So after a long drive to London, me and my father, both season ticket holders for over 15 years, were sat in a pub for our usual pre match pint. Soon, the conversation changed from how southerners are ignorant and dont speak to anyone, to how the lads were going to perform, in a crucial must win against QPR, who were languishing at the bottom of the league. I honestly thought that we were going to put in a massive performance, and that our ride home would be a happy one. My father on the other hand, was more realistic. The lads had been performing poorly all season, they had shown no real attacking prowess, were boring to watch, and had no real fighters in the squad. He turned to me and said, "I think it might be time to think about whether we are renewing next year, this is some of the worst football I have seen in the 40 years that I have been following Sunderland" I couldnt disagree, it had been awful. I prayed for a decent performance. It didnt come, we went down 3-1. Granted to a couple of world class goals, but to a team that had struggled to compete all season. I had wanted O'neill, like many others, but now I had lost all confidence in a man that I thought would be our saviour. A couple of weeks later, he was sacked, and the replacement, Di Canio. We all know what happened after that, a couple of brilliant results, and a couple of not so good ones. We stayed up. I said to my Dad, I'm renewing, he agreed that this could be the making of Sunderland. What has happened so far this summer is truly magnificent. Di Canio has torn up the Blueprint for the way that Sunderland has operated in the past, and is doing it his way. I said to my Dad, in the pub down the road from Loftus Road, "we need a whole new squad" So far, Mr Di Canio, and his staff are doing exactly that. For the first time in a very very long time, I genuinely feel excited to be a Sunderland Fan, and one thing is for sure, its going to be exciting!!! Keep the Faith, FTM
50-50. This is going to be a season to behold. Either we burn big time or rise like the proverbial phoenix. Should be something to look forward to. Let's hope all our deams come true and when you think about it, it could not have got much worse. At the present moment I maintain we will win the league. We are all in that position to date and won't change my mind till it's mathematically impossible! KTF
I certainly disagree regarding the worst for 40 years statement mind...The Laurie McMenamy and the 15 point seasons come immediately to mind, but I'm sure that there have been many more worse seasons in that time as well... Having said that, I agree that the coming season has got my appetite well and truly whetted, with a tint of apprehension thrown in...Ha'way the lads!!!
I think the year we were relegated into the 3rd division was my worst ever memory as a Sunderland fan. As Reg says, the 15 point season and Mackemenemy were dreadful times in our history as well. But you are right about the standard of football these last few season...its been rank !!!
i agree 100per cent its been terrible and makes me feel ashamed and i should'nt be shamed for something thats not my fault, this coming season cannot be worse and even by some chance it is at least ellis short has tried his damndest to make a better team so to all the doughters i say it had to be done.
Good post apart from this line. Let's leave the saviours and messiahs to the scum up the road, and keep our healthy expectation that its all going to go tits up each season.
I've supported them since the 80's! We have had a hell of a lot worse teams and worst moments! But that was because we were ****! What made most of last season my worst spell as a supporter was the fact that everything was in place for us to have a good season. I thought, at the time, we had some decent players (and getting Johnson in was the icing on the cake). We had a good manager, good chairman etc! But for some reason we were still terrible! I thought 'what's the point!!!' Exasperated and disillusioned!!! With this change of direction our chances of climbing the league may well have increased, but our chances of avoiding relegation have not! Its on a knifes edge! But whatever happens, at least we have been given a little hope, because if things stayed the way they were, sooner or later we would have been relegated! Now we have a chance!
I lost faith in O'Neill after the Boro game in October. wish more fans had my opinion at the time but they don't have my football knowledge do they LOL.
