Tony Pulis - SAFC Blog

Gillingham Who are You?: the Nyron Nosworthy Appreciation Society

August 20, 2018August 20, 2018 by Colin Randall

James Morgan: not a man of Kent, but a Gillingham fan all the same

Monsieur Salut writes: games come thick and fast in League One. We’ve hardly had time to celebrate the emphatic home win against Scunthorpe before the long trip to Gillingham beckons. James Morgan*, our Gills fan, is not from Gillingham and has never lived in Kent. A gloryseeker then? No, he inherited his love of the Gills from his dad and that passes my arbitrary test of true support with flying colours (heaven knows, I was born almost as far from Sunderland as it’s possible to be and still be English). James has pals from uni who follow Sunderland and retains a soft spot for our club – and for a certain player who graced both the Priestfield and the Stadium of Light. I wonder what the Gills equivalent of Roy Keane’s assessment of Nyron – Tony Pulis or Peter Taylor maybe – might have been (Keano said ‘the less time Nyron spends on the ball, the better it is for all concerned’). Oops: forgot to ask him about the Gills sending us down to the third tier in the 1980s …

Sixer’s West Brom saga: ‘it’s football, Jim, but not as we like it’

April 3, 2016April 3, 2016 by Colin Randall

John McCormick writes: Pete Sixsmith’s broadband was playing up yesterday so, like Hutch, his report arrived late. In his e-mail Pete said it would be a short report because of the problems. Short, maybe, but, like Nick Sharkey, perfectly composed. Would that one or two of our current team could do so well, although, as Pete says, it was one of their best performances.

Pulis coins the word but we want more ‘Cattermoling’ at Manchester United

February 26, 2015February 26, 2015 by Colin Randall

Jake: 'here's one where 0-0 would just about do' — Jake: ‘here’s one where 0-0 would just about do’

As Sunderland prepare for what Seb Larsson admits will be a “very tough afternoon” at Old Trafford if players do not rise to the occasion, we must acknowledge Tony Pulis’s contribution to the evolution of the English language.

First we should forget the muscular approach to defending that saw, for example, Jermain Defoe flattened twice in the penalty box even before a corner kick was taken. That is Tony Pulis’s way and he has imported the approach he adopted at Stoke City to his new job at WBA.

Sixer’s West Brom Soapbox: well at least we didn’t lose

February 23, 2015February 22, 2015 by malcolm

Malcolm Dawson writes….. “you must be pretty confident today” I said to the West Brom father and son combo as …

Sixer’s Crystal Palace Soapbox: time for Poyet and his boys to get Bolshie

March 17, 2014March 16, 2014 by malcolm

Malcolm Dawson writes….. Every cliché in the book was utilised in the run up to this game. A must win, …

All change at Stoke, all change at Sunderland – and both for the better

May 31, 2013 by Colin Randall

Gareth gazes at two sets of red and white stripes and see sense — Gareth gazes at two sets of red and white stripes and sees sense

Gareth Barker has been thinking about Mark Hughes’s appointment as replacement for the sacked Tony Pulis at Stoke City and this led him to reflect again on Sunderland’s dramatic change from Martin O’Neill to Paolo Di Canio. In his parallel Sunderland universe, Gareth sees another 1-1 draw. Both clubs, he argues, got it right …

Late result as Stoke lose appeal on Huth: Pulis 0 Decency 1

February 7, 2012 by Colin Randall

As a matter of record, Salut! Sunderland notes with satisfaction that Stoke have lost their appeal against Robert Huth’s red card. He collects the standard three-match ban but avoids the extra match the FA disciplinary committee adds for “frivolous” appeals.

Pulis Stokes the fires. Then so shall we

February 6, 2012February 6, 2012 by Colin Randall

david meyler — David Meyler as he tweets

Salut! Sunderland has made no formal count, but reckons most – certainly many – Sunderland fans agree Robert Huth was unlucky to be sent off for his challenge on David Meyler.

Soapbox at Stoke: Pulis enraged, fails to engage brain

February 5, 2012 by Colin Randall

Pete Sixsmith slogged back from Stoke, happiness at the well-won points a little offset by the rigours of seven hours on the road to get home. He reckons it was just after midnight, his text suggested just before; either way, it was beyond the call of duty or even love and his exemplary matchday assessment – a posting that would normally be held until Monday – deserves to go up immediately …

Did Meyler dive? Is Huth a saintly Stoke figure? Is Pulis serious?

February 5, 2012February 5, 2012 by Colin Randall

Martin O’Neill said, ahead of viewing replays, he thought it a nasty challenge. David Meyler has ample reason, after suffering serious injuries, to be anxious to avoid another.