At this point in every season, I get that tingling feeling running up my spine which tells me its a brand new start and a brand new season. Who knows what the next 9 months will bring but some things are guaranteed being a Sunderland fan. 1) There will be joy 2) There will be pain 3) There will be ecstasy (next weekend for sure) 4) There will be absolute heartache (could be next week as well Lol) 5) We will all fall out 6) We will all kiss and make up 7) There will be 48,000 managers with different views every week 8) There will be players who we love 9) There will be players we dont like so much 10) Bruce will be a hero 11) Bruce will be a plonker 12) However, above all there will be the ultimate warm and fuzzy feeling of total self-belief, that to be a Sunderland fan is the greatest feeling in the world and a blessing we all treasure dearly. I'm going into my 36th consecutive season full of the same hope, ambition expectation and belief I do every year, regardless of the previous campaign. By May however, I will have been through the wringer about 20 dozen times and have my age advance by 10 years every game I watch but you know what, I wouldn't swap being a Sunderland fan for all the silverware in Manchester. This is the greatest football club in the world and I'm grateful that I can be a part of it every day of my life. That said, I also wouldn't baulk at the club actually pulling its bloody finger out and delivering a cup this year either. At 46, time is running out for me to get absolutely 'arse-holed' and still live to tell the tale after a Wembley victory. Lol As things stand tonight though, we are in the League Cup, the FA Cup and we are very much still in the hunt for Europe and the EPL title. As the weeks progress and the games are ticked off, this list will be whittled down until its that time again when we go back into our boxes for the summer recess. Until that time though, here's wishing all my fellow SAFC followers the very best for the new campaign and a hearty Haway the Lads to us all. May this season be the one we've all been waiting for. FTM
Been up to my elbows in crocodiles at work mate. Going to Cornwall tomorrow for the week with the bairn and had to make sure all loose ends were tied up. Off for 2 weeks all together now. Wonderful feeling. Lol I'm back for the 'filth' game next week though and cant wait for the season to start. We are the main live game on BBC Five Live tomorrow so will be tuned in in the car on the way down. FTM
****ing crocodiles?? I'm djing for a sponsor till half 3 tomorrow (half 2 in English money like), then a 140kmh dash to abandon the car somewhere remotely close to home to retrieve it on Sunday and a cab back out to the nearest sports bar! Sponsor had been expecting me till 6, but i managed to convince him that SAFC was more important than a) his business, and b) anything else on planet earth. He's a Feyenoord fan, so he understood, and i've got an understudy standing in for the 2nd half of his heavily PR'ed event. I hope the ****er doesn't let me down..
If he is even half a man he will understand that footy is everything in life. Lol Here's hoping it is all worth the pain and heartache kidda. I think we should go there and have a right old go. I dont think KK has bought anything other than above average players but for £100m+ in spending. Enrique, Downing, Adam, Henderson and Carroll dont make Liverpool a top quality side and if Suarez is rested and Gerrard out, the best 2 players they have wont be any help to them. I honestly think Bruce has bought much better for the money IMO. I really fancy our chances to surprise them, as they will probably think it will be a doddle.
Yeah, i think we can get something, for sure. The facts are we all know Jordan is not a £20million player, and them paying that does not change the facts that he is meek and disappears from games, Gardner & Larsson are better players , and give more, although i admit Jordan has the capacity to improve above their level. Enrique is a great buy for them, whether he plays tomorrow, who knows, Suarez is the on to fear, a magnificent player. I fancy a draw mate, i really do.
Enjoy your break with the bairn mate, and I hope the lads make it a great start to your hols by getting a result..
Good stuff cest The good thing about this season is that we have a Plan B and a range of different dimensions to the team rather than play passing football but if that fails then hoof it. Larsson will be key in games like tomorrow. We could go all out (which i'd love to see) or we can keep it tight and try to nick the win FROM A SET PIECE!! Yes, as a Sunderland fan I actually said that. I'm not saying go all defensive but if we stay solid at the back and in the middle but still have people getting forward then we can also count on Larsson putting in a good corner in the dying minutes or a inch perfect freekick to equalise or even win. Gardner's long shots will also be a big bonus in games against the bigger teams. We're not going to just walk into their box so why not try a few long range efforts? I'm really looking forward to this season and although nothing quite goes to plan as a Sunderland fan and although this gets said every single season, I'd love a comfortable campaign of top half with the words 'Sunderland' and 'relegation' never spoken in the same sentence. That'd do me!!
Alright Marra enjoy the holiday with the Bairn. As for the season ahead my one wish is the Highs out weigh the Lows and I actually think they might (fingers, tors and everything crossed). FTM Ha'way the Lads
Reckon you'll get beat tomorrow, wouldn't fancy playing Liverpool first game even without Suarez. They're putting together a hell of a team
7) There will be 48,000 managers with different views every week. WOW' daft niall queen might stop despising the mackems.
I believe you but I have always been a sucker. Good post Cest, enjoy your time with the little one, ,aybe not so little now. My grandson was 7 last week and it only seems weeks since his dad started school.
Clean slate time for me this season for all players and Bruce in particular, this should be a very interesting season with our strengthening (hopefully) and the barcodes selling their best players (hopefully) no matter how they try to spin it round. Not expecting much today so there will be no pressure whatsoever on the team so lets go for it and try to attack them from the off. Next week will as Cest says be Heaven or Hell I think it'll be Heaven and, if the barcodes at work are anything to go by they do as well. Cup runs are a luxury Bruce does not believe in for me so it's Europe or bust for SAFC.
