Southampton

Sunderland vs Southampton Guess the Score: can the mini-revival continue?

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Sam Dobson, our Saints interviewee, with the Southampton boss - for now - Mauricio Pochettino
Sam Dobson, our Saints interviewee, with the Southampton boss – for now – Mauricio Pochettino

In his otherwise exemplary Southampton “Who are You?” interview, Sam Dobson – answering questions before the Nicola Cortese resignation – said: “… most of this Against Modern Football stuff is a load of rubbish. A lot of the things that people moan about today have always existed.”

Except, perhaps, the 1245 kickoffs for games between clubs from opposite ends of the country. This one means Sam, an ever—present at Saints games home and away, that will see him up as some ungodly hour to make the trek north.

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Sixer’s Southampton Soapbox: WEMBLEY HERE WE COME – PERHAPS.

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Jake saluts Sixer's stamina
Jake saluts Sixer’s stamina

John McCormick writes: I was in Waterloo last night, drinking a very tasty ale and wondering how we were doing. Sunderland were on the TV when I arrived but for some reason they were replaced by Arsenal so all I saw was about 30 seconds of John O’Shea. So for me and the very many others also not at the SOL this is the place to come, this time for Pete Sixsmith‘s inimitable thoughts on the game. For once, he saw the Lads win – and advance to the Capital One Cup last eight:

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Sixer’s Sevens: SAFC 2 Southampton 1. The Wembley dream lives on

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Pete Sixsmith - or supersub - does it in seven words
Pete Sixsmith – or supersub – does it in seven words

Something went wrong. Not just us winning and keeping the Wembley dream alive. Pete Sixsmith‘s texts from the SoL dried up before Sunderland scored – at half time he declared the game ‘as dull as it sounds’ – and Monsieur Salut, listening to Barnes and Benno and watching an internet stream that was sometimes ahead of the radio commentary, took to texting Sixer, doubtless dozing in the East Stand. Not a great game, but Bardsley’s sheer persistence grabbed goal one, Larsson finished classily from a splendid Altidore pass for goal two and we could afford for once to ill-defend a set piece to allow the Saints their consolation. Bring on Chelsea …

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Sunderland v Southampton ‘Guess the Score’: reaching for glory amid the gloom

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Jake: supporting a club proud to keep its red and white stripes. Unlike, er, the Saints
Jake: supporting a club proud to keep its red and white stripes. Unlike, er, the Saints

It’s nearly here. Tomorrow, which will coincidentally be a full week on from the (unfulfilled) promise by Northumbria Police to get back to Salut! Sunderland with answers to our questions about the disgraceful late change to the matchdate, Sunderland play Southampton in the fourth round of the Capital One Cup.

In a season that has so far had only one ray of sunshine, the game represents SAFC’s best chance of helping to make 2013-2014 memorable for the right reasons.

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The Southampton Who are You?: ‘Poyet will have you playing nice football’

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Jake demands answers
Jake demands answers

I don’t want to raise hopes too much but Southampton did something very rare on Saturday and let in a goal. What’s more, of only three previously conceded, one had been scored by Sunderland, back in those heady days when we could actually say we were unbeaten away. Chris Rann*, the power behind georgeweahscousin.com, does not offer a prediction for Wednesday night’s Capital One cup – a place in the quarter finals and a home tie against Chelsea awaiting the winners – but says the prospect of the Saints claiming the trophy excites him more than England’s World Cup trip to Brazil …

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The switched Southampton game. When fans come last

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The long road. By Jake
The long road. By Jake

The dimmest pupil in geography classes could probably tell you Southampton to Sunderland is a fair old slog, a trip to be planned with care as far in advance as possible to keep costs down and bosses happy.

The people who sit on the safety advisory group for Sunderland AFC – representatives from the club, Northumbria police, the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue, the North East Ambulance Service, the Sports Grounds Safety Authority and the local authority – are not dim.

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Salut! Sunderland Podcast: what’s gone wrong with Ji Dong Won?

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On time again, says Jake
On time again, says Jake

One of the most encouraging things about the live podcast last week was seeing many journo and editor types in the audience, writes Stephen Goldsmith. This was particularly pleasing as it meant I could remind them face to face about their assurances of featuring on the podcast.

 

James Hunter from the Evening Chronicle was one the recipients of this direct method and popped in to the studios to discuss all things SAFC. Being the Sunderland correspondent in a Newcastle paper, it was a change in environment for James, here he could witness Sunderland fans moaning instead of Newcastle fans goading over airports or housing estates that aren’t even in the same county. Gareth Barker and I were also joined by Craig Clark from over at Roker Report who sparked off a massive Phil Bardsley debate at the live pod last week. If he hadn’t have asked somebody else would have in all fairness.

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Sixer’s Travels: Southampton, heartening news of Jody Craddock and back in time for Blackburn

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Sixer photographed by M Salut, framed by Jake
Sixer photographed by M Salut, framed by Jake

Pete Sixsmith‘s Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset odyssey took in Sunderland at St Mary’s, of course, but also a visit to Salisbury and a reminder of the sort of person Jody Craddock is. Our former centre back is now living in Christchurch where he donated one of his paintings to a relief fund in honour of a local footballer killed in a road accident. Pete – and all at Salut! Sunderland wish Jody and his family well and are relieved to hear his young son, Toby, stricken with lymphoblastic leukaemia last year, continues to make good progress …

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