Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v West Ham - Saturday 16th August 2025 - KO 15:00

We were talking in the pub, before the game, and someone mentioned how little bother any player has caused us since KLD arrived.

Considering these are often young foreign lads, new to the area, it's edifying to see.

I believe totally that the owner has set the tone of the club from top to bottom.

You could sense it throughout the whole day, against West Ham, and it all seems very professional and calm, unlike the sense of chaos and amateurism during the Ellis Short regime. KLD has brought in a series of top professionals to match the team on the pitch and you just feel it. I was amazed at the difference between the image Sunderland presented to the public at Wembley compared to Sheff Utd ...

... we looked like we really meant business whereas Wilder came straight from his allotment and the supporters were given 50 pence scarves to twirl round a bit.

On Saturday no one was left in any doubt that we're a serious outfit whether that was the visiting fans or a prospective signing deciding whether to come or not.

We all know there's been a few mistakes, along the way, but even those who like to highlight the errors are admitting how well we're doing ...

... they remind me of the last few reluctant wallflowers who finally abandon their reticence and jump into the conga line with everyone else

It may feel strange, at first, but it doesn't kill yer.

 

Love that line Nads, the "weaving of the tapestry".
We've got the tools and the equipment, its all about weaving it into a perfect tapestry now. And got to say, its looking bloody marvellous.

 

Firstly, an apology....

@RTB I'm so pleased you decided to carry on with the match day threads, they really are superb. With this in mind I would like to apologise to @RTB for not posting on it sooner.

Ive got to add here that due to circumstance I dont go to games, I watch every game at home.
Ive found the whole thing since the play offs a bit overwhelming tbh. Mayenda's winner at Coventry, Ballards header to send us to Wembley, Tommy's winner in the final. The scenes will never be forgotten, and ive lost count how many times ive watched them all. The club, the fans, all as one, and ive never felt prouder of Sunderland Football Club and everything connected to it.

I found myself thinking about people ive never met: the woman on STID with tears in her eyes saying "why is it never us"?, @Chunksafc's Dad, @MrRAWhite, fans that have gone and never got to see us rise again. Well, it has happened, and our proud club is back where it belongs.

Then the transfer window, and the signings we've made...just WOW.
Then West Ham at home, the performance, the togetherness, just everything about it oozed class.

A final word on the fans.
You are all what make this club special, I see posters on here travelling from far and wide to get to the games, Kent, Cornwall, Scotland, London...all over the UK and abroad. I see fans helping fans, all as one. All SAFC.

 

https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4380618/vote-who-was-the-best-player-of-matchweek-1

Vote big Dan lads takes 1 second.

 

I watched a couple of short videos before and after the game. In the first one Sadiki picked Mayenda in his Fantasy Football team and said to camera, "if he doesn't score I will kill him" so probably related to that.
In the second one Isidor said that when he got the ball all his team mates were shouting at him to hold on to it and head for the corner, but he thought, **** it and just went for goal.
Just love the camaraderie amongst this lot

 

Wilson said ‘I know I score from there’ and you have to love that.

 

That was it Nads, I forgot his exact words

 

Summat along those lines. Class to hear.

 

Done
Get voting to overtake Richarlison