Sam Haseltine, our Hammers previewer and Football United techie wizard, cornered our own Pete Sixsmith last night for a telephone interview that delayed Sixer’s evening meal but should be clickable above. It was a good idea to record such a discussion, though this may be Salut! Sunderland‘s last word, for now, on the Ilunga/Jones incident and the various side issues that have arisen …

This week has produced a good mix of views on the controversies triggered by the Sunderland v West Ham match. Most people have expressed themselves strongly but within the bounds of reason.

Many, but interestingly enough not all, Hammers fans now say the recent bad injury to Ilunga’s jaw justified his reaction to Kenwyne Jones’s push (a sending off offence, as we have acknowledged from the outset, but a pretty tame push as pushes go). Some West Ham supporters clearly still feel he made an awful lot of the challenge and that his intentions in doing so were fairly transparent.

But no one should doubt that the lad has suffered a nasty injury. This was pointed out in one of the very earliest of comments posted at Salut! Sunderland on Saturday evening. But I do not think anyone is suggesting Ilunga was brought back into the side while still injured, since that would have been grossly irresponsible on the part of Zola and his management colleagues.

To the West Ham fans who have engaged in genuine, if impassioned debate, I am as grateful as I am to Sunderland supporters who have done likewise. To those unable to conceal enmity, but quick to fire off moronic insults, I merely say that this is probably not the right kind of site for you to be visiting.

Colin Randall