The club is in crisis and up for sale. Not Sunderland … Olympique de Marseille.
Monsieur Salut currently finds himself a shade closer to the Vélodrome than the Stadium of Light. And this little story concerns us as well as them.
Steven Fletcher
French Fancies: Marseille fans get Steven Fletcher’s goat (and not just his)
Probably for one week only, French Fancies returns to record the latest edition of the Mediterranean exploits of one Steven Fletcher, on loan from SAFC to Marseille …
There are worse things footballers can be called than goats, as Olympique de Marseille were during Saturday’s 0-0 draw on Saturday, a 14th home game in Ligue 1 without a win.
If the people calling you goats also happen to accompany the jibe with the Benny Hill theme tune played from the stands, it seems even less wounding as an insult.
Wrinkly Pete: wise men say only fools rush out
Amid a barrage of criticism levelled at SAFC ownership and management, Peter Lynn offers an alternative view of on and off-the-field problems that include, in his view, the spectacle of supporters leaving the Stadium of Light early …
Wishing Fletcher well at Marseille, wishing he’d achieved more at Sunderland
No man should blame another for fancying a few months in the vibrant Mediterranean city of Marseille. If Joey Barton can return unscathed, so can Steven Fletcher.
It is a surprising move in the sense that many of us expected him to end up at Celtic or West Ham, maybe, not to go abroad. But no one will be shocked to see him go somewhere, with just the rest of the season to run on his contract and no appetite on Big Sam’s part for prolonging his stay.
Sixer’s Soapbox: Arsenal’s artful dodgers create hard times for Sunderland defence
Malcolm Dawson writes….Can we do in midweek what Oxford United have just done and beat Swansea? We need to and …
The Crystal Palace v SAFC ‘Who are You?’: liking Wickham, wanting Fletch
This is Jay Crame‘s* second trip to the Who are You? hotseat. Jay, founder and editor of the Crystal Palace …
Sixer’s post Everton Soapbox: no good at Goodison
Malcolm Dawson writes…..it could have been a perfect weekend for Pete Sixsmith. In fact it could have been a brilliant …
SIXer’s post Newcastle Soapbox: Wonga boys lose interest at the SoL
Malcolm Dawson writes……one of the things that struck me about yesterday’s game was how similar the pre and post match …
Sixer’s Sevens: SAFC 3-0 Newcastle United. The joy of six in a row
Monsieur Salut writes: after an opening 40 minutes of worryingly inept football, Sunderland sprang into life to beat Newcastle 3-0 and keep the run going. Jermain Defoe’s introduction when injury left Ola Toivonen unable to continue made the difference. Suddenly, in first-half stoppage time, his pass of Premier League – one of few Sunderland mustered in the first half – cut open the United defence. Steven Fletcher looked about to reach it ahead of Ellott and Coloccini bundled him over. Clear penalty, clear red and Adam Johnson did the rest, sending us into half time with the lead. Shaky moments followed the interval but Costel Pantilimon, harshly blamed here last week for the WBA winner, pulled off a couple of terrific saves before Billy Jones and Fletcher made it comfortable. The season has started …and our seven-word specialist summariser Pete Sixsmith went home a happy man
Dick’s post West Ham Advochaat: I’m proud of the players
Malcolm Dawson writes…..on the way back from today’s game Pete Sixsmith got a text suggesting that Big Dick had checked …