There has been an interesting “Do we like Sunderland or is it just because of Keano?” debate running at the Irish football site eleven-a-side.com which some of you will have seen.

derry.che keano.2006.jpg
Originally uploaded by jimfitzpix.

A quick scroll down the comments field left me with the impression that the present, growing level of Irish support is not destined to last.

There are plenty of people with soft spots, a smattering of SAFC fans weighing in but also a good deal of candid admission that once Roy Keane moves on “to a bigger club”, “allegiance” to the Lads will instantly be dropped.

Let’s leave aside the phrase “bigger club”. I think they mean Man Utd, though most of us would naturally question either the adjective or the noun (bigger brand would work fine and raise no eyebrows here).

But we are all pretty realistic about Keane’s commitment. He’ll cut his managerial teeth with us – has done – and try to make something of our return to the Premiership. And eventually, the heart and size of the job will probably lure him back to Old Trafford. I have more respect for him to believe it will be any worse than that, but have no idea when it will happen

That doesn’t mean we should resent the fair weather Irish folk who support us now……..

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Salut! Sunderland is en fecirc;te – and the celebrations started with a feast of goals, excitement and nerves, culminating in this……

That was followed – at long last, as has been mentioned here and elsewhere – by some good coming out of Selhurst Park.

Many of us remember with gritted teeth that awful day a year after the first promotion under Peter Reid when a gutsy but desperately limited performance – against Wimbledon, then sharing the ground – saw us relegated once more.

It was a dreadful disappointment, at the end of a dreadful season when utter lack of ambition had it logical consequences. Fast forward to 2004 and the slightly unlucky 3-2 defeat in the playoffs – to be followed by elimination at the Stadium of Light in the second leg, thanks to an appalling refereeing decision that took the tie to penalties.

Yesterday, luck was on our side when Palace scored what seems to have been a comfortable 2-0 win over Derby, removing the need for us to win at Luton next Sunday.

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Cheers!
sansartore.

Derby lost two nil AND WE ARE UP

By Joan Dawson

If we win tonight and Derby lose or draw on Sunday, then we’re promoted.

Naturally, if that happens, we’ll all be celebrating wherever we are.

But none of us will be in the stadium with 40+ thousand fellow supporters, the players, the manager.

We’ll be at home, in pubs, walking the dog, at work with the radio, or if you’re Roy Keane, in the cinema with your kids.

In re-arranging games, television is robbing supporters of some of the most exciting moments they can have.

Regular Saturday afternoons are bad enough because most of the time, even though you know your own result, you don’t know how it affects your league position, and we rarely now get the chance to cheer a N**c**tle defeat.

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Salut! Sunderland is happy to congratulate Nyron Nosworthy on his “player of the season” award from fans voting on the official club website*.

Last season, I was among those who questioned the scale of our ambition when all the way from Gillingham, NN was introduced as one of Mick McCarthy’s signings for the ill-fated return to the Premiership.

He was occasionally useful going forward but always seemed awkward on the ball and crossed appallingly. The transformation has been astounding. Whenever I have seen him this season, he has been rock solid.

On the flank, he embarked on runs that threatened to inflict – and often inflicted – real damage on the opposition. And in the centre, he has been an utterly key figure in our unbeaten run.

He has quite rightly established himself as a great crowd pleaser. And his attitude and commitment, plus an ability to overcome question marks on skill with sheer graft and courage, remind me of another: Kevin Ball.

Speaking of Ball, I should pass on one embarrassing – for me – anecdote on the occasion of the sad passing of his part-namesake Alan, a fine servant of the game at all levels.

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*

By Pete Sixsmith

My negative vibes about this one began on the Friday afternoon.

After preaching confidence for weeks, really believing that we would not lose another game, I was hit by something on Friday and had a troubled night before getting up at 4.45am to catch the coach at 6.15.

I had been to Layer Road once before, to watch a reserve game one August afternoon when Durham’s game against Essex had been washed away.

Colchester were in League 2 then and on the verge of bankruptcy; they survived by selling Lua Lua to the Mags.

Even then it was the worst ground I had been on for ages and Saturday showed things have not changed.

It’s small, tight and not very welcoming. The toilet facilities for the visitors were not good (one WC for women; one WC and a two space urinal for men) and there was not much room on the six steps that made up the visitors’ terrace.

However we could moan all day about the facilities but that’s not what the game is about – it’s about performing on the pitch and boy did they – Colchester – perform.

* Poor quality but maybe that’s just as well…since it shows their penalty sealing our fate

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Roy Keane said it to the press. I said it in a text to a disconsolate Pete Sixsmith on his way home from Colchester. And not even today’s awful result from Molineux – Birmingham grabbing top spot back after coming from behind and surviving an injury time penalty to win 3-2 – changes it.

Whether we go up in one of the two automatic promotion places is still in the hands of the huddle to my left.

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By Joe Simpson, actor and lifelong Sunderland supporter
Today, the 19th of April 2007, is a special day for all Sunderland fans, a day to pause and think and remember a great moment in our history.

Yes, as I’m sure you are all aware, it is precisely 10 years to the day since Darren Williams scored the winner against some Yorkshire club from up the road who seem to think they are from the North East – 1-0 to the Sunderland and the smog monsters were virtually relegated. And it looked like we might be safe….well at least it did that day.

How do I remember this so clearly? Well it’s also my 10th wedding anniversary today and some things just seem to stick in your mind.

I not sure how many times Darren Williams has had a mention in a groom’s wedding speech but he did that day and, partly because of that, in my eyes Dazza could do no wrong.

* Picture: Courtesy A Love Supreme

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The prize is on its way.<a href=”http://www.sharronashcroft.com/cv_simpson_joe.htm

Joe Simpson, the actor who won our little competition the other day after correctly identifying Gina McKee as the actress with Sunderland connections (thereby prompting an interfering Leeds Utd visitor to this site to cry “fix”), will soon receive his copy of Alice in Sunderland, posted at great expense in France yesterday.

For this he is grateful, having intended to buy the book in any case.

But there is pain as well as pleasure in scooping Salut! Sunderland prizes. The other part of winning was that he was asked to contribute a guest column to this site.

The piece is written – despite Joe having been laid low by a bout of tonsillitis – and represents his warm admiration for an improbable target for hero worship, rather in line with his long-standing preference for committed Joe Bolton-type players rather than finely skilled artists.

However, it is date sensitive and cannot appear before tomorrow. So if I have got the techie thing right – and it seemed simple enough, even for me – Joe’s debut as Salut! Sunderland star writer is scheduled for just after midnight.

Watch the goals from Saturday v QPR and hear Quinnie on the subject of promotion – then read on

When Roy Keane, fresh from signing on the dotted line, asked to be talked through the squad he was taking on, he said he should have held out for a much bigger salary.

It was a light hearted remark. But then everyone knew there were plenty of weaknesses among players from the Reid and McCarthy eras and even among those brought in by Niall Quinn.

What of the squad now? Men who were struggling before but have thrived under Keane. Others who have responded to his methods, inspiration and example and just got better and better? And the lads he has bought or borrowed?

At his press conference following the QPR game, the boss said there were a number of players at the club who, he was sure, could hold their own in the Premiership.

Who are those players? Let Salut! Sunderland know those areas you would strengthen and those you would trust in the higher division.

Yes, I know we are not there yet. We are Sunderland supporters and should know better than to get carried away. But we couldn’t have set ourselves up better for the final lap. We MUST do it!

And who knows, I might even come up with another prize for the brightest, funniest or most interesting response. I’ll set the ball rolling with my own thoughts……….

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