If no one minds, this week’s Who are you? feature, ahead of SAFC v Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, is an in memoriam edition. It honours David Graves, a Wolves-supporting colleague and great friend who died in a diving accident seven years ago, and Jake, the baby taken by cot death syndrome a year later from Jody Craddock, a centre back who has been a model of commitment and professionalism at both Sunderland and Wolves. Fittingly, the game is previewed – in the first of two Black Country contributions – by Andy Nicholls*, another Wolves man with a Mackem connection …

Briefly, David was a reporter I had known since our days together at the Press Association. He was extremely good at his job but also a committed family man. He, his wife Diana and their two boys deserved better than that he should die while diving in the Bahamas. He would have been my first choice to answer questions prior to a Wolves v Sunderland encounter.

Equally briefly, Jody – coincidentally a big fan of Bahamas holidays – was still a mainstay of our defence when he and his wife Shelley, lost Jake at just five months. Jody, a gifted art student when at school, returned to canvas to work through his grief. His work – which can be seen and bought at his own site – illustrates (with Jody’s consent) this series of excellent responses from Andy Nicholls, from the top Wolves fan site Molineux Mix. Our thoughts are with both families.

And here are the questions … (more…)

One disapproving postscript to the satisfying result against Birmingham City, and it’s aimed at the hard of thinking fans who decided the best response to Daryl Murphy coming on as a late substitute was to boo him.
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A cruise through to the next round of the Carling Cup, a toaster that works, a working day that brings hope: Pete Sixsmith sees us dismiss Brum with a minimum of fuss and reflects on the bright side of life ..

Once in a while you get one of those days where everything runs perfectly.

Early morning, the toast browns perfectly, the shower temperature is just right and the paper girl delivers early.

At work, everything runs smoothly. In my job, the students are well behaved, they learn how to do new things and remember what they were taught last week. Your colleagues smile at you in the corridors, the sun shines and the coffee you have made is as close to perfection as you will get.

At home, there is a surprise cheque in the post, the library book you put your name down for weeks ago has arrived and there are old friends contacting you via Facebook. With a Lou Reed track playing in the back ground, it really is A Perfect Day.

And then you remember we have a Carling Cup Tie against Birmingham City!!!

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