I used to go to Roker Park and follow my team, some times they played well and I was excited, dreamt of glory then the next week we would lose and despair raised its head. In 1964 Charlie Hurley lead us back to the old first division, glory again.
When I became a man I would still go to Roker but my visit to the sweet shop on the corner, you know the one, well that was replaced by a visit to a bigger shop called the New Derby and the sweets came in big glasses. Kick off came and we would be magnificent and those glory dreams would again appear, one year, 1973, we actually achieved glory but again it was followed by more defeats. In 1985 we again tasted bitter sweet times, reach the old milk cup final to lose to Norwich then got relegated, then our big move, we appoint Mr Mcmenemy to be our new manager, oh the excitement, oh the let down.
In 1997 we hit the big time, left Roker behind and moved to the SoL, a new beginning under Reid and those glory days would surely follow.
You know the rest but now I am, lets just say, a senior man, grey hair, expanding waist line, a few less teeth and I sit rather than stand at games. I see highly paid superstars arrive in their expensive cars, fine athletic specimens and at times they make me believe again, glory will be ours this time, I know it will and we visit Chelsea and yes, its true.
Then next week, well it sort of follows the same routine, same superstars in same cars with same skills but a different performance, maybe this is what its like being a Sunderland fan, maybe I should be used to it by now.
Cant wait for next Saturdays game, the smell of the burger vans, the excitement of the day, the buzz of the crowd, maybe next week it will be our turn, do you think it could be. I have waited over 50 years so I suppose I can wait a few more. Wise men say, only fools rush in, maybe there is a clue there?
When I became a man I would still go to Roker but my visit to the sweet shop on the corner, you know the one, well that was replaced by a visit to a bigger shop called the New Derby and the sweets came in big glasses. Kick off came and we would be magnificent and those glory dreams would again appear, one year, 1973, we actually achieved glory but again it was followed by more defeats. In 1985 we again tasted bitter sweet times, reach the old milk cup final to lose to Norwich then got relegated, then our big move, we appoint Mr Mcmenemy to be our new manager, oh the excitement, oh the let down.
In 1997 we hit the big time, left Roker behind and moved to the SoL, a new beginning under Reid and those glory days would surely follow.
You know the rest but now I am, lets just say, a senior man, grey hair, expanding waist line, a few less teeth and I sit rather than stand at games. I see highly paid superstars arrive in their expensive cars, fine athletic specimens and at times they make me believe again, glory will be ours this time, I know it will and we visit Chelsea and yes, its true.
Then next week, well it sort of follows the same routine, same superstars in same cars with same skills but a different performance, maybe this is what its like being a Sunderland fan, maybe I should be used to it by now.
Cant wait for next Saturdays game, the smell of the burger vans, the excitement of the day, the buzz of the crowd, maybe next week it will be our turn, do you think it could be. I have waited over 50 years so I suppose I can wait a few more. Wise men say, only fools rush in, maybe there is a clue there?
