OK, the cover in question conceals only the chest, and our Sepp is unlikely to be seen sporting one himself.

But here all the same is the latest offering from our friends at Philosophy Football, fitting recognition of the valiant strides made by Fifa’s finest to stamp out racism in football.

Blatter, for whom racist taunts might adequately be dealt with by means of a gentlemanly post-match handshake, deserves all he gets. Salut! Sunderland readers probably deserve to possess the T-shirt and can do so by buying direct from the Philosophy Football shop at this link. The price is £14.99; sizes from small to XXL.

One reader can get his or her hands on one we’re offering free, which will be sent to whoever, in M Salut’s opinion, posts the funniest or most incisive comment. Contributions should be on any matter Blatter.

This is Philosophy Football’s own description:

LETS KICK BLATTER OUT OF FOOTBALL

From vote-rigging to covering-up corruption, via advocating tight-fitting kits for women footballers, selling the game short to sponsors and now fighting racism with a handshake. (All ‘allegedly’ of course, for the sake of our lawyers). It’s surely time for Blatter to go. Philosophy Football’s design is a shameless pastiche of the brilliant Kick it Out Campaign’s logo.

Monsieur Salut

Image: Marion O’Sullivan

Just a spot of fun, and Nov 5 is still a few days away.

But there is a serious enough underlying message. A small prize awaits the reader who comes up with the best name for the firework that, according to the report I am about to share, seemed to send poor Gabriel Agbonlahor reeling on Saturday.

We all know what happened next. Larsson, against whom the imaginary foul was given, accused Agbonlahor of cheating but Richard Dunne headed the resulting free kick past Westwood to put Villa ahead.

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We’ve all seen Cashamoah €yan’s protestations that his move from the English Premier League to the United Arab Emirates was not about money. Come up with the best non-financial explanation, buy something from the Salut! Sunderland shop – even it’s only a £2 pen! – and we will dip into the merchandise to add some suitable prize. Was the lure Al Ain Zoo (I’ve been there; not bad) or maybe the spectacular views from the summit of Jebel Hafeet (ditto)? A footballing reason we’ve all missed? Editor’s decision final blah, blah. Meanwhile, some good news on the prices front …

Visit the Salut! Sunderland shop by clicking anywhere along this line

Just wait until Sunderland actually win a game, I thought. That’ll be the moment to exploit the feel-good factor and sneakily put up the prices of Salut! Sunderland‘s merchandise.

Instead the prices are coming down.

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The people at – or speaking for – Yahoo tell me Salut! Sunderland readers gave a great response to the Monday lie-in competition.

The what? That’s what you’ll be asking if you missed it first time round when I cynically linked it to a certain game most of us wish to forget (there are loads of those games but you know perfectly well which one I mean) in order to attract as many potential entrants as possible. With the deadline only two days away, here again are the details …

Salut! Sunderland has been chosen to invite fans – whoever they support, so Swansea supporters can get stuck in, too – try their luck in a competition with an unusual prize.

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Courtsey of Yahoo, Salut! Sunderland has been chosen to invite fans from across the two-rivers divide to try their luck in a competition with an unusual prize …

All the silly banter – and yes, it goes both ways – shown in the previous posting cannot disguise the fact that for all our differences, especially with regard to how we see ourselves in the footballing hierarchy, Sunderland and Newcastle supporters have plenty in common.

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Tonight’s friendly on the pre-season German tour is Hannover v Sunderland and comment will be posted here, probably tomorrow.

In the meantime, two bits of Salut! Sunderland housekeeping: a winner in the trifling competition that went with the posting headlined Sunderland, Newcastle and things we have in common, and an update on the Ithics Files.

I said the writer of the Wear-Tyne comment judged (by me) to be the warmest, wittiest or most wise would collect the back copes of the Sunderland AFC Supporters’ Association London & SE branch magazine, Wear Down South and its predecessor 5573.

It was a close-run thing, but in the end my choice means no ceremonial bonfire will be necessary as the decision goes to a Sunderland supporter. A Newcastle United fan – see later – got within a whisker of being offered the same prize and is probably counting his lucky stars to have come only second.

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At each season’s end, we ask a group of judges to pore through up to 50 interviews with supporters of each team Sunderland faced in league and cup, and choose the best. Competition was tough; the panel was offered a non-binding shortlist that stretched to a dozen or so articles, and has reached its verdict …

The judging is over and we have our winners.

A superb season of “Who are You?” interviews, from which any of a dozen, maybe more, stood a decent chance of snatching a top three place in the annual awards, has produced its winners. And we are indebted to When Saturday Comes and Octopus Publishing for coming up with some prizes: a year’s subscription to the more than half-decent WSC, money to spend in the “shop” at the magazine’s website and a copy of the tremendous book of black and white football photography, John Tennant’s Football: the golden age.

Step forward, then, Tom Watt, a well-known NCO in the vast army of Arsenal supporters. In a close-run contest, Tom’s thoughtful, passionate answers were chosen by the Salut! Sunderland judging panel as the best of the lot.

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Published by Octopus, co-sponsors of our Who are You? awards

Another update on this year’s “Who are You?” awards from Salut! Sunderland, with news of an extra prize to add to the goodies already promised by our friends, who happily include a Sunderland supporter, at When Saturday Comes …

WSC: co-sponsors of the Who are You? awards

This is the contest that will not change the winners’ lives. Or not much.

Each year Salut! Sunderland judges choose the best contributions from opposing supporters to our “Who are You?” series, the questionnaire that precedes each SAFC game home or away, league or cup, provided we can find someone which, with one sad exception involving Stoke City, is generally the case.

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The jury is out on the Sunderland home shirt for next season.

For the lads at Tombola, the kit sponsors, it’s just the job with a “snazzy new black V-neck”. Others, whose views have been voiced at the usual places, have been less complimentary, from “yep it’s a dog” to the stern, fatherly: “I think it’s overfussy and, well, awful quite frankly. I got my son the current one. No chance with this. Looks dated already.”

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Each month, if we remember, we make a modest award to the supporter of another club who has impressed most with his or her answers to the “Who are You?” questionnaire …

Salut! Sunderland likes to cause the odd surprise.

Looking back over the “Who are You?” contributions from opposing supporters in February, we were – as often – spoilt for choice.

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