Kieran Robinson – check him out at kieranrobinson.com – was recommended to us as a QPR candidate for ‘Who are You?’ by Steve Colwell, a great friend this site who is not only a Rangers fanatic but at least twice an occupant of this little hot seat. He reports on the Old Bill’s heavy-handed (sorry Met Police: the phrase slips effortlessly off the keyboard) denial of pre-match pint opportunities, the premature ageing of Sunderland supporters and the leadership qualities of Joey Barton …
Tony Park* stood out among Manchester United supporters on Twitter, and elsewhere for that matter. I had not heard of him but his historian’s interest in the MUFC youth scheme and what becomes of its graduates marked him down as a someone with special rapport with the club and its tradition of nurturing young talent.
As a product of Tony’s knowledge and research, last year saw the appearance of Sons of United, a pictorial history of 80 years of the MUFC Youth Team which he co-authored with Steve Hobin. He seemed a great candidate for ‘Who are You?’ ahead of Sunday’s match and I am delighted he agreed to answer our questions …
Nathan Carr*, all of 17 years old and a WBA season ticket holder, returns for another session of questions and answers to relaunch Salut! Sunderland‘s “Who are You?” series. It’s fair to say he wasn’t greatly impressed by the Baggies’ managerial choice …
Who are You? – interviews with fans of teams SAFC are about to play – is a feature of which Salut! Sunderland is quite proud, even if it sometimes seems a thankless task. What you are about to read makes the whole thing feel worthwhile …
Raich Carter, son of the man who played 278 times for Sunderland and nowhere often enough for England (13 caps) despite being one of his generation’s finest footballers, was a popular choice as the winner of Salut! Sunderland’s annual “Who are You?” awards. He’s a Hull City fan – dad was their player-manager from 19478-1951 and made a huge impact on Humberside – with a massive soft spot for Wearside.
So the 2014 World Cup climaxes on Sunday evening with Argentina’s overwhelmingly European-based team taking on Joachim Low’s Germany, the mighty conquerors of Brazil. Which of the semis will it most resemble: the goalscoring orgy of Tuesday night (one German player has said they eased off to stop it becoming even more embarrassing for the hosts) or the no-score bore of 24 hours later? You have seen the German ‘Who are You?’ with James Brock. Here is the balancing interview with Sebastián Masquelet,* an Argentinian writer on holiday in London. It was clearly optimistic to try to draw him on matters Sunderland …
A Muller we made earlier: what Campo Retro* would put on his back
We did it in 2010 so why not again? The World Cup final is not, as we all know, as important, say, as MUFC v SAFC or SAFC v WBA were last season, or indeed a season-deciding match featuring Sunderland Ladies or the reserves. But it’s been, on the whole a grand tournament, and we are proud to present the first of our two Brazil 2014 ‘Who are You?’s. James Brock* is an American with whom I worked in Abu Dhabi. he is much-travelled, as that would suggest, and spent part of his early life in Germany. He is an out-and-out supporter of the national team (while also sparing some patriotic allegiance for the USA) …
First off, here – with SAFC’s much appreciated co-operation – is the new away strip for 2014-2015. It will be officially released on June 27 but orders can be placed now at www.safcstore.com or at official SAFC stores at the Stadium of Light, in Debenhams, Sunderland or at The Galleries, Washington. Now on to business of our own …
QPR being what we were and threaten often enough to become again, a yo-yo club, their supporters know the drill. Burnley ones with slightly longer memories will have an idea what is coming, too. For Leicester fans, it is uncharted territory.
Our Lad, Raich junior’s dad, handed the FA Cup by the King’s lass
This, then, was the winner. You have had another chance to savour the interviews with our second and third-placed “Who are You?” interviewees, supporters of Manchester United and Norwich City, and also the recipient of the editor’s special award, Kidderminister Harriers’ Scott Jones.
Here, though, is the deserving Number One, Raich Carter, son of the Sunderland legend but a product of the life he later made in and around Hull. Raich, when finally tracked down and told he was our judges’ choice, said: ‘Very honoured by the award and congratulations to Gus and the Lads for battling it through!’
Raich’s interview is reproduced below. He may now choose goods valued at up to $200 by our generous US award sponsors soccerpro.com. It seems to be quality clobber and doesn’t come cheaper, but Raich could – say – have this Brazil World Cup top and still have $50 to spend …
Scott Jones* correctly predicted that the team he follows home and away, Kidderminster Harriers, would lose by a single goal at Sunderland in the FA Cup 4th round.
It was a creditable performance, by the team and our own Pete Sixsmith rated their supporters to be the best to visit the Stadium of Light all season. Pete went on to judge Scott’s answers in the pre-match ‘Who are You?’ questionnaire the finest from any of the seasons 40 interviews.
Scott did not quite make it into the top three but shrugged off big-club competition to collect a special editor’s prize arbitrarily awarded by Monsieur Salut. Philosophy Football have promised a World Cup top; they haven;t yet aid which one but, then, Scott has yet to be located to hear of this life-changing event. Tell him to check his e-mails, someone. Here, once again, is the interview that originally appeared back in January …
From Philosophy Football: better than that suit, Scott
Pete, with nephew Simon and Fergie, at Dumbarton away 1991
Front cover of the book
The (in)famous ’89 Banner
Back cover blurb
Second place in Salut! Sunderland’sincomparable Haway awards – the Highly Articulate Who are You?s – was taken by a Manchester United supporter, Pete Molyneux*. How United would have thanked you for second place in the Premier League or, indeed, any other competition last season. Come to think of it, they did manage it, second-placed twice, against Sunderland at Old Trafford.
In his interview with Salut! Sunderland before our heroic win at Man Utd at the start of this month, Pete went on a bit because we needed to get him talking first of all about his famous/infamous banner protest of 1989, in which he invited Alex Ferguson, not yet a knight and not yet a United hero, to pack his bags. So we split the interview into two parts. But now we knit them together again; it’s a long summer read that will show those up to it why it came close to winning the Haway first prize …
His prize is a choice of tops from our imaginative friends at Campo Retro: From Campo Retro’s World Cup selection
