Ten years. A lot has happened. Whats your biggest/best football moment in those ten years? third of July marks one decade since Niall Quinn took over as Sunderland Chairman from Bob Murray, and with that date approaching we take a look back at perhaps the most poignant change felt at our football club in the last century. I will never forget the date Tuesday the 22nd of August 2006. After a dismal opening eighty minutes against lowly Bury, Sunderland collapse and concede two late goals, losing in the League Cup against a side languishing at the foot of the bottom division in the Football League. Having achieved four straight league defeats prior to the Bury defeat, the club was facing an uncertain future despite the Drumaville takeover in the weeks prior, and with over one thousand deeply concerned Sunderland supporters on his case in the away end at Gigg Lane, Niall Quinn promised after the game that he would step down as manager and find a 'world class' replacement (that man would turn out to be the recently-retired Roy Keane) within a week http://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2016/6/20/11975782/drumaville-consortium-ten-years-on
We've made hardwork establishing ourselves in the Premier League that's for sure. Still not fully established. Love Quinn for saving our bacon but I wish to god he hired somebody who knew how to run a football club. Wish he found an owner who knew how to run a football club. Wreckless spending has forever been our downfall. It's a miracle we're still Premier League First time with Sam in charge I feel like we could actually lay a foundation, clear our debts, stabilise and establish. So many clubs have whizzed passed us and established quicker, so many have had the Arse fall out of their club as they've passed us going down. Here we are suspended in some kind of groundhog season year on year. Been some 10 years. So much frustration, yet lots of celebation. Ready for a boring end to a few seasons me like.
Keanes arrival and immediate impact was one of the best bits. Being referred to as 'Roy Keanes Sunderland' , with a hint of excitement by the media instead of the 15 point relegation pity/ridicule sneery voice was a nice change, that unbelievable first transfer window, memorable away win after away win (thats what my memory says), hey jude, players missing buses, bottom to top, carlos edward rockets, Captain Black, loads of favourable mentions on radio/telly (thanks Roy), and the feeling this was the start of something special, and maybe, just maybe we could hang on to Keane for a few years before Man U took him. Ah well.
Well, Quinny certainly left us lucky but hopefully BSA has got a handle on the "Upwards Button" - driven by stat power ...but it's dangerous being too hopeful as a Sunderland fan
Recall going to a meet the chairman & manager with Quinn and Roy Keane at the SOL with 2 standout memories -the aura surrounding Quinn when he came into the room.and the small statue of Roy Keane - did'nt match the collosis he was on the pitch
Debatable. Him and Bruce left us with a bloated below par squad with a bloated wage bill which arguably began the financial trouble we're in today. Easy to forget the root of origin of all our problems when Short has made big mistakes like with the Di Fanti fiasco in the meantime, but even those problems were brought on by a drastic need to try and save money was a result of Quinn and Bruce's demented spending.
You're right I just see it as an evolutionary process. We've now got BSA and ES with stats and good management driving us rather than plain good fortune. But it is was not a comfortable or acceptable journey. I know I'm probably being too hopeful & expectant now. Wait till first 6 games are over and we'll see
Can't argue with it being Evolutionary process. Other clubs have evolved with ease while others have devolved, we've kind of struggled to progress, just remained the same at great cost, we've tried to evolve. I'm pretty much saying the same thing I said earlier in thread now.
