Shayne Kaye

So you didn’t know the Stadium of Light had a secondary role as part of HM Prison Service? Read on …

From the Sunderland Echo‘s Graeme Anderson comes as welcome a spot of news as we’ve seen since, well, Danny Welbeck returned from injury.

Sunderland, he says, are considering how to move away fans to a different part of the Stadium of Light than the large, usually too large, section of the South stand they are currently allocated.

It may, as Niall Quinn is quoted as saying, be harder to do than it seems. But since the idea of looking at it comes after concerns were raised by not only Steve Bruce but the owner Ellis Short, it should be safely assumed the outcome will be solutions not problems.

Every Sunderland supporter knows the current location is wrong.

It is too prominent by far – just look at where we are stuck when we travel away, and I am not just talking about St James’ Park – and looks embarrassing when, as often happens, the away club sells only a small proportion of its allocation.

Quinn told the Echo: “It is something we are looking into … But it isn’t straightforward by any means because, when the place was built, it was specifically designed the way it is and a big change like this would be quite complicated and potentially very costly.

“There are prison cells in the away section which would need to be moved, the police monitoring system is directly above the away fans and that would have to be moved, too.

“There are also things to look at like changes to drainage, access, the possible installation of lifts and safety issues.

“As things stand, the ground completely complies with safety standards and any changes would mean those standards would have to be looked at afresh.”

Let us leave aside the mischievous thought that some clubs bring so few fans that the prison cells should adequately house them.

Where would we aim to put the travelling contingent?

I would not be as vindictive as Newcastle and find the highest and most ghastly part of the ground for them. It was a comparison of how we are treated there, and their fans are treated at our place, that inspired Ellis Short’s desire for action.

But I would give them a chunk of, say, the upper tier of the East stand, nearer the corner flag than the halfway line, as that would equate more fairly to our own experiences as away supporters of SAFC.

Also, what would we do about the south-west singing corner? Its occupants would surely want to follow the away supporters to, as it were, keep them company.

These are questions the club clearly realises must be answered. The SAFC chief executive Steve Walton talks about the need for the move to be economically and practically viable and says categorically that it “won’t happen for next season”.

But Bruce’s views, as expressed to the Echo earlier this season, should be taken fully into account and will be if, as seems the case, they reflect the owner’s thinking:

“I don’t see why fans come to our stadium and get some of the best seats in the house, when the same doesn’t apply to us elsewhere.

“But, as a manager, my main concern is that when clubs, especially clubs with big travelling supports, come to our ground they are placed directly behind a goal and are in a great position to affect the atmosphere and influence the game.

“I don’t see why visiting teams should have that advantage coming to our place when we rarely have it at theirs.”

Monsieur Salut

The season’s average so far is 38,342 which is 2,000 down on last season even though the quality of football is much higher, the squad stronger and hope at its highest level for 10 years.

No matter that most Premier clubs would dearly love to attract such numbers to their own, mostly inferior stadiums. It is still far too low for Sunderland AFC, especially given the advances that have been made and the money that has been invested.

“I thought if we were in the top half of the Premier League, we would be getting crowds well into the 40,000s, but the reality is we are in the mid-30s,” Niall told the Echo.

“The plan was always to improve and while we are doing that on the pitch, off the pitch the lifeblood of the club is just starting to get to a worrying area. I’m not saying we are perfect, but I always thought I could rely on the support of a massive crowd.”

He pointed out to those – friends included – who found it easier to go to the pub and have a few drinks with their mates and walk home afterwards: “These games are shown illegally.”

Well, that is an issue for the football authorities, and forces of law, to deal with. If the Football Data Co, and SAFC, can be so quick to come down hard on piddling little fansites and fanzines that dare show a club badge, why can’t they tackle real problems as heartily?

The contrasting attitudes actually show a little of what is wrong with the modern game: less than others but still to some extent, Sunderland sometimes shows the ugly face of corporate football, a tendency to take ordinary supporters for granted.

What more could the club be doing to make the matchday experience attractive to the people who currently stay away? Let Salut! Sunderland get the ball rolling:

* improve catering facilities. Not the Premier’s worst by a long chalk, but could be a lot better

* make it possible to visit the club shop without encountering such long queues that you fear you can only complete a purchase if you’re prepared to miss the first 10 minutes of the game

* stand up and be counted in opposing ludicrous kickoff times – home and away. Think, in other words, of the fans who have to travel to such games. There is no reason why TV schedules should require games to start at 1245 and every reason why such a start should cut 3,000 or more off the expected gate

* make it clear that never again will the football club take action against supporters suspected of misconduct but against whom nothing has yet been proved (by all means throw the book at them once that hurdle has been cleared)

Perhaps Salut! Sunderland readers can make a few more suggestions on how Niall Quinn can succeed in drawing more people back to the stadium in what he accepts are economically challenging times.

Monsieur Salut

David Jaymes, who occasionally sends information in my direction for use at Salut! Sunderland’s folk and roots music offshoot, Salut! Live, may well be unaware that Ready To Go and Republica – whom he manages (he is not, as I suggested when first posting, their publicist) – are inseparable from the recent history of Sunderland.

Every SAFC fan, and all visiting supporters who made appearances at the Stadium of Light until – what is it? – a couple of years or so ago will know that as the teams take to the pitch, Prokoviev’s Dance of the Knights gave way to Ready to Go, a lightweight but essential and utterly addictive slice of rock.

And a lucky few once saw Saffron and the band performing it live on the pitch, an event that had the edge on Samson’s antics. David tells me the band still talk about it fondly – “we were just discussing it the other day; I believe a few drinks were consumed during the game! It was one of the stand out moments for the band – playing on a football pitch”.

Nor should we overlook Ready To Go, the massively popular Sunderland fans’ forum.

So where does all this fit in with the World Cup 2010? Well, everyone wants to make a buck from it and Republica are no exception.

“REPUBLICA have re-activated and will be releasing a re-recording of their worldwide smash Ready To Go on 7th June in time for the world cup,” David tells us excitedly, giving the band nine capital letters and the World Cup none. The YouTube clip is obviously an old one.

“Heralded as the unofficial anthem for the world cup READY TO GO 2010 will be available digitally from all online stores from today including iTunes, Amazon, Play with more to follow.”

It would be churlish not to let David plug a forthcoming London show, too, the band’s first in more than10 years (Oct 13: O2 Academy Islington). “Look out for secret warm up shows around the country followed by a full UK tour to be announced,” he adds.

Colin Randall

Colin Irwin is best known as a music writer, with a passion he shares with Salut! Sunderland, folk music. But in 2006, he brought out a smashing book, Sing When You’re Winning, based on travels into the heartlands of football. They were grim times when his odyssey reached Sunderland. We were on our way down and visiting the Stadium of Light brought to mind “an official observation of the last rites”. It’s a treat to see how well he managed to make it sound the great place it is …

I can’t think ill of Sunderland, who are the only Premiership club to respond to my plea for information, encouragement, tickets and dusky handmaidens when I am researching this book. They return phone calls, e-mails and cinvivial banter and furnish me with a press pass for their local derby with Middlesbrough.

The days of Roker Park are long gone since Sunderland moved into this gorgeous space age stadium on the outskirts of town, so close to the Wear that you fear it may topple in and get us all wet.

The surroundings are bleak but the stadium is a remarkable construction, incorporating sculptures and architecture that honours the site’s history as a colliery. It’s just a shame about the team really.

After wandering the wrong way along plush corridors into executive suites, board rooms and at one point nearly the changing rooms, I finally locate the vast press room where a large gaggle of earnest young reporters with spiral notebooks are discussing systems and body language and missed deadlines and rude managers. We are also served soup, a rather fine curry and as much coffee as you can drink (which, in my case, is lots).

I’m starting to wonder if it hadn’t been a mistake to abandon that job on the local paper sports desk covering Slough Town matches all those centuries ago. I mean, this is the media, and they’re being treated like royalty. That can’t be right, can it? They’ll still slag you off at every turn.

Rob Mason, the personal programme editor and club historian, introduces himself and starts talking about Charlie Hurley, an iconic former Sunderland captain.

“As well as being a great centre half he was dominant at corner kicks,” he says “When Sunderland got a corner the whole ground would sing ‘Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!’ They wouldn’t take the corner until he was in the box, and then he would either head it in or head down for someone else to get a chance. He left here in 1969 but you just mention the name Charlie around here and everyone knows exactly who you’re talking about. He still comes to games from time to time and whenever he comes on the pitch he gets a standing ovation.”

It’s shame you can’t bring on Charlie for corners now, eh, Rob? He smiles benignly and talks more of the passion for the game in this corner of the country.

“In my opinion, Sunderland and Newcastle supporters jointly are the best supporters in the country. We’ve hardly won a game this season, last time we wee in the Premier League we had the worst record ever with just 19 points, we’ve only won one trophy since the Second World War, and yet we haven’t had an attendance this season under 30,000.

“No way would Manchester United or Liverpool have crowds like that if they had our sort of record.

“Nobody’s happy getting beat, but just because you’re getting beat doesn’t mean you top supporting your club. The way it works up here is if you go out and give it your all, people will back you. If you don’t give your all they’ll crucify you. And if you give your all and you’re a decent player they’ll worship you. That’s why Julio Arac is worshipped up here.”

To be continued: Colin Irwin – who gave permission for these extracts to be reproduced at Salut! Sunderland – presents a distilled history of Sunderland AFC, sits through a dismal 3-0 defeat by Boro and hears Mick McCarthy’s “wonderfully broad Yorkshire monotone that used to wind Roy Keane up so much when they were locking horns for Ireland”.

* Colin Irwin – Sing When You’re Winning: Football fans, terrace songs and a search for the soul of soccer (published by André Deutsch. If you’re tempted, buy it by clicking on this link.

Long ago – long even before this photo* was taken in 1995 – I had a colleague who suddenly ended his lifelong support for Villa. They’d given him quite enough grief, ruined far too many Saturdays. No more. He’d even stopped looking too hard for the scores, and felt tons happier. Somehow can’t see that happening to Gary
Gleeson**, the last in our procession of Villa fans. He lives minutes from the Stadium of Light and was until recently chairman of the Villa supporters’ club branch in the North East. Read on to see why we should hope he gets to Villa Park tomorrow night …

You’re having the sort of season we’d love: one final already, another maybe to come and still pressing for top four. I bet you’ll tell me you’re not satisfied!

I’m very very satisfied. It’s difficult to argue that a cup final, the possibility of another cup final and being in the mix for the 4th place Holy Grail is not a very successful season so far. If I have to make a prediction, I think we’ll lose to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi final and finish 6th in the league behind Spurs and Liverpool. The immediate aftermath to that will be a huge feeling of anti-climax amongst the majority of the Villa faithful. “Faithful” is probably a poor term though. I’ve noticed grumblings in recent weeks that intimate to me a feeling of entitlement amongst some Villa fans. I’m more pragmatic, although living 200 miles from Villa Park probably allows me to see a bit more of the “woods for the trees”.

Hand on heart, where will you end up this season and how does that compare with your expectations in August?

Compared to what I expected in August, I think 6th is about what I expected (not what I hoped for) but the achievement in the cups is more than consolation.

Birmingham have been a bit cocky of late. Is that good for the city, a mere blip or something that makes you feel a little sick? How would you characterise the Vilas/Bluenose rivalry compared with Sunderland/Newcastle for example?

Again, living so far from Birmingham allows me to see this with a bit more serenity. Small Heath Alliance are an irrelevance to me. I don’t consider them “rivals” in the same way that Newcastle and Sunderland see each other. Villa and SHA have competed on dramatically different levels for almost their entire existence and I don’t see that changing in the short term. I look at SHA in probably the same way that Sunderland look at Hartlepool or Darlington. Clearly, beating us is a huge thing for them. Season-defining perhaps? For Villa, beating SHA is a nice distraction and allows us to have bragging rights until the next crunch Premier League match comes along. If we lose, we lose and it’s embarrassing but we have bigger fish to fry. We are the biggest fish that SHA can hope to fry.

Any thoughts on the players and staff who have served each of our clubs? Dwight Yorke, Stewart Downing (on loan to us in a promotion season) and, historically, Trevor Ford come to mind …

Dwight Yorke is one to split Villa fans down the middle. When he was with us, he lit up Villa Park with his smile, his goals and his dancing. When he left, he handled it very very poorly and undid a lot of his good work. Joining Small Heath and calling them “the biggest club in Birmingham” was probably ill-advised, but what else is he supposed to say? I’m sure Lee Clark said something similar and was equally castigated by those who once loved him. Stewart Downing will be a very important player for us next season. Currently, he goes through good and bad patches and I put that down to his lack of a pre-season. As for Trevor Ford, was legendary for us but seemed to lose his way at Roker but the less said about that the better I think.

Can you see Villa becoming a brand like Chelsea or Man Utd, or will it always be a proper club with proper fans?

In the hands of Randy Lerner, I fully expect to see Villa become a globally known football club. While I am sure he wants to exploit every market available to the club, I don’t think Randy will allow the club to become a “brand”, I think his record shows that he values the parochial nature of Villa very highly and long may it continue.

Martin O’Neill. We really wanted him, he reputedly supported us as a boy, he seems a good manager to most neutrals. Why are some Villa fans unconvinced?

I honestly don’t know why some Villans are unconvinced. Granted, this year we have a cracking opportunity to reach the Champions League and we seem determined to shoot ourselves in the foot again but I firmly believe that we are only in this position because of the values MON instils in his team. Hard work, team spirit, siege mentality. We are, again, falling foul of a lack of quality and depth in the squad but MON has a balancing act to do. By expanding the squad too much, he runs the risk of jeopardising those values and I’m more than happy to let him do things his way. Emile Heskey and Carlos Cuellar seem to be the source of Villa fans’ frustrations lately. Emile has a reputation for being a lazy lump who falls over easily. Its a deserved reputation to some extent, however I believe that he does more “donkey work” (for want of a better description) than he gets credit for. I grew up playing centre-back, and I would have hated to play against someone like Emile Ivanhoe. Playing Cuellar at right back irritates Villa fans no end, especially with Luke Young and Habib Beye warming the bench. Cuellar, however, reads the game incredibly well and cleans up behind Dunne and Collins an awful lot; work for which he doesn’t get a lot of credit. He also is a tower presence at the back when playing more “direct” teams. I can understand the clamour for Young or Beye to play, especially when Carlos’ weaknesses with the ball at his feet become more pronounced. However, Luke Young missed preseason because his brother died tragically. It’s quite likely that he’s still rusty and MON thinks it the lesser of two evils to play Cuellar, with all his limitations. As for Beye, I just don’t think it’s worked out for him at Villa. He has the ability and the Geordies clearly loved him but, from when I’ve seen him, he drifts dangerously central too often for my liking and I’m sure MON has similar fears. Being the meanest defence in the Premier League convinces me that MON knows what he’s doing. Scoring goals has been our weakness, but with John Carew scoring goals again and Ashley Young remembering how to get a cross past the first defender, I think we’re addressing that at just the right time.

Greatest players you’ve ever seen – or wish you’d been born in time to see – in Villa colours?

Paul McGrath. There is not argument. I wish I’d been old enough to see more of Brian Little.

And the peaks and troughs of your Villa-supporting experience?

The peaks would be 94 and 96, winning the league cups. Particularly 94, dramatically beating Tranmere to set up a Wembley final with treble-chasing Man Utd and then giving them a footballing lesson on the day. Troughs, losing to Chelsea in the 2000 FA Cup final. Not so much the defeat, but the negative manner in which we let them beat us. Also, managing to save ourselves from relegation through a Marcus Allback goal is another low point.

Are you a modernist or a traditionalist in football? Could you stomach selling off the name of the stadium to produce the NEC Villa Park, or even just GKN Park?

Definitely a traditionalist. Thankfully, Randy Lerner feels the same and has ruled out selling the naming rights to Villa Park. Money has, unfortunately, become the ruling factor in football. Randy recognises that but refuses to worship at the altar of the mighty dollar too willingly. When he couldn’t get the right price from potential shirt sponsors, he refused to sell the space below what he considered to be the true value. Instead, he donated the space to the Acorn Childrens Hospice and sought to make up the shortfall elsewhere. What really impresses me about the man, however, is that he doesn’t talk to the press about how incredible he is. Compare and contrast with the likes of Gold, Sullivan, Whelan, Risdale, Gillette et al. In many ways, Ellis Short reminds me of Randy Lerner in terms of shunning publicity. Niall Quinn, however, more than makes up for that I suppose.

Name one thing Villa or the FA should do to make the lot of the fans a bit better.

Wage cap on players. Not a percentage of turnover or a cap on a single players salary. Every club should have the same budget for players’ salaries. It would have saved Portsmouth from collapse.

What will be this season’s top four, in order, and the bottom three, and where will Villa and Sunderland end up if not already mentioned.

1. Man Utd
2. Chelsea
3. Arsenal.
4. Spurs.
5. Liverpool.
6. Villa

18. Hull
19.Burnley
20. Portsmouth

Sunderland will finish between 10th and 12th. About right I think.

The World Cup: bothered a lot, or only a little, about England’s chances?

I’m Irish. I’m not bothered at all. But if England play France in the final, I might defy my ancestry and support Capello’s boys.

The Eduardo question: last second of the last game of the season and you’re champions/cup-winners if you win. But it’s 1-1. Young, Carew, Heskey, whoever .. goes down with theatrical aplomb in the box. Even Villa fans are sniggering. But the ref gives the penalty and you win. Take it gladly, take it guiltily or feel so ashamed you almost wish you hadn’t won?

After what happened to Ireland vs France in Paris, I have to say that I would feel completely ashamed. Cheating is cheating and should be stamped out without debate.

Will you be at the match, and what will be the score?

I’m still not sure if I’ll be at the match, I’ll decide at lunchtime tomorrow if I can make it or not. If I go, we’ll lose though. I’m sure of that much. Realistically though, I think it’ll be a humdinger of a game with a 3-2 victory for the Villans.

* Credit to Ben Sutherland’s Flickr pages for the photo from one of the dressing rooms at Villa Park

** Gary Gleeson on Gary Gleeson:
I was out of work for a long long time but have recently become a taxpayer again, I’m sales manager for a large security distributor. I’m an Irish Villa fan living in the North East, 10 minutes from the Stadium of Light. I used to run the North East Villa supporters’ club but Martin Clinton has taken up the reins on that, please see www.northeastvilla.co.uk for details.

*** All Villa interviews by Colin Randall.
See also: … beware rampant Carew
and … still down on Dowd

Are the suits intent on chipping away at the soul of football until nothing’s left, as I suggested elsewhere in response to SAFC’s new Big Idea, hawking the name of the Stadium of Light? Or does it not matter a jot what the place is called as long as we are given something to appreciate once inside? Colin Randall thought he was sure of the answer …

So there I was, driving through France and feeling happy with life. I’ve just about persuaded myself (perhaps prematurely) that we’re not going down. I love France and shouted as much when I saw the first road sign – Aix-en-Provence/Toulon/Nice – that told me I was on the last leg (Toulon being little more than a Jonny Wilkinson drop kick from where I live).

Then came a succession of noises from the mobile, enough to give me the idea there might be a hot new debate on the Blackcats e-mail loop.

I’d better choose my words carefully here and say that once I’d safely parked the car in the next aire, I nearly hit the roof (not too hard a feat as my Clio is quite small).

The thread began with a question from Damian Kelf. “Just wondering,” he asked, “what are people’s thoughts on the club selling the naming rights to the Stadium? Personally I would hate it – even if it brought a shed load of money in. I hate having to hear a sponsor’s name everytime something like that is mentioned – like ‘Cellnet Riverside Stadium’ or The FA Cup ‘sponsored by Eon’.”

This was the first I’d heard of the plan, and the news enraged me. “What will corporate football do to us next?,” I asked out loud, which was fairly pointless as the only other living creature in the car was the cat.

I have to be consistent. Salut! Sunderland mocked Newcastle United when Mike Ashley heaped a ton of salt on open Toon wounds by renaming St James’ Park sportsdirect.com@St James’ Park in the hope of selling the first bit before the @ to someone, anyone.

So why should I be any more lenient on Steve Walton, SAFC chief executive (who may, for all I know, wear Philosophy Football’s Len Shackleton and Against Mod€rn Football T-shirts and read only When Saturday Comes, Salut! Sunderland and A Love Supreme)?

And I knew what my thoughts on auctioning the naming rights to the Stadium of Light were.

Plenty of responses, as my beeping Blackberry proved. But not many fans, or at least not many at Blackcats, seem to care as much. One contributor talked about losing part of our identity, and a few shuddered at the thought of the name changing every so often as sponsors came and went. Most were simply unconcerned, bothered only about what the team did.

“I would have felt that this was sacrilege had it been Roker Park,” said one, and his view was echoed by others. “I care very little for the wet dream for Blue Circle that we currently call home. It’s a lot better than some new stadia but a characterless place compared to the wonderful Roker.”

All of which Mr Walton may take as vindication. He was quoted as saying Sunderland fans would understand the financial benefits of a potential deal and would not be concerned by a change to the name of a stadium that opened only in 1997. “It doesn’t necessarily carry the same emotion” – as it might with Roker Park? St James’ Park? – “because it’s a relatively new stadium.”

He went on: “And it would only be done if it was completely right ….”

Now Steve’s talking. Completely right for the fans, for tradition, for integrity?

Er, not quite. “… completely right for the business.”

But then I thought again. What if someone came along and said: “Look, we like Salut! Sunderland. Can we sponsor you and rename your site Salut! Nissan, Arriva Salut!, Salut! National Glass Centre? As long as you and Pete and your pals keep filling the site, you’ll never have to work for anyone else again.”

Put it like that, Mr Walton, and we’re on the horns of a dilemma.

But rest assured it would be done only if it was completely right. For the business.

The ground at St Ives. Picture courtesy of St Ives Town FC

 

After the display we were  forced to sit through on Monday night, only the most devoted followers of the Marquis de Sade can be looking forward to the visit of the Wigan pie eaters with any enthusiasm or expectation.

Wigan had an even worse result than we did, losing at home to serial bankrupts Notts County in an FA Cup replay, which prised 4,000 Latics out of their armchairs and into the DW stadium to watch open-mouthed as their team were dumped on.

That should reduce the Wigan following from the tiny to the miniscule, and should lead to a huge number of empty seats in the South Stand. Add to that the fact that there may well be an empty seat in the East Stand (Row 34, Seat 404) as I am caught on the horns of a footballing dilemma.

The problem is that Shildon, my home town team, is involved in an FA Vase tie at St Ives in Cambridgeshire, at the same time as Lorik Cana leads out his bunch of overpaid underachievers. Where to go? After Monday, there was only one answer and it wasn’t Monkwearmouth. I had made up my mind to abandon The Stadium of Light for Westwood Road, St Ives.

I miss very few home games. The last one I dipped out of was three years ago, in Keaneo’s promotion year, when Shildon played at Retford and Luton Town were the visitors to the Stadium.  I made a poor decision that day – Sunderland won, Shildon lost and a number of fans disgraced themselves and their town by hurling racial abuse at a Retford player.

This time, the Railwaymen are much further along the Wembley trail. They are in good form, having won all 4 games played since the Big Freeze eased its grip on local football, and last weekend, against Vase holders Whitley Bay, they looked very impressive as they ran out 3-1 winners.

This is as far as they have got in a national competition since the late 50’s when they reached the last 16 of the FA Amateur Cup. The Secretary at the time was one Ernie Randall, father of this site’s proprietor, and a man who had had his hands on the inside leg of just about every male in Shildon – what with him being the manager of The Northern Clothing Company, purveyors of trousers to the aristocracy.

I watch them regularly, although it is usually in midweek, and  I have dreams that see Shildon and Sunderland in Wembley finals in consecutive weeks. Thanks to some defending at Portsmouth that Darlington RA would have been ashamed off, that dream is on hold again – probably permanently.

But the Shildon one is alive and kicking and is a real possibility. St Ives are in the same league as Stotfold, whom we beat two weeks ago, and are reckoned to be about the same level. That means they are beatable if Shildon play to their capabilities and don’t let themselves down. As a Sunderland supporter, I should be immune to optimism, but you have to hope that things will go your way.

At the time of writing, it looks as if the game will be put back a week due to a waterlogged pitch. The ground is close to the River Ouse and has a reputaion for absorbing water; a  Friday afternoon pitch inspection should allow me to attend the Wigan game and the rearranged Vase match next Saturday.

The transfer window doesn’t operate at this level, but it does further up the pyramid. I note there is talk of scrapping it, but where would that leave Sky Sports News? Jim White and his gormless sidekick must be the only people this side of Uranus who can work up any excitement over the words “David Healy has gone to Ipswich on loan”. Mass hysteria was only prevented from breaking out in the studio by the mundane moves taking place. David Craig looked most uncomfortable outside the Academy rather than his regular spot opposite Shearer’s Bar as he intoned the words “Alan Hutton’s in there and we think he’s about to sign”. You could see him looking for a bedsheet proclaiming “Wellcum To Huttton; No Boycoutt Here” but he was disappointed.

 To Darryl Murphy, Nyron Nosworthy and David Healy, here’s hoping things go well for you. Nyron did well in the promotion year, but was clearly lacking the quality to make it at the top level, while Murphy scored some vital goals for us. The winner against the Smoggies that cemented our place in the Premier is one I will long remember, as well as an absolute stunner against Wigan the same season.

 Three points are vital on Saturday. The last time we played Wigan was after their 1-9 defeat. This time it’s even more humiliating; whacked by the Original Magpies. We need to finish them off and do it well. A scrappy 1-0 win isn’t really enough, we need to play with some conviction.

Mind, Jason Scotland hasn’t scored in the Premier League this season. Hope he does not join Kitson, Nugent and Utaka by breaking his duck against us!!

When I thank you for the stream of visits to Salut! Sunderland that has sent us rocketing up the Soccerlinks hit parade to the dizzy heights of the mid-40s, “you” includes the away fans attracted by the Who Are You? feature and such controversies as the Ilunga/Jones affair. While I stand by for an invasion by Spurs fans later in the week, ahead of Saturday’s game at White Hart Lane, I will give another airing to an interview from the Celebrity Supporters series that began with 5573 (later renamed Wear Down South), the magazine of the Sunderland supporters’ association London branch, and continued at the old site.

Here, for those who missed the interview when it first appeared (and apologies to those for whom it is just a repeat), is one of the stars of our wider support base …

This starts as a tale of two celebrities with strong Sunderland links, of one door opening while the echo of another slamming shut is ringing in the ears.

Peter Reid’s reign had three-and-a-half days to run when a letter arrived in the elegant handwriting of Gina McKee, distinguished star of Notting Hill, Our Friends From the North, Whatever Happened to Jimmy Grimble and The Forsyte Saga but best of all, from our selfish viewpoint, superb narrator of the fly-on-the-wall series about SAFC, Premier Passions. The message was polite but firm; fully 20 months after our first request to her agent, Gina was declining an interview.

While we were still nursing a nasty case of bruised pride, the phone rang. It was Melanie Hill, another actress with a fine reputation, built in her case on roles in Bread, The Playing Field and that wonderful study of a pit closure, Brassed Off. Our approach to Melanie’s agent had been made only days earlier. “It’d be a pleasure,” she said.

The quite different responses should not be held against Gina. She provided her voice-over for Premier Passions without going on location and, beyond having SAFC fans as father and brother, claims no close personal interest in the club. “A fan by proxy” is how her agent had described her in the initial rebuff.

Melanie, on the other hand, was a supporter from the age of six, when her grandfather took her – along with a little chair to stand on – to her first match.

Her love of the club is undiminished even though she is not these days able to attend many games; her passion was diluted only by marriage to Sean Bean, who made her watch Sheffield United (without even the saving grace of Jody Craddock on loan).

The marriage produced two girls, Lorna and Molly, who plainly bring Melanie much pride and joy, but ended in a burst of tabloid-fuelled acrimony. Its collapse did not, however, end her affection for the Blades – not least because her boyfriend, James Daly, who produced When Saturday Comes (starring both Bean and Melanie), is one, too.

But back to her Roker youth. She has lots of memories about the people she knew or met or fancied at football, but they were all in the crowd. She remembers little about the games and, though she has been to the Stadium of Light, can barely recollect what happened even there.

Pressed for names, she mentions Bobby Kerr and poor Mel Holden. Mel, she says, was “such a great character” on the field; she didn’t realise, and I had forgotten until I looked it up, that he was struck down by illness, dying at the appallingly early age of 26.

Melanie’s best SAFC moment came after the family moved briefly to Kent. Now 5573 is a collection of numbers that might strike a chord with a few supporters. Melanie’s May 5 1973 was spent at home in Gillingham watching Sunderland 1 Leeds Utd 0 on the box as her mother went off to meet Uncle David, who had got her a ticket.

“I can still see her that evening, staggering down the street half-cut in the red PVC coat she’d bought specially for the cup final, and carrying a fake cup and a flag. Goodness knows what the neighbours thought. They wouldn’t have understood, but even now I love to think of it…it’s so brilliant to have a memory like that of your mother.”

Through no fault of her own, Melanie was born in Brighton (I cannot get remotely snooty about this since I went one step worse and chose Hove) in 1962. We contrived quite separately to escape north in the first year of our lives, in Melanie’s case back to her mother’s native Sunderland.

After the first visit to Roker Park, she started going with her mother, a teacher, and later on her own. Always the Fulwell, standing in front of a crush barrier to avoid being knocked over. “I just remember the atmosphere,” she says. “You cannot beat going to a big game and hearing all that noise. Our supporters were brilliant and so vocal – usually, anyway. It’s not the same in all-seater stadiums.”

Then came the move to Kent because her dad was a soldier in the Royal Engineers. Back in Sunderland after a year Melanie started going again. “There was a lad called Graham who I fancied like hell…..a sixth-former, unfortunately, way older than me. I admired him from afar.”

At Monkwearmouth school, she was given a small part in a play, playing a slave in The Crucible. No-one else wanted the role but she had a great time and began to see a future in it. Next year it was the lead part in The Blood Wedding and she was accepted by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. London, after the North East, was “horrible”. “I really hated it for the first six months but I’m glad I stuck it out now.”

It gave her the grounding for an impressive career that has failed, she says with emphasis, to make her a luvvie. She is proud of her role in Hot Money, a TV film about three women who robbed the Bank of England. She appeared with David Suchet in NCS Manhunt. Then there was Aveline Boswell in Bread, one series of Auf Weidersehen Pet, several of The Playing Field - first as a player in a women’s football team, later physio – and, of course, Brassed Off. As Mrs Coco the Scab.

No one who saw the film will need an explanation. For others, Coco – played by Stephen Tompkinson – was the miner reduced to making ends meet as a clown at children’s parties. Virtually the whole cast, Melanie recalls, was in tears when Peter Postlethwaite recorded, in one take, that thundering speech in the Royal Albert Hall after rising from his sick bed to lead the doomed colliery’s brass band to victory in a national competition.

There hasn’t been much time for SAFC in Melanie’s adult life. A couple of games at the Stadium of Light, televised matches down the pub, a stadium tour for her mother, boyfriend and daughters. And lots of Sheffield United as Mrs Bean. “It started because I had to go. I had no choice because what he said went. But I do have a soft spot for them. I like their supporters and always had tremendous respect for Dave Bassett.”

From what she knows, she believes it was time for Reidy to go “though he was let down by the players”. Howard Wilkinson’s appointment mystified her. But talking about the Lads had brought back memories, and got her thinking about going to a game again soon. When I tell her the story of Gina and Premier Passions, she allows herself a touch of mock jealousy. “I’m just miffed they didn’t ask me to do it.”

* Even five years on, I remember Melanie as not only a great subject for the series in the London supporters’ branch magazine Wear Down South but friendly, too. We met up for drinks, a bite to eat and a match, producing a rare point (they were collectors’ items that season) – 1-1 thanks to an even rarer phenomenon (a Tore Andre Flo goal) at Charlton. Fast forward to 2007 – we met again, a few seats apart at the Emirates stadium when we played Arsenal.

Her continued allegiance to SAFC is beyond doubt. To this day, however, Melanie’s Wikipedia entry declares “citation needed” after the statement that she is a “big football fan and grew up supporting Sunderland”.

Colin Randall

Colin Randallremembers highs and lows from 40+ years of games between Sunderland and West Ham …

On the face of it, this does not look the worst line-up the English top flight has seen:

Montgomery; Irwin, Hurley, Palmer, Harvey; Suggett, Porterfield, Herd; Harris, Brand, Hughes

Nor, necessarily, does this have the appearance of a world-beating XI:

Ferguson; Bonds, Stephenson, Moore, Charles; Redknapp, Boyce, Peter; Brooking, Hurst, Sissons

King Charlie & co clearly had an offday.

The match, 41 years ago this month, ended West Ham 8 Sunderland 0. At least it was an away game, unlike this weekend’s encounter at the Stadium of Light.

Injustice? You get beaten 8-0 and cry foul?

Step forward Geoff Hurst. He later admitted that the first of his six goals that afternoon had been punched home. Who knows what might have happened if it had been spotted? A narrow away victory? A well-fought draw?

I am glad to say that i was nowhere near Upton Park that day. But I have been present for a lot of games between the two teams, and a few of them – plus, inevitably, others I missed – stick out in the memory.

The obvious one for Sunderland fans to recall was at Roker Park several days after the 1980 FA Cup Final had ended West Ham 1 Arsenal 0, the scorer one Trevor Brooking. Our last game of the season had been delayed by the Hammers’ cup run and we needed a win or a draw to go up from the old Second Division.

I drove from Bristol for the game, promised my wife – who loathes football – a curry in a highly rated Sunderland Indian restaurant afterwards if we were promoted, but suggested a Wimpy beforehand just in case.

After the Hammers had started as if intent on seriously spoiling our party, Stan Cummins and Kevin Arnott gave us the goals that took us up in style and Mrs R got the curry to ensure indigestion. She had complained in the Clock Stand Paddock of the lack of consideration shown by SAFC in scoring an unnecessary second goal and inflicting another severe buffeting on her as we celebrated.

The newsagent’s next morning was a treat: every paper gone except for a tall, untouched pile of copies of The Sun, which in those days sent early editions to the North East without trace of the previous evening’s football scores.

Nine years after the 8-0 drubbing, three years before that night of promotion euphoria, we even contrived to thrash the Hammers 6-0 and still go down (1976/77).

There have been plenty of games between our clubs I would sooner forget: that cup exit at some ghostly hour in the SoL snow, an abject 3-0 surrender at Upton Park in one desperate Sunderland season, a couple of 2-0s in others. There was the brilliant 2-1 win in our Mick McCarthy championship season, which I watched in an Irish bar in Paris, and an away win in the FA Cup on our way to Wembley in 1992.

Kevin Phillips scored his 30th goal of the season at home to the Hammers in one of our seventh top seasons under Peter Reid (1999/2000), winning the Golden Boots award and only a dreadful miss by Danny Dichio, set up for sitter by a bootless SuperKev if I remember correctly, had stopped us going briefly top with 10 men in the earlier game at Upton Park.

Tomorrow? I’ll be absent again, I’m afraid, and would love an emphatic home win to put Birmingham (City and Villa) depression behind us. But I will settle for a winner off any West Ham player’s backside,.

Despite our Brummie blues, is this our Carling Cup year? After an easy passage in the two previous rounds, Sunderland face a potentially far stiffer challenge tomorrow night from Aston Villa. But it’s at the Stadium of Light, we’re in form too – or were – and it still offers a great opportunity to move towards a welcome trophy. Jonathan Fear*, who runs the Vital Football network as well as the Aston Villa part of it, has other ideas …

Good start for Villa, with important wins already. Is this going to be a big season for you?

I’m a Villa fan, I don’t make massive predictions, had too many false dawns to start shouting from the roof tops. However, our defence does now appear to be rock solid (I really should not have said that should I?) and we are picking up some great wins without particularly being on top form (Chelsea game aside, which we won with style and deservedly). We have a few players yet to start as they have no form at all – Ashley Young is only doing things in dribs and drabs, John Carew hasn’t turned up to many games etc. That some might say is a negative but to pick up the points whilst not hitting form is nothing but a positive to me as long as at some stage they do turn it on.

So yes, maybe it will be a top season for us, I’ll just not hold my breath, I’m too long in the tooth to get over excited, I’ll just go with the flow!

Birmingham came to the Stadium of Light for the Carling Cup and did no more than go through the motions. Will Villa be up for it?

Villa blinking well better be well up for it! This is a competition we should go hell for leather to win in my opinion, it might not be the holy grail of the FA Cup (last win was 1957 so we are long overdue) but we have a good history in the League Cup and silverware is silverware. Trouble is I’m very mindful that you guys will also be up for it.

Randy Lerner has laid on free transport to fans going to the Stadium of Light, so it seems that MON and the boys are interested and want the support. Should be a good game.

Were you surprised at how bad Sunderland were last season, and/or by Keane’s walkout, and indeed – leaving aside local rivalries – by Bruce’s bright start?

Keane walking out didn’t shock me at all, he is too much of a maverick to be a manager, he just can’t understand why other players can’t do what his former team mates at Man Utd used to be able to do. Sunderland – big club with potential, so yes, surprised to see how poor you were and at one point it looked like you might have joined your ‘neighbours’ Boro and Newcastle United. That would have been a really strange season eh!?

Who for you are the Villa greats, and do any real duds spring to mind?

I’m assuming you mean in the here and now, if you mean in our history, I’d need an hour to type them all out! For now, John Carew on his day is unplayable, trouble is his days are few and far between. Our new boys James Collins (who I knew nothing about before he came from West Ham) and Richard Dunne are looking very good and I like the work rate of James Milner.

Duds? Well, I’m told he is great but I can’t see the use of a striker – Emile Heskey – who doesn’t shoot. Prove me wrong v Sunderland Big man!

Is the money swirling around in English football reassuring, exciting or a serious concern for the future of the game?

It is ruining the game, the league has been divided by the money in the Champions League and further spoilt by Abramovich’s cash injection which now looks to be replicated at Man City. I also hate the debt that some clubs are allowed to get away with, just seems wrong to me. In years gone by you used to aim to win the league, now you look to come fourth (3rd loser) purely because of the £££££. Such a shame.

Name this season’s top four in order, and the Carling Cup winners

Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City, Villa….! Carling Cup, really no idea, cups you can’t predict I don’t think. I’ll say Villa though. Oh and my league prediction, we could just as easily end up 8th, it really does depend on when and if some of our players join the party and put in some effort. So far, apart from the opening day blip v Wigan (awful home performance) and away to Blackburn, we’ve done well.

If Man City were not in your list, why not? And who is going down?

They were, sad to say. Would love to see it fail but they are buying like it is going out of fashion and have some very decent players. Hull are going, Burnley won’t be strong enough then one of either Blues or Wolves.

If there was one change you could make to football – anything from the laws of the game to handling of fans – what would it be?

Pay cap on players wages and a cap on transfer fees. As for the fans, (I know you said one but I’ll take some liberties) free pies for all!

A variation of our customary Club v Country question. Are you excited about the World Cup, blase or interested only if Villa players play a full part?

Will be excited when it kicks off, not going to waste too much thought or energy until. Should be a few Villa players in it so that adds spice but apart from despising friendlies, I do enjoy internationals, would rather see Villa win the league than England the world cup though!

The Eduardo question (which will not be renamed the Beach Ball question): dying seconds of the last game of the season. A win makes you champions. A Villa player dives spectacularly in the box and wins a penalty, Everyone except the ref sees it for what it is but the goal is scored and Villa are champs. You gake it gladly, you take it guiltily or you’re so ashamed you almost wish you’d only drawn and finished second?

I hate winning or losing unfairly. However a season is about more than one goal, so I’d not like the incident but point to it being a marathon not a sprint. Still hate diving though and wish they’d introduce video panels for after games to get some of the main culprits.

The lazy interviewer’s question. Is there something I should have asked but didn’t, and what is your response?

No, I think you’ve taken more than enough of my time!

Will you be at the match? What will be the score?

I don’t think I will be at the game, work comes before long trips and as I’m at the Everton game at the end of the month for a weekend away, my finances aren’t going to stretch to another trip unless I have a quick change of mind.

Not the best draw we could have got, you guys will also be up for it. I’ll take a 1-0 to the Villa, in off the arse of Heskey in the 5th minute of injury time. How is that then!?

Jonathan Fear is the co-owner and a director of Vital Network, which runs www.vitalfootball.co.uk . As many fans will know, Vital splits into sites for the supporters of different teams. In the picture, he’s on the right, photographed with his good friend Dennis Mortimer, a former Villa captain, and another pal, Deano.