Sunderland

Sixer’s Burnley Soapbox: the death warrant for Sunderland’s Premier League status?

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Pete Sixsmith has endured much as a Sunderland supporter but yesterday’s ordeal was about as bad as it gets. We’re still in a better position points-wise than last year but the omens for improvement via the transfer window don’t look good, and it was transfers that made the difference last season. No-one can be in any doubt significant improvement is needed, and needed desperately; if we continue to play the way we did yesterday we can kiss goodbye to the Premiership for a long, long time, as Pete makes clear in another immaculately observed match report

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Sixer’s Sevens from Burnley: ‘probably the worst Sunderland display this century’

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Jake: ‘sorry it’s late but not as sorry as that sorry shower of sh*** should be’

Monsieur Salut writes: unhappy texts flowed between Turf Moor and me today. I cannot recall an occasion when it seemed right to post Pete Sixsmith‘s seven-word instant verdict as the headline. This was one. I watched and listened as best I could and Gary Bennett got it spot-on – ‘no communication, no will to win, no belief, no character’ …

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New Year message to Ellis: please don’t cut David Moyes short

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Jake asks: ‘can Moyes rely on money being available to do what’s needed?’

The jury is probably still out on both David Moyes and Ellis Short. Sunderland’s recent run has given hope but that hope will disintegrate if we do not continue to pick up points, from the higher-placed clubs as well as fellow-strugglers. This is where Ellis Short comes in: is he simply being canny, letting it be known through his chief executive Martin Bain that no money is available for the transfer window, whereas Moyes actually has at least some room for manoeuvre? Or is he really willing to risk a massive cut in the value of the club he wants to sell, hoping Moyes’s threadbare squad can hack it but ready to let it sink into the Championship if it does not? Alex McMahon offers some thoughts on these issues…

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Return of Poznangate: ‘small-time’ pettiness (Manchester United view) or harmless banter?

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***                       Click to enlarge                          ***

It’s a familiar question in the ‘Who are You?’ series: what do you think, we ask opposing fans, of Sunderland – the club, the fans, the city and region, David Moyes?

This is how Dale O’Donnell, our Manchester United interviewee (he’s editor of the the Stretty News fan site), replied:

‘Yeah, I thought we looked after you a bit when Steve Bruce was in charge with the likes of Brown and O’Shea. Then your fans took the p*** a bit and Poznan’d at our expense. That has to be one of the worst small-time things I have seen as a football fan, and I highly doubt it will happen this season if Sunderland face the inevitable.’

After reading Dale’s replies, which I generally found thoughtful and knowledgeable, I asked him: ‘… was it more petty to do it, or more petty to take it seriously?’ He generously allowed for ‘a bit of both maybe’

See the full interview here: Dale O’Donnell in the Who are You? hotseat

But what better, I thought, with no football until Boxing Day, than to offer you once again Stephen Goldsmith‘s thoughts on the subject. Stephen, you may recall, once graced these pages, which he also used with Gareth Barker to promote and develop the Wise Men Say podcast until they Poznaned off to the brighter lights of ALS. He’s fondly remembered all the same and this is probably the third time his piece, slightly modified, on the subject has had an airing (so apologies if it feels a little familiar and pardon the outdated references to Sir Alex – the thrust of the article remains valid) …

Dale with Gary Neville

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Manchester United vs SAFC: recalling a glorious win when Jozy shone too

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Pete Sixsmith: ‘I waited a long time for this’


Four wins in seven games have given us all a lift – and Sunderland a chance. We know Old Trafford presents a stiffer test than Hull, Watford or hungover Leicester at home, or Bournemouth away for that matter.

But it is a test to which Sunderland have risen and should be capable of rising again. If a Manchester United victory seems the logical outcome, David Moyes has to persuade his men to believe they can cause an upset and play accordingly.

Towards the end of the 2013-2014 season, having already been there and won a League Cup semi-final on penalties, albeit as a bad a shoot-out as anyone could remember, Gus Poyet’s Sunderland went to Old Trafford on the back of great wins at Chelsea and at home to Cardiff, and a draw that ought to have been a win at the Etihad. Could we do it again and more or less ensure Premier League survival?

Pete Sixsmith was there. Let us start with Malcolm Dawson’s perfect scene-setting introduction and then marvel at the beauty of Sixer at his best – in each case as written in early May 2014
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Sunderland Observed: Sixer’s half-term report

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Sixer at The Observer

 

Britain’s best newspaper – remember those useful if outdated things? – came calling again and Pete Sixsmith answered The Observer‘s call, with this half-term report (written before the win vs Watford)…

 

We are deeply entrenched in the annual relegation battle, have been told there is no money to spend and the owner has made it clear that the club is up for sale. Sunderland supporters are a stoical bunch but our stoicism is being stretched this season.

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Sixer’s Sevens: Sunderland 1-0 Watford. PvA’s super finish brings precious win

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Jake: ‘great strike from that PvA kid’

https://safc.blog/2016/12/sixers-sevens-sunderland-1-0-watford-pvas-super-finish/

Monsieur Salut writes: as significant, almost, as the three precious points from this 1-0 win, was the vast improvement in the play of my man of the match Jason Denayer and the often (and rightly) criticised Adnan Januzaj. The goal came from a splendid Januzaj-Defoe-van Aanholt move and PvA’s finish was sublime. This is where you come to find Pete Sixsmith‘s instant seven-word verdict; there’ll be more to come on this match …

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The Things We Do For Love of Sunderland. And the winner is …

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Ask Jeremy 'Clock Stand Paddock' Robson where Sunderland play and he'll say 'Roker Park'
Ask Jeremy ‘Clock Stand Paddock’ Robson where Sunderland play and he’ll say ‘Roker Park’

The Things We Do For Love competition attracted some excellent entries, some great memories. Choosing a winner of the above print of Roker Park – with mighty thanks to our generous sponsors http://www.wearedorothy.com – was tough.

Check out the earlier mentions of the competition here and, when Pete Sixsmith’s reminiscences on Sunderland in the European Cupwinners’ Cup in 1973, prompted more memories here.

But this, from Wrinkly Pete, aka Peter Lynn, is the winner on the arbitrary choice of Monsieur Salut. Out thanks to Pete, to all others who posted contributions and to the folk at Dorothy, who assure us the prize is in the post.

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