnley and Sunderland, all doomed before a ball is kicked.

August 13, 2016 by Colin Randall

John McCormick: bored — John McCormick. Impartial, as always

As the days went by our “who’s doomed” poll slipped down the “Salut”front page until it dropped off the bottom like a relegated team.

By then over 3500 votes had been cast. Most came in flurries in the first couple of days and, although I suspect a strong contingent of Sunderland fans cast votes and tried to move us in the general direction of safety, the positions of the eight chosen clubs didn’t change, and nor did the percentages to any significant extent.