Image: Danny Molineux

While we await news that Martin O’Neill is indeed our new manager, get this: Steve Bishop*, founder of the Cannock branch of the Wolverhampton Wanderers Supporters’ Club, has not missed a game for 35 years. Every gloryseeker in the land should stand back and salute, or pity, his astonishing loyalty and stamina. In the second Wolves “Who are You?” features, we get Steve talking about Mick McCarthy, Jody Craddock, trips to Roker and much more (oh and yes, he thought when writing his responses that Steve Bruce would stay …

See also: McCarthy Out, say young supporters …

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Oliver Graves

The season before last, Salut! Sunderland dedicated a “Who are You?” feature for one of the games against Wolves to David Graves, a great friend and colleague of M Salut’s who died in a diving accident in 2002. Today, in the first of two Wolves “Who are You?”s, David’s sons Oliver and Nathan* – who have kept the Wolfie roar loud and clear in the Graves household – jointly handle the customary pre-match questionnaire, making them the youngest supporters to take part in the series. The questions were set and answered before Steve Bruce’s dismissal but the boys made clear their disenchantment with another manager with SAFC connections …

Tomorrow: the Wolfie who hasn’t missed a game in 35 years …

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Bernard Ramsdale (far left), and others, meet the Wigan boss Roberto Martinez

Yesterday, a lot of readers came this way to read a tremendously moving article by our old friend and Wigan Athletic stalwart Bernard Ramsdale on the struggles he and his wife have made, ably backed by an army of professional and lay supporters, to give quality of life to their brain-damaged son. Somehow it seems inconsequential that when our two clubs kick off at the Stadium of Light tomorrow, both teams and arguably at least one manager should be striving for somewhat lesser aims, those of Premier and job survival. Even so, Bernard agreed to answer a slimmed-down version of the “Who are You?” questionnaire …

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Many Salut! Sunderland readers will know that Bernard Ramsdale is not only a staunch fan of Wigan Athletic and co-creator of This Northern Soul, an amalgamation of four Latics fan sites. He is also a great friend of this site. Fewer will know of his family tragedy – the devastating injuries suffered by his son Anthony in a road accident in 2007 – and the monumental efforts Bernard and many others make to allow him some enjoyment of life. There were some footballing questions, too, but they didn’t really fit in here so visit a separate posting at this link for Bernard’s thoughts on the match, Wigan’s present predicament and whether Bruce or Martinez have been better for the club. The main slice of this week’s “Who are You?” is given over to the warm, dignified and beautifully written article that follows …

So, how , in an article meant to be all about the vital place of football in our lives, make it seem less important than it really is? The simple answer to that question is that you can’t.

Colin Randall approached me a few weeks ago with this idea. We talked for a while and while I insisted that this particular story will only be told because of my respect for the Salut! Sunderland authors and the kind of supporters they represent, I decided to reveal how football in the grand scheme of things is only a game, but it is indeed still a major player in all our lives. Well, it is in mine anyway.

He alluded to the fact that Wigan Athletic and their wonderful supporters have been very supportive of me and my family through a five year period when you would have thought that football was the last thing on my mind.

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Nick Bylund, left in picture

Football’s back; we play Fulham on Saturday and urgently need a win. They need one, too. And where would you go to find the co-founder of the fan site that claims to be Fulham’s biggest? You guessed it: an island in the Baltic Sea. Nick Bylund* helped to create www.hammyend.com. He is also chairman of the Swedish branch of the Fulham supporters’ association. And he turns out to have deep knowledge of his adopted club, qualified admiration for al Fayed, tainted affection for Steeeeeeeeed and, well, lots more to say for himself … he predicts another draw

Salut! Sunderland: Fulham and Sunderland find themselves at the wrong end of the table. Is it too early for either club to worry or is this an indication of a tough second half of the season to come?

I personally think it is way too early to worry, at least for Fulham. My insight and knowledge about the Mackems this season is too limited to really pass any judgment. As for Fulham we have a quite small, but very vocal group that I like to refer to as the “anti-Jol-brigade”, but most of us see improvements under Jol and are willing to give him quite a lot of time still.

We’ve played well in many games, were we have deserved a lot more than we got from them. The second half’s versus Everton, Man C and Spurs were all fantastic and we played them off the pitch. Still, we only got one point from those three games so it is quite worrying that we can play so well, create so many chances but still fail to score.

In conclusion, I think we’ll turn this around sooner rather than later.

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Whenever M Salut has been to Old Trafford, it has been to see Sunderland lose, from hidings in the league to that dreadful surrender to Millwall in an FA Cup semi. Pete Sixsmith, who was there when we last won a game an awful long time ago, has urged a bold approach tomorrow; others, at the Blackcats list, have done the same – even though the risk of another of those hidings would rise accordingly.

A slight technical hitch affected access to the site earlier this week so I have decided to repeat a few of the questions and answers – those relating to our club as opposed to his – from the “Who are You?” feature in which a Canadian United fan, David Tack, predicted a 2-0 victory for the Red Devils. Sadly, some SAFC supporters would probably take that margin of defeat now. It is up to the Lads, whatever formation and tactics Steve Bruce chooses, to show that is an unduly negative outlook … if you wish to see David’s answers in full, including his intersting thoughts on Sir Alex, the thrashing by City and football cheats and role models, click here …

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David, with son, at Old Trafford

Canadian, married to a Liverpudlian whose heart lies at Anfield and working with a diehard Mackem, David Tack* really ought to reconsider his allegiance. But it’s Manchester United for him and he’s as avid from afar as anyone whose journey to Old Trafford can be made on foot. I make no comment about the thought process that inspired his choice of club and his answers to Salut! Sunderland reveal a thinking man’s approach to sport. Sadly, for us, he sees Saturday’s game going to script …

Salut! Sunderland: If I wasn’t sure where to start, I am now: which Old Trafford goal feast do you want to talk about, the one against Arsenal or the six Man City put past you?

Neither and both I suppose. While I did enjoy seeing the Gooners get a spanking, I was certainly gutted by our spanking from City. Overall, I don’t think either result was good for the league. Games among the top teams in the division should be fierce and closely contested affairs. When they become blowouts I feel a bit cheated by having not seen a great competition among the best teams in the best league in the world.

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For Methodists, the Rev Leo Osborn* is, as President of the Methodist Conference, roughly equivalent to Archbishop of Canterbury (though the church has no supreme authority). He lives in the North East but avidly supports Aston Villa, our opponents on Saturday. Leo may have regretted his instant agreement to be this week’s “Who are You?” guest when he saw how many questions we’d lobbed his way. We’re chuffed that he answered them anyway. Look out for his forecast of a Sunderland win and a challenge to Bill Shankly’s “life or death” quotation …

Salut! Sunderland: Up until last weekend, Villa had made a considerably better start than Sunderland. With what minimum and maximum expectations did you approach the season?

To be honest my expectations were extremely few. That is often how I feel at the beginning of each season anyway but, for reasons to which we will come, they were even less this season. Mid-table at best.

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Bolton v SAFC. Salut! Sunderland is – or will soon be – on the road (Orkney to Co Durham, the shores of the Med to a chillier London) and may go quiet for a day or two. Readers’ comments remain welcome; we all know what is at stake. Thefreelancer* is the pseudonym of a Bolton blogger – check out the Bolton Wanderers Blog and Website – who also recognises an important game when he sees one coming. Here are his answers to the “Who are You” questionnaire …

Walloped 5-0 in the FA Cup semi at Wembley last season, and 5-1 at home by Chelsea the other weekend but 4-0 winners at QPR. When the real Bolton Wanderers stand up, what do we actually see?

I don’t think any Bolton fan currently knows who the real Bolton Wanderers are, unless they are prepared to admit that we are nothing but a bottom of the league team with little chance of finishing above 18th. For those of us with a little bit of hope in us, I think we believe that there is a decent bunch of players in there who, given the correct formation and a good kick up the backside, could drag us out of the mire within a few weeks. However, that could prove easier said than done. We have conceded 21 goals in our last six league games and we look clueless going forward much of the time – a deadly combination if ever there was one.

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Well, when not bragging about the Salut! Sunderland exclusive - Sunderland, the play, wowing Parisian theatregoers – we were on a hunt for a Gooner. Piers Morgan haughtily turned us away last season, so we asked Mike Amos, Shildon lad but Arsenal nut (his dad was a Londoner, but then so was mine so he should still rethink his allegiances). Sadly Mike, newly retired from close on half a century at the Northern Echo, admitted he had lost touch a little with matters Arsenal. A case of “I know I am, I’m sure I am, I’m Arsenal till half time”. Rupert and Monty were too busy finding each other (for those familiar with the Emirates public address system). So Mike’s son, Owen, a BBC journalist who doesn’t really think the Gunners will go down, stepped up from the bench …

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