Game #8 of this already hectic season sees the hardly band of Bulut's boys head north to go and visit in form Sunderland, arguable one of, if not THE biggest teams in the division. The phrase sleeping giant gets bandied around a lot but if ever there was a club that epitomised such a phrase then for my money, the Black Cats would be it, though it must be said this particular giant is waking up and looking pretty fresh! Whilst we travel to the Stadium Of Light in fine form by our own standards and still on a high from back to back victories, our hosts last tasted defeat 6 games ago and have now won 3 on the bounce, with wily old manager Tony Mowbray urging his charges on to a 4th victory on the trot after their impressive 3-1 win away at Blackburn on Wednesday. Sunderland are another of those sides that have few "stand out" names in their squad, yet the sum of the parts are greater than the whole. There is some steely experience in the form of Dennis Cirkin, Luke O'Nien and our "lost desire" Bradley Dack, with Jobe Bellingham (a capture from Birmingham) and Jack Clarke supplying the goals - Clarke in particular with 5 so far to his name. Last time out saw the Bluebirds slip to a 1-0 home defeat, however, our visit to the north east last season was more fruitful with the City also coming away with a 1-0 win. Fingers crossed for a repeat result!! Past Meetings Overall our recent record against the Mackems isn't too bad, with 3 wins in the last 4, including the following; Last seasons 1-0 victory courtesy of a Mark Harris strike. 2017 at the SoL, goals coming from cracking Craig Bryson strike & a Joe Ralls penalty. And just because of the scoreline, our 4-0 thumping win at home from the same season as our victory above. Bulut's Bulletin After resting him for the home win versus the other CCFC, manager Erol Bulut has confirmed that Arron Ramsey will be fit for the game on Sunday, with Rambo having been in training and looking in very good shape both physically and mentally according to the gaffer. Unfortunately though it sounds as though this will be another week where we need to make do without the services of both Callum O'Dowda and Josh Bowler, with both still struggling to get back to fitness, however, such is the strength in depth we now enjoy that in all likelihood, Karlan Grant after his morale boosting goal on Tuesday and Yakou Meite will probably take up the wide berths again. Despite his goal against our West Wales rivals and his bright showing against Coventry I'd imagine Erol will drop young Ollie Tanner back to the bench. After his goal against Coventry, we may see Kion Etete get a rare start, though with this game being such a tough fixture, the more experienced Ugbo may well stay in favour. In saying that, with Callum Robinson slowly making his way to full fitness, Erol may well surprise us all and go with a more mobile but skillful front line, but we will have to wait and see. What Are The Odds On That? Despite our own fine form, with our hosts in even better shape right now and on roll so good they put Greggs to shame, it's no wonder VT doesn't really fancy us in this one, though I can imagine a certain Bluebird poster may well fancy popping a few quid on us to upset the odds Well I Never Did you know that Sunderland is the only non-capitol city to be twinned with Washington DC? Washington Old Hall was the ancestral home of the family of George Washington, the first President of the United States. Several generations lived at Washington Old Hall. The Washington family crest, featuring red and white stripes and three red stars, is thought to have inspired The Stars and Stripes. Amazed they've not tried to sign Conor Washington yet! Swede Stefan Schwarz, who signed for Sunderland in 1999, signed a contract that included a bizarre clause, dubbed the 'Space Clause', banning him from space travel. Schwarz had a keen interest in space travel and it was reported one of his advisors had secured tickets for the first passenger space flight. However, Sunderland's contract clause prevented him from going into space, warning that a breach would result in the immediate termination of his contract. Not sure why he was so keen, he wouldn't have been the first "cat" to go to space.... maybe it's because he found space on the pitch so hard to come by? Southwick-born inventor Sir William Mills received a Knighthood for inventing the hand grenade during the first World War..... Hmmmm, and there was me thinking Sunderland AFC's history has always been a bit boom or bust! Sharing The Love Having previously featured the likes of Captain Fantastic Graham Kavanagh previously, I figured I'd take a look a little further back for a few shared players... some are absolute heroes though a couple have some interesting back stories!! Gary Bennett Born in Manchester, Bennett began his career with his hometown club Manchester City where he was part of the youth setup, alongside his older brother Dave. He left the club in 1981 without making a first team appearance to join Third Division side Cardiff City, soon joining up with Dave in South Wales. The pair helped the Bluebirds win promotion from the Third Division in the 1982–83 season, with Gary being known as a ball playing centre back. When reminiscing about his move and “big break” Gary said “My former manager at Manchester City, Tony Book, put in a good word for me with Cardiff City’s Richie Morgan. He said it would be worthwhile to have a look at me playing, so I was invited down for a trial. “I was about 18 or 19 years old heading down on a train to South Wales to take part in a game one night, against Wrexham I think. After the game I hopped back on the shuttle train to Manchester, and got in around midnight or early the next morning. That was my first real memory of Cardiff City! “After that trial I was offered a contract, and my brother joined me maybe a few weeks later! He’d been doing well at Manchester City, and there was an opportunity to come to Cardiff City, so he signed too." He left Cardiff for a tribunal set fee of £65,000, as well as a £20,000 bonus once Bennett had appeared in 40 matches for the club, in July 1984 to follow manager Len Ashurst to First Division club Sunderland, after three years and 87 league appearances for the Club where he had kicked off his career. The defender made over 400 competitive appearances across 11 years for Sunderland, including famous runs in both the League and FA Cups and becoming only the second black player to play for the club after Roly Gregoire. After a spell managing Darlington, Bennett later worked as a coach at Middlesbrough's academy before setting up his own coaching school alongside Julio Arca.[10] He also coaches the football teams at the University of Sunderland He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to anti-racism in football.[18][19] Bennett received an honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of Sunderland in November 2022 in recognition of his achievements as a footballer, coach and anti-racism advocate. Frazier Campbell Leaving Sunderland after 4 years, Campbell signed for Cardiff City on a three-and-a-half-year deal in January 2013 for a fee believed to be in the region of £650,000. He made his debut on 2 February against Leeds United, where he scored the only goal of the match in the 64th minute after coming on as a substitute just two minutes before. On 16 February, Campbell scored two goals on his home debut against Bristol City in the Severnside derby, which was then followed by another two against Wolverhampton Wanderers the following week. On the last day of the Championship title-winning season, Campbell scored in a 2–2 draw with his former club Hull, taking his final season tally for Cardiff to seven goals in twelve appearances. Folloowng promotin to the Premier League, for the 2013–14 season, Campbell scored twice in the unexpected first home game against Manchester City (who would go on to become Premier League Champions that season) in the 3–2 victory at the CCS. Following relegation from the Premier League Campbell joined Crystal Palace in July 2014 on a three-year deal after matching the release clause in his contract, believed to be in the region of £900,000. Released by Huddersfield in June 2022 Campbell technically remains a free agent. Ian Rodgerson Rodgerson joined the Bluebirds in 1988 from home town club Hereford Utd, for whom he’d already clocked up over 100 appearances. The cultured full back/winger clocked up close to 100 league appearances in his first spell with Cardiff before moving on to Birmingham City. After leaving for Birmingham City in 1991, and following a brief spell with Sunderland, Rodgerson re-joined Cardiff again in 1995, leaving once again in 1997 to return to his home town team Hereford. His spell at Sunderland however, as brief as it was, most definitely wasn’t uneventful. Joining the club as part of an overhaul by England legend Terry Butcher for what was then a tidy sum of £140,000 in the summer of 1993. Playing almost one hundred games in two seasons at Birmingham City, arrived on Wearside with a reputation as a pacey winger with an eye for goal. Unfortunately, following a testimonial win at Middlesbrough, new Sunderland colleague Derek Ferguson proceeded to drive the wrong way around a mini roundabout and write off his, and another, car in the process - all whilst carrying the contents of Terry Butcher’s transfer budget in his passenger seat. Whilst Ferguson received a fine and a 12-month driving ban he also managed to injured all of Sunderland’s summer signings ahead of the first game of the season away to Derby County. Rodgerson wouldn’t regain fitness until November, when he made his debut in a 2-1 home to defeat to Portsmouth, however he failed to hit the heights achieved previously. Exactly twenty days later, Terry Butcher was sacked and with that, Rodgerson’s Wearside career was ended before it had even begun. New manager Mick Buxton just ‘didn’t fancy him’ and coupled with constant injuries meant he only turned a further nine times before leaving the club on a free transfer in 1995 back to Cardiff City. He frequently appears on lists of SAFC’s worst ever players. And if anyone does want to be treated by a former Bluebirds “legend”, you can find him here; https://www.herefordphysiotherapy.co.uk/ And just because we all love a goal against Swansea…. Trevor Ford Ford signed for Cardiff City in December 1953 for £30,000, which was a club record fee for the Bluebirds at the time and allowed Sunderland to re-coup their then record fee of the same amount. Cardiff had seen a previous bid rejected but club manager Cyril Spiers travelled to meet Sunderland's board who informed him that they would not accept anything lower than £30,000. When Spiers informed the Cardiff City board of the situation they ordered him to "pay whatever Sunderland want.", the club desperate to seal the signing of a top quality forward having failed in earlier bids to sign John Charles and Tommy Taylor. After completing the move, his goals helped the club to a tenth-placed finish in his first season at Ninian Park. He spent three years at the club, scoring 68 goals in all competitions and winning the Welsh Cup in 1956 with a 3–2 victory over his former side Swansea Town. Ford still holds the club record for the fastest goal scored for the club, which he set on 23 October 1954 against Charlton Athletic, after just fifteen seconds. After leaving Cardiff in 1956, he released his autobiography I Lead the Attack in which he revealed that he was involved in an illegal-payments scandal while at Sunderland, with the club attempting to circumvent the maximum wage at the time by offering payments and other incentives to players. Ford detailed several ways that Sunderland's board of directors had attempted to add extra bonuses such as offering houses for free or at hugely reduced costs to players and the free installation of new kitchen appliances whenever needed. The revelations saw the club suffer heavy financial penalties and Ford was temporarily suspended from the game and despite this suspension he maintained that he never regretted releasing the book. Following his suspension, Ford initially announced his retirement from football at the age of 33 but decided to come out of retirement in 1957. With the suspension in place, he was forced to look overseas for a club, signing for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven who were managed by Englishman George Hardwick at the time. Despite averaging a goal nearly every other game, Ford was largely in the shadow of one of the PSV's all-time greats in Coen Dillen during his spell with the club and failed to win a trophy during his three-year stint in Holland. He eventually won his case for reinstatement, returning to The Football League with a brief spell at Newport County in the Third Division. He ended a long career playing his football at Romford. In 1955, Following his retirement, Ford entered the car trade and worked in garages in Cardiff, Swansea and Sunderland. He died at Singleton Hospital in his native Swansea on 29 May 2003 at the age of 79 and was buried in Oystermouth Cemetery. So, can Bulut's Bluebird Bandwagon keep on rolling and return with the points? Will we leave Mowbray with pie on his face and make his charges melt on the day?? Will the black cats prove lucky for our Bluebirds??? All I know is.... Swansea get battered everywhere they go (Oh, OK, I'll leave that one there)...... All I know is, with Bulut at the helm, we'll rip into the Mackems like a whirlwind Northeasterly gale and leave them breathless and bemused with a bit of luck... C'mon the City.... Blooooooooooooooooobirds!!!
Fan bloody tastic as always Brizzle. Loving the mix of football and social history. As I do always with this fixture, I'll quickly bore you by saying I have a soft spot for Sunderland and its amazing fans. Always enjoyed a trip up there and the good spirited banter with the fans. Always friendly and helpful in my experience. Definitely the biggest club in the Championship and as you say, a genuine sleeping giant. As for Sunday, I think anything other than a defeat will be a real achievement. I must say I've always thought of Mowbray as being a bit four but he can hardly be accused of that with the Mackems. If course, success breeds confidence and so we might just get something out of the game. Anyway good luck lads. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds!.
Wonderful read and full of interest and fun!! Go to the top of the class and give out the pencils! I had a great two weeks in Sunderland in 1976 or so. Working at Boldon Colliery and staying at the Roker Hotel...a Berni Inn! Interesting pit head baths. Clothes were stowed on a hook and pulled up to the ceiling on a rope attached to the side wall.
Have just realised why we're playing Sunday, the English ladies played the Scottish ladies at the Stadium of Light this evening.... guess 2 games 2 days running would be a bit much for the pitch?? I did notice it's grass too (at least according to Wikipedia anyhow)...
Another absorbing masterpiece from the quill of the finest match day threader out there. I defy anyone to show me a better football writer. And that includes the so called professionals.
40,000 expected tomorrow and a decent following from Cardiff, it's a long way on a Sunday ... ... Sunderland are scoring goals for fun so you'll need to do the same to get anything. Safe journey to anyone travelling up.
Cheers Smug. Should be a really entertaining game with a bit of luck (cue a drab 0-0 ).... If we pick up anything it'll be a decent return as you guys are flying right now. We're a mixed bag still but improving all the time (think that's a fair summary).
Last time I saw you lot up there you were at Roker. A certain manager just up the road at the time was telling everyone that "if you score 3, we'll score 4". It could be like that tomorrow if we can get our act together. Good game in prospect.
I'm disappointed every time we lose and today will be no different if we don't succeed. However, today we are up against an in form side that will have about 39,000 passionate fans behind them whereas we are just seeing the roots of a transition. Important to stay realistic but we're not fans if we don't hope. Cmon City Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds
I see they've only let in 7 goals in 7 games and only Ipswich first game of the season put 2 past them - since then very tight at the back whilst scoring regularly the other end. If Bulut goes there with the intention of keeping them out we probably wont score and we'll go down by the odd goal. I think that's what Mowbray's expecting and will set up to break us down through midfield pressure. With such a high press, that could make them vulnerable at the back if we can break the lines and get the ball behind them. ...........but then what do I know?
That's a bit gutting, Rambo could have been the one to make the difference for us today in such a red-hot atmosphere. Well, they did ok v Coventry so we need to retain the faith. As Erol said, it can't all be about 1 player. Tough afternoon ahead though.
1.0 To City. McGuinness. It appears Mowbray put his head in his hands. And dropped it. Got to keep tight now.
What a win!!! Just outside play off positions now. Early days. Didn't expect that. But no one expected the Spanish Inquisition!!!
Wow! Did that really happen? What a fantastic result albeit a bit of daylight robbery. But that's football and Bullut deserves credit for playing it in exactly the opposite way to what I'd have done. Most of all, credit to the players for a herculean effort. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds
