Match Day Thread Gateshead FC v Sunderland AFC & South Shields FC v Sunderland AFC - Saturday 12th July 2025 - KO 12:

Have you even had a break RTB?

Thanks for continuing with what is the best thing on this board mate. You will earn some form of lifetime achievement award at SPOTY or similar...

 

Great to have these back @RTB

Looking forward to the insights as we roll forward

 

I’ve not been away yet but it’s 32C down here
Just chilling out in preparation for the new season.
What’s the next premier league of ? going to be

 

Thanks again RTB for setting the scene as only you can, I really enjoyed last years pre-season double bill and this year looks even more exciting. No one could forget our past season, but with new signings and maturing young players coming through its never going to be dull following SAFC, or your wonderful match day threads. OaU .

 

Makes sense playing the full squad in one match. I never liked half the team in one match and half in the other as we've done in the past. Should be a canny day out with the weather for those going. Don't forget the sun cream!

 

Cheers @RTB mate.

Great to see you back posting your match threads that are the best on the entire forum ...

... hopefully they'll be about the matches and we can all enjoy them for what they are.

 

We get to watch Eliezer Mayenda play football tomorrow, life is good

 

Club on the ball here

What a refreshing change

Hhhaaa'wwwwaaaaayyyyyy the lads

 

great to have RTB match threads back looking forward to watching match tomorrow guess RLB will give minutes to many as possible

 

Possible team for the Shields game

Patto
Hume ballard o9 Bainbrigde
Roberts neil Browne mundle
Jones
Abdullahi

Moore
Johnson seelt alese huggins
Mayenda enzo triantis aleksic
Rigg (not sure on his injury)
Isidor

 

Riggs got an injury? Did notice we’d not seen him in any of the pre season bits yet

 

It's why he pulled out of the England u19s, Ankle injury

 

Ahhh yes of course forgot about that

 

Bored so going with this as my predicted line up tomorrow

Patto

Hume Ballard seelt Huggins
Neil
Enzo Triantis
Roberts. Mundle
Abdullahi

 

So before a ball is even kicked, Alese is ruled out for 6 weeks. Cirkin too? Time to get rid of these lads

 

Glad reinildo is versatile cos he’s guna be needed to cover both imo, so frustrating cos they’re both so talented

 

Team news:
Several players are expected to miss the start of the 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery this summer.
Aji Alese and Luke O’Nien are progressing well after shoulder surgery, with Dennis Cirkin (wrist) and Leo Hjelde (Achilles) also continuing their respective recoveries at the Academy of Light.
The quartet are expected to miss the Club’s opening three PL fixtures - against West Ham United, Burnley, and Brentford - before returning to action after the September international break.
Meanwhile, Habib Diarra will be available for selection when the Lads travel to South Shields this weekend, but Noah Sadiki and Chemsdine Talbi continue to await international clearance.
Simon Adingra and Reinildo Mandava also won’t be part of the squad that heads to the 1st Cloud Arena, with the latter, who represented Atlético Madrid in the FIFA Club World Cup, set to arrive on Wearside following the Club’s return from Portugal.

 

0-7 all the new players scoring will do me. Unlikely though i reckon Regis will rotate and the legendary players Mayenda and Ballard will play at Gateshead. the mags will find us a different team from last Jan i know that.

 

7 goals from Habib!