Been thinking about posting this for a while. I dont want to be divisive in any way so have erred on the side of caution. But I thought maybe we can discuss and share. Probably an entirely selfish post too. I have to be honest I am not hugely enjoying the summer tfr window. I am not totally in tune with the idea of spending huge sums on a team, having just watched one do such a miraculous thing for my club. I am not naieve, I know the gap between leagues. But I am an old fart in many ways and my footballing values, and my love of the game, does not come from buying players. My enjoyment comes from seeing a team progress together and learn together. My connection to Sunderland is my hometown club obviously. A bit more than that is the players who have represented us with a passion and desire that matches what they get from the stands. Ours is a club that genuinely thrives on its fan base being that 12th man. Circumstance means I cant go often these days, and it will have to be less this season sadly, but when I am lucky enough to get an away game in we are a remarkable bunch. I have had such a wonderful time following these lads. It is the players I remember and associate with those times. John McPhail, Marco and that team under Smith. Lads like McPhail got right under my skin. Before that people like Elliott and Cummins were heroes. I moved through years and players like Armstrong attracted my idolisation. Bracewell, Pascoe, Tony Norman. Benno, Bally, Martin Smith. I loved them all. Reidy gave me some great memories with Quinn and Superkev. Tommy S and Micky Gray. I can associate memories good and bad to players and I felt a connection. The team we had last year was the first in a while I felt we had a real connection with as fans. I could relate to them. I loved them for what they gave us. Our pride back? An identity I could fully buy into. Not since Reidys days have we had a side so committed to us as fans imo. I feel sad because it was only weeks ago we had these lads. Now I am left with a sense they wont get much chance to continue their journey with us. I will always relate last season with the likes of Jobe, Rigg, Neil, ONien. They will live always in my footballing memory. I hope the new lads do the same, but I will be honest and have my doubts. That is because I have some poor memories of big name players not getting Sunderland, or maybe it was just rank bad management on our part. How many of them will be here long term I wonder? Are we a stepping stone? Will all of them feel how Jobe felt about Sunderland when he was here. We were his stepping stone but he gave us everything he had on and off the pitch. My great memories are of those that came to us, or were grown by us, and who just went all in on the club. I really hope all of these new lads do, honestly I do. There is an awful lot of them seemingly coming in. Lastly, and at risk of sounding insular, I think we really do need some Brits to come in. Our footballing culture is different. Not saying any better or worse, but we are different. Even Wenger recognised the absolute essential value from English lads across the pitch. I get it right. The game has moved on, and I havent. That is absolutely fair. I just wanted to share my own perspective and struggles with what is happening. Footy is a bit more to me than £20m players and a desperate bid for a place at the top table. Footy moves me like no other sport can, and footballers do that. But if I am honest I love them like I do my wife (almost) and I value the long term relationship. So if I am less than excited on the tfr thread about another winger from Seria B, you know why Sorry for the rambling nonsense. Haway the (New) Lads. Ignore footballing dinosaurs like me.
Sums it up for me as well, this is my club, our club and just a few short weeks ago I felt so connected to the players, that they knew what it meant to us and didnt want to let us down. I know some aren't good enough to step up, I know we need quality players, but part of me wants to see Patto, Rigg and Neil starting as they really are one of our own and came through the ranks like we all wished we could have done. Just a few short weeks ago we were all panicking we might miss promotion and players like Ballard, Hume etc would leave to clubs in the Premier league and yet here we are and there's a lot of posts wanting 8 or more signings to replace those that we were worried would leave.
My folks were both born and raised in Sunderland, their families are from the area but I was born in Wolverhampton but spend most of my life in Scotland. Despite not being born there I feel I've been brought up as if I did live there, having that work ethic that comes from the area Sunderland AFC to me isn't just the club but it's the memories it brings. I remember going to the Charly Hurley Centre with my dad and grandads, remember standing in the Fulwell End as a kid and then being at the 1st every game at the SOL (it also happened to be the last game my grandad went too so will always be a special ground for me). My family are Sunderland daft (well except 1 cousin who supports Newcastle because his dad does), my Gran was even a season ticket for a couple years after my grandad had past away. The club is more than just a football club for me, it reminds me of my family both past and present. I'm not quite a romantic like yourself and I'm buzzing about what we are doing, but thats because I know players come and go but the memories those players leave last forever. We always need to strive to be the best club we can be, and players will come and go on that journey. I was sad when the likes of Embleton Gooch and Bailey Wright left as I thought they represented us so well but I also knew for us to be the best club possible they needed replaced by better players The players of last season will always be remembered by me and I'll always look fondly on them whenever they go for the rest of their careers - unless they ever go to that lot!! All I've wanted is to be proud of a club and want to feel the club represents me as a supporter, ever since KLD came on board I've felt that again. Whoever wears our shirts should always represent the people who have built this club, the fans - all new signings new to understand that
Good post FT. Pretty well after my own heart! I've been going since the sixties, and it is as much a part of me as is my bone marrow. Many happy memories from before the Cup win, then the win itself and the manic ups and downs since. Football is a paradox for me. I wasn't even sure I wanted promotion. You always want to win every game of course, and doing that guarantees going up. And if that doesn't do it, sensational, last minute winners do the job! But once you are up you are up, and there are two choices. Prepare to get up again after a long, awful and often ignominious season on the way back down, something all too common now. Or have a genuine go, by your own lights, and just see if you can stay up, all the while protecting yourself by acquiring largely saleable assets should you not make it. The second looks like our path. It's a hard one to navigate and as radical as the path which got us up, as it inevitably means using the more affordable foreign market. Hopefully Regis ability to glue players together holds here. But at least we have people running us who care, can afford to try, and seem to have a clue about how to go about this. I can't remember the '63-'64 promotion, though I was alive for it . But, shortly after it, in the close season, Charlie Hurley was being interviewed and in it he is reputed to have said, among much else, that he saw Arsenal and Spurs as being our main rivals for the League title! I might have the teams wrong, but he was pulled up on it, but only because he hadn't included Man Utd! Times really have changed. Enjoy it all you can mate.
Me dad is from Neville’s Cross and surrounding area , (the Brown side) of the family were and we supported them, and same for the the Tonks side of my family were from Wingate (they used to own half of the shops there back in the day) and most do so followed suit.
Born in Hertford, grew up in Sunderland and then later in Durham. Taken to my first game when I was seven on NYD 1974. I didn’t think about supporting another team. Even though I haven’t lived in Sunderland or the NE for that matter for 40 years now, I still class myself as someone from Sunderland. If anyone asks me where I’m from I say “Sunderland” without hesitation. Typing this made me realise that I’ve lived in Australia longer than I lived in Sunderland which is a little bit sobering. I’m not remotely religious but I’ve asked my son that when I eventually shuffle off this mortal coil that he takes a small piece of my ashes and scatter them in the River Wear in Durham City and Sunderland as a kind of returning home sort of thing.
My answer is simple. Blood. I'm a born and bred Mackem and my family can trace supporting SAFC all the way back to virtually the beginning. My great grandfather used to watch us at the old Newcastle Road ground well before Roker. All my family are or were (for those that are no longer here) SAFC fans. I've been brought up on stories of Shack, Clough, Hurley, Carter, Monty, Gurney, Gallagher, Mapson, as well as people like Arthur Hudgell "the cudgel". I had my own heros growing up, Shaun Elliott, Gary Rowell, Stan Cummings, Chris Turner, Marco. I've been through good times and bad following us. My heart being broken when we lost the Milk Cup final, worse when we were relegated to the third division (on my 14th birthday, how's that for a present?) and many, many more disappointments. But plenty of highs, 92 cup final, Reidy taking us up as champions twice, beating the mags in the rain, right up to Wembley in May. SAFC is as much a part of me as breathing. Players and managers come and go, but nearly 150 years of history has tied me and my family to SAFC, for better or for worse, richer or poorer. And I'd rather have it this way than anything else, even if I do have a rant and moan now and again.
Family. Always have been and always will be Sunderland daft. When I think of Sunderland, I think of my dad. Being with him at the match over the years. Wembley was special stood next to him. Some of the very best memories, through good and bad results. All of my best mates I attend games with now. Match days are class.
Geography. Raised in Shields, infant school was a mix of Sunderland and Newcastle. But the mags were all wrong uns.
One of the lasses at my school got pregnant off a 16 year old SAFC player when she was 14 so we went to investigate. True Story about the pregnancy. We used to hang around Roker Park and rush in for the last 15 minutes to watch the games after they opened the gates, then walk back to Plains Farm. We couldn't afford tickets, or bus fare. I was really hooked after I was posted to Catterick in 87 when we were in division 3 and I got to see games regularly.
A lovely post Felltop and I respect your feelings on this. I know where you’re coming from. Before the playoff final I said I desperately want us to go up but it could be the end of this team, and I think they are a great bunch of lads! However we did go up and now we are putting together a new squad and if things go well, we will think they’re a great bunch of lads by Xmas. We’ve got to admit the team that got promoted would have struggled without any additions, so it’s just adapting and preparing for a bigger and tougher challenge. Anyway, to answer your question - my Dad. He was from Seaham ( I was born in Billingham) and told me about his trips to Roker Park as a boy with his cousin. Stories of going to the FA Cup semi final in Huddersfield in 1937, Len Shackleton etc etc. So when I was old enough I got carted off to Roker and have never looked back. They say there are only 2 certainties in your life….your mother and your football team. For me now my lads are massive Sunderland fans. The new daughter in law ( she’s from Bolton ) is now a massive Sunderland fan cos she’s seen what it means to us all. It gets under your skin! My cousins are massive Sunderland fans. The bloke I hire a car off in Spain is a massive Sunderland fan. It’s a thread that runs through my life, family and friends! Good luck for all is this season - we can dare to dream . HTL
Another one with a family connection. My great grandfather went in the early days of the club being formed. He took my Grandpa when he was a boy. My Grandpa got my Dad interested as a child. I came along and my Dad got me hooked. I've passed it onto my bairns who all support the team.
Thank you all for your posts. Dust in my eye so to speak. If Sunderland folk are not the best on the planet I will eat my hat. Blessed.
People of the north east are in general absolute salt of the earth. I wouldn't have achieved half of what I had if my grandparents and parents hadn't instilled the morals.and values of the north east in me. I was brought up and taught we look after our own, ive instilled that in my children, that and you work hard to get your rewards in life. Its a simple outlook, but its right imo
Born in Chichester but dad and his family are from Washington. Grandad spent 40 years in the pits before dying form black lung. Only lived in Washington myself for a year between 74 and 75 bedore we moved to NZ (old man was RAF) and been in Aus for 45 years now. Have only ever seen the lads play twice in person. Aucklnad NZ in 76 and at Roker in 1990 in the old division 2. I guess its in the blood, My dad told me that my great uncle played for the club (Jack Stelling) however i have no idea whether he actually is related or just my old man making **** up but its a good story anyway. 50 odd years of waking up in the morning to check any scores, updates, news that may make its way to the other side of the world.
Great post @FellTop and agree with a lot of what you say. I have no ancestry that followed Sunderland and to be fair in the late 60s early 70s my mates were either newc-stle or other teams such as Leeds . I was born in Bishop Auckland which at that time was i suppose 50 50 red& white or the other lot. My first ventures as a 10 yr old in 1969 was Bishop Auckland the 2 blues and then Darlington. I was asked by a mate if I fancied going to Sunderland. Parental approval given and off I went in 1970 to my first game at Roker Park. Something got me that day I can't explain it but that was it I was hooked and have been ever since. I agree with @FellTop about transfer fees but that's life now. I want what's best for the club and being selfish I want to win summit else before I depart. Ive brought my family up as red & white son grandson the wife is converted. We all go home and away love it and last year was just fantastic. I hope we progress with the new lads but would love some home grown talent in amongst it all to give it that special feeling when we do win something. Keep the faith lads and lasses and enjoy the ride. I think it's going to be fun.
One thing I’d like to mention. Coventry at home in the play offs. Stood with 3 of my good mates when Ballard scored. I’ll never forget that feeling. The buzz was unbelievable, seeing the joy on lads’ faces who are close to me. The best
Born in Consett pretty split area but my Uncle was Len Shackleton's best man so that really cemented the Sunderland side. My grandfather who died before I was born was at the 37 cup final as well.
