Sam Allardyce strikes a sensible balance in his post-match e-mail, accepting the disappointment of another defeat but praising his team, especially the new boys, for a heartily encouraging performance. With all the talent at their disposal, Manchester City were reduced to playacting and blatant timewasting to preserve their lead. Anyone betting on a City victory at cash out betting sites would have been sorely tempted to cash in their winnings rather than count on the cruelly early lead surviving a second half in which Sunderland were the only side looking capable of scoring in the second half …
Salut! Sunderland‘s Monsieur Salut was rebuked recently for banging on too much about France. Since the old French Fancies series, looking at Ligue 1 and below, has largely fallen into disuse, this seemed odd even if the very title of the site betrays a connection with the other side of the Channel. Others did spring to the old codger’s defence and the old codger himself has no known French blood, just a French wife, two half-French daughters and a quarter-French granddaughter.
M Salut’s much greater shame is to have been born in Hove though County Durham was the place of his upbringing and youth, the family has long-established if historic Sunderland connections and anyone on Wearside called Morris may be distantly related.
Just for fun, here’s Peter Lynn‘s wry look at the little contretemps …
Rob Hutchison was probably a little harsh with his one-word verdicts on the Lads v Liverpool, or maybe just realistic and angry. Now he turns his fire on a succession of dodgy signings Sunderland have made in the past and picks a team we trust is pure fantasy (again with a spot of harshness along the way)..
What are the best and worst SAFC shirts you can remember? Below, our occasional contributor John Penman takes you on a colourful tour of his own history of owning them whether good, bad or plain ugly.
BUT FIRST A COMPETITION – WHICH EXPLAINS WHY COMMENTS ARE DISABLED FOR THIS POST:
Salut! Sunderland and Classic Football Shirts combine to offer all SAFC fans around the world – in other words, no Guess the Score-type restrictions on overseas delivery addresses AND no one is ineligible to enter – the chance of winning a £50 voucher to spend, choosing from the huge Classic Football Shirts collection of original football kits from around the world.
‘Whether new products with the tags still on, rare player issue items or pre-owned classic shirts from the past, our site has something for any football fan,’ says CFS’s Danny Taylor, who describes working with a stock of 300,000 tops as like being a museum curator.
‘It couldn’t be simpler to enter all you have to do is answer the question: who is Sunderland’s all-time top goal scorer?’.
Enter the competition by sending your reply to marketing@classicfootballshirts.co.uk before the closing date of midnight on December 18 . No answers or comments below – the winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received. There is no special consolation prize for answering: ‘It’s either Jozy Altidore or Danny Graham.’
Sixer: ‘winter looms – time to start wrapping up’. But In green? Sobs takes the fashion honours
From a late cameo role to help preserve the lead at Crystal Palace, Danny Graham – in his 31st year – went straight into the Under 21s lineup to face Liverpool in a league cup tie. Top of the Barclays U21 Premier League, SAFC had already beaten the Scousers once and surely started favourites. Graham taught the young ‘uns a thing or rather two, but it wasn’t enough. Pete Sixsmith braved the cold to bring you this report on what went wrong …
Jake: ‘three wins by November 28 cannot be too much to ask’
It’s been a while since we heard from Richard Hulme*, on his own account a veteran of more than half a century as a Stoke City supporter. The wait was worth it. These are cracking replies, rich in insight, history and anecdote – even if he does think our number may be up. He could even be a Potteries incarnation of own Pete Sixsmith, Malcolm Dawson or John McCormick. Richard’s seen and heard it all – Sir Stan, stories of a young Shilton stretching himself from the banister when he feared he’d be too short for a goalie .. even an angelic side to Ryan Shawcross. But if you ever rated Kenwyne or Phil Bardsley, you might want to skip the references to them …
Jake: ‘three wins by November 28 cannot be too much to ask’
Bravo to Sam and the Lads for a very committed display at Palace, with more decent football than the “ugly but effective” comments would have you believe. Three precious points won, the fans at Selhurst Park for once rewarded for singing their hearts out … but can we keep it going?
This, after all, is Sunderland – as the saying goes.
Monsieur Salut writes: poor Pete Sixsmith. He ruled out a Monday night at London’s least accessible ground a while ago. But he fought through the trenches of ticket acquisition to get me there and will learn only when reading these words that I did not make it. I plead pressure of work, not despair at the Lads but a wasted ticket’s a wasted ticket and there was no time to pass it on. Here’s Sixer’s long-distance assessment …
