This is all really exciting ...

[OldNewtown]

Evil father! Haha, well done

I prefer good parenting

Actually youngest was lucky my oldest lad got two of the worst games to go to, I thought after the first that he was just unlucky so took him back and it was even worse really poor nil nil draw with absolutely nothing happening. Put him off for quite a while but even he's looking at a season ticket for next season

 

[Smug in Boots]

Great story Smug but highlights the bad things that has happened to our club when a great memory involves Walsall which no disrespect to them should not feature in our memory bank . The emotion of football just explodes spontaneously and appears this was more relief based than anything , the loss of crowds at the matches is highlighted by your story the sooner we can get back to the SOL the better , watching the games on TV is certainly no substitute and I can’t understand people taking this option over seeing the games live .

My point is that a victory at Bristol Rovers will be enjoyed and celebrated here ...

... not enjoying it 'because it's only Bristol Rovers' doesn't compute with me tbh.

 

[Comfy]

Far too much positivity on this board lately for my liking.

Are our cards marked

 

[LD19SAFC]

Parkinson almost killed me off - dreadful manager and even worse football. I’m getting the bug back, slowly. Can’t wait to return to the SOL.

 

[Oliver's Army]

We only get 1 chance on this rock fellas. This ain't a dress rehearsal. Enjoy the blue skies, feel the warmth of the sunshine on your skin and take a moment to look around and enjoy yourselves once in a while. This last 12 months have been a reet ****ter but tomorrow will be a Good Day. KTF.

 

[Smug in Boots]

We only get 1 chance on this rock fellas. This ain't a dress rehearsal. Enjoy the blue skies, feel the warmth of the sunshine on your skin and take a moment to look around and enjoy yourselves once in a while. This last 12 months have been a reet ****ter but tomorrow will be a Good Day. KTF.

Exactly, treat every match as if it's your last!

 

[Sunderpitt]

12 games to go...

Some with our rivals for automatic promotion... yes nerve wracking... but this is the time and the 'match-ups' (bit American there) that you have to relish to test yourselves against the best in the league. We fought an honourable draw against one of them yesterday when we were not at the top of our game..

If we win, we deserve to go up.. simple as

 

[Snaggey]

12 games to go...

Some with our rivals for automatic promotion... yes nerve wracking... but this is the time and the 'match-ups' (bit American there) that you have to relish to test yourselves against the best in the league. We fought an honourable draw against one of them yesterday when we were not at the top of our game..

If we win, we deserve to go up.. simple as

And only 9 left for Hull.
Just checked, we have 11 left.

 

[Bigmackem]

My point is that a victory at Bristol Rovers will be enjoyed and celebrated here ...

... not enjoying it 'because it's only Bristol Rovers' doesn't compute with me tbh.

Celebrate any victory even celebrate an important draw and move on , main thing is see it as an end to a means particularly if it moves the club forward . Memories are our own for a variety of reasons so I would not decry yours of a draw at Walsall , I have memories of games we have lost as well but it ranks as one of the best games I have seen . Manchester United 3 SAFC 2 in league division 2 was voted game of the season on Match of the Day , we lost I was gutted but will always remember it ,the game had everything.

 

[Bank of England 2]

Parkinson almost killed me off - dreadful manager and even worse football. I’m getting the bug back, slowly. Can’t wait to return to the SOL.

I think you are like a lot of fans, me included. Apathy set in after going season after season winning very few games. It became ingrained in us to almost expect us to struggle. Any bit of optimism was very quickly extinguished, and all the news coming out of the club was negative.

All of a sudden, we have had an injection of hope - not the vaccine, although that's welcome - the news of the takeover with someone in charge of the club actually putting positive things in place. A bright manager backed by a forward thinking Chairman and Sporting Director. The change, both on and off the pitch, is tangible, and the belief we once had is now returning.

This feels like a new Sunderland, where people are no longer expecting dark at the end of the tunnel and a kick in the stones. The management, players and fans all have a smile on their face and believe that this is the start of something massive.
So, why not be ecstatic with every win and enjoy the ride?!

 

[Gil T Azell]

Celebrate any victory even celebrate an important draw and move on , main thing is see it as an end to a means particularly if it moves the club forward . Memories are our own for a variety of reasons so I would not decry yours of a draw at Walsall , I have memories of games we have lost as well but it ranks as one of the best games I have seen . Manchester United 3 SAFC 2 in league division 2 was voted game of the season on Match of the Day , we lost I was gutted but will always remember it ,the game had everything.

I was there. Winning 2-1 at HT if memory serves. A toilet bloody seat came whizzing over our heads. Was devestated losing that game.

 

[Smug in Boots]

I was there. Winning 2-1 at HT if memory serves. A toilet bloody seat came whizzing over our heads. Was devestated losing that game.

A bit of an inconvenience

 

[Wolfy]

Next week against Joey Barton will be the biggest test of how far we’ve come imo. He seemed to get inside our heads every time we played Fleetwood, whether that be, mind games or his **** house tactics. Let’s hope it’s not ‘same old Sunderland’ and we can finally get one over on him.

 

[Mav3rick]

It's hard not to get a little exited tho when you see how good the team are playing. And I'd say we have the best squad/team in this league! And if we would have had LJ at the start of the season I'm sure SAFC would be top of the table with a nice point gap.

 

[Smug in Boots]

Next week against Joey Barton will be the biggest test of how far we’ve come imo. He seemed to get inside our heads every time we played Fleetwood, whether that be, mind games or his **** house tactics. Let’s hope it’s not ‘same old Sunderland’ and we can finally get one over on him.

Balls to him, he's a pantomime act ...

... our biggest tests were at Lincoln, Portsmouth, Wembley, etc.

If Barton was any good he wouldn't be at a club like Bristol Rovers, he's at his level.

 

[ISOE II]

... compared to the last two seasons.

I'm going to make the most of this and enjoy it as much as I possibly can.

With Ross and Parkinson it was a bit of a trudge but you never know what will happen next with Johnson.

There's some interesting games and I can't wait for our clashes with the likes of Peterborough, Hull, etc.

Oxford United v Lincoln City
Hull v Gillingham
Doncaster v Charlton
Sunderland v Oxford Utd
Peterborough v Sunderland
Charlton v Lincoln City
Sunderland v Charlton
Charlton v Ipswich
Peterborough v Gillingham
Hull v Sunderland
Charlton v Peterborough
Lincoln City v Hull
Peterborough v Doncaster
Peterborough v Lincoln City
Charlton v Hull
Doncaster v Peterborough

Yesterday couldn’t have gone better bar a win. We were due to drop points and when we did so did everyone else. We can start a new winning run and put the pressure on the others not having to worry that we’re due a defeat or draw.

 

[Smug in Boots]

Yesterday couldn’t have gone better bar a win. We were due to drop points and when we did so did everyone else. We can start a new winning run and put the pressure on the others not having to worry that we’re due a defeat or draw.

I saw claims that Peterborough and Hull wins were a given ....

... they both messed up whereas we drew with a team that's been at the top for most of the season.

If we'd conceded 3 goals to Rochdale some people would be screaming.

 

[Sidthemackem]

Exactly, treat every match as if it's your last!

Shan't forget Walsall in a hurry, Smug. I'm a generally peaceable sort of bloke, but that referee nearly had me getting banned from footy grounds. What a comeback, though! That's why we go to games. The emotion. If that game didn't stir the blood then you need to take a good look at your life. As for treating every match as if it's your last, I'm just glad we saw the lads win at Wembley before we go! After nearly 48 years I was getting a bit bothered TBH...!!

 

[Mackem-Tiz]

Am I the only one that's nervous? Probs cos of the let downs in well over 40 years supporting them. But hand on heart I think Peterbrough and Hull will be top 2 and we finish 3rd.
But we've got the monkey off our back with Wembley so worst case scenario we go up through the play offs.

 

[Gil T Azell]

Am I the only one that's nervous? Probs cos of the let downs in well over 40 years supporting them. But hand on heart I think Peterbrough and Hull will be top 2 and we finish 3rd.
But we've got the monkey off our back with Wembley so worst case scenario we go up through the play offs.

Not nervous at all. I expect Hull & Peterborough to be fighting for the other place for promotion. We are in the ascendency and confidence is there.