Lurker here. Going to Reading tonight, although only a mere 168 miles for me. Bit nostalgic. My first SAFC match was December 1995 1-1. As a 29 year old woman, clearly a Southerner who'd never been to a match before, I was apprehensive. I remember someone turning to me and saying 'you're not from Sunderland, are you?', but only with curiosity, when I had expected animosity. Leicester were round and about us in the table. I remember someone saying, after only about 5mins "Leicester are 3-0 up already!" and adding "against BATH". I was hooked! I grew up supporting Liverpool. Think how much more joy I'd have had in the last 27 years... But then, I guess, you don't feel the ups without the downs. And I wouldn't have had the play-off final win
Ta. was contemplating winging it over there. Flying in to Heathrow for 6:15. Might even just plumb for the home end as there must be pay on the night tickets available. Let’s see if my flight is on time….
thanks bud. I don’t want to ask as it all depends on flight arrival time. Heathrow shut flights for 2 hours this afternoon, and I ain’t been on flight that has made it on time. Will ping you a note once I land…. Fingers crossed
Same. Feels like this is the first run of games where the reality of playing in a higher division with a weak squad will kick in. Not expecting anything from these next 2 games
Last time our we played poorly, which could in part be put down in part to Stewart's late withdrawal, but not completely. Simms give it his best shot, Clarke had an off day, up against a good fb. Roberts was poor, Pritchard missed our best chance. So Mr biscuit chewing Tony... have you got tactics, strategy worked out, are the lads up for it, in a few hours we will know. I wasn't keen on Mowbray but tonight if we bounce back and put on a performance, taking 3 points... I will begin to believe I was wrong...and I hope I am. But ffs, Stewart and Cirkin and no decent replacements, Mowbray is unlucky (
did this not happen quite recently to another manager, came in and the squad just seemed to get injured one after another after there had been few injuries forever? he really could have done with the settled side for a few weeks while he got his own ideas over but i guess this is what will test him and prove to us he is the right man for the job...or not, as the case may be although i hope it is the first one.
I think we’re good enough to win but there’d be no complaints here with a draw. We need to get back to being hard to beat.
Will take a draw, but I’m going into every game with confidence expecting us to win for some reason. Think we spent too long in league one.
Quite relaxed. Only wanted a season of consolidation and no fear of relegation. From what I have seen there has been nothing to worry me and I think we will do better than just survive. Losing Ross is a big blow but this is what TM gets paid for to find other ways to win games. This Man U lad may come to the fore earlier than expected and surprise us all by knocking a few in. Went for a draw, obviously hoping for a win but deffo want no more bloody injuries.
A boro fan at work reckoned Reading were poor against them and lucky to get a win. Said their defence didn’t look good. Looking forward to seeing if TM can mould a dangerous attacking force out of the (mostly) young lads.
The young lads are quick, tricky and full of running ... ... we'll definitely create chances and need Simms in the box.
I think he has to go back to 4-2-3-1 to try and get some width into the team and get balls into the box for Simms. Quite what a back 4 looks like right now I don't know, maybe O'Nien-Wright-Batth-Gooch but there is a worrying lack of pace through the middle
