[Archived] Sunderland Preview - 20:00 Monday 18th October

[colin]

Introduction

I've gone and volunteered for another preview for Sunderland purely on the basis that I spent a year living there in 1976/1977 and it was horrible and 30+ years later I'm still holding a grudge.

Still, I did get to hear The Ramones 2nd; Blondie's 1st; The Damned's 1st; Buzzcocks 1st; and "The Snivelling Sh1ts" seminal offering while I was there.

(BTW does anyone else have trouble tying the word "years?" With me it usually ends up "yeras." I suppose it's a bit like comrade Bryan typing "teh.")

So not all bad then. Apart from Sid James dying on stage at Sunderland Empire Theatre 26th April 1976. Not "dying" as in "not getting a laugh" but dying as in "shuffling off this mortal coil."

I also did a local authority rates assessment of Roker Park. That was fun. It was about this time that I decided that I was in the wrong job. I still am.

A bit of ancient history & trivia

Sunderland Association Football Club was formed in 1879, and was founded by schoolteacher James Allan. It was elected into The Football League in 1890. The club has won six First Division titles—in 1892, 1893, 1895, 1902, 1913, and 1936 and the FA Cup twice , in 1937 and 1973. Rather like Rovers, the majority of its best glory days are behind it.

I've just realised that when you do that "name the football club suffix" game ("Rovers" "Town" "Argyle" "Athletic" and so on) that "Association" never gets mentioned. Remember this next time it happens, and once everyone is happy that they've garnered the lot you can step in and impress. You all owe me a pint.

A bit of more recent history

The 1973 FA Cup final win was one of those moments that the more mature will remember for an upset. Sunderland were in the old second division and the oppositionwas Leeds United who were in their pomp & glory years.

Jim Montgomery in the Sunderland goal-keeper made some brilliant saves and Sunderland won it with

goal from Ian Porterfield.

There's a statue of the Sunderland manager, Bob Stokoe, outside the Stadium Of Light. What a shame he never managed Stokoe City. But then, Alan Sunderland never managed Sunderland; Rickardo Villa never managed Aston Villa; Mike England never managed England;and Tony Blackburn........ There may be a thread there for someone to start.

A bit closer to the present day

In more recent times Sunderland AFC has been up and down between (let's talk old money here) the first & second divisions like a fiddler's elbow. Not quite up to West Brom's yo-yo existance, but consider this:

In 1999 Sunderland returned to the first division as second division (old money, remember) champions with a then-record 105 points.

Two seasons later they bombed back with 19 points, only worstened by Derby County a couple of seasons later who managed just 11 points

Mick McCarthy took them back up in 2005

Then they bombed again with 15 points.

In 2007, under Roy Keane's management, they got back up again and have stayed since. Keane has gone to Ipswich & now Bernard Cribbins has taken on the job having moved from Wigan.

"Bernard Cribbins?" I hear you cry!

Without doubt separated at birth.

Cribbins

Bruce

Diversion

Now something for affectionados of "The Fall" (I'm one)

Near the turn of the century, (the last but one,) Sunderland needed a bigger stadium. They set up home in Roker Park. It was opened on 10 September 1898. The stadium's capacity later increased to 50,000 after redevelopment in 1913. The architect was Archibald Leitch . Leitch wasalso the architect of many other football stadia including...........have a guess.

Archibald Leach

And for Adopted Scouser and other "The Fall" enthusiasts, he surely must be the bloke that MES is wittering on about on "Your Future Our Clutter." Heavens knows why.

Statistical waffle with no discernable outcome

I've gone back ten years to see if there is any pattern on the results between us but there is nothing. We lose some, we draw some, &we win some. There is no pattern at all, home or away.

Decisions that make no sense

Sunderland sold Kenwynn Jones to Stoke City in the summer for £8m, apparantly he took a pay cut to move. Cribbins must be so much

up his own sphincter to lose a partnership of Jones & Bent. I'd give someone elses right arm to have that striking duo at Ewood Park.

There will be a minimum of five minutes of extra time. Do you understand the word "minimum?"

I'd just like to mention that anyone who posts a guess at the crowd size is a "53,492nd most common surname in the United States."

Prefixed by the words "hopelessly" "sad" & "terminal."

The following was a snippet from Football365.com on 20th September

"Sunderland's five league games this season have featured an 88th-minute equaliser for Birmingham, an 81st-minute winner for WBA, an injury-time penalty winner against Man City, an 87th-minute equaliser for Wigan, and Bent's 95th-minute leveller this weekend against Arsenal."

So don't leave "to beat the traffic."

Their next two games had the last goal in the 64th minute at Anfield and the 0-0 against Manchester United speaks for itself.Maybe the late drama is fading away.

Noise Noise Noise

"Sunderland fans were recorded as the loudest crowd in the 2007–08 season, following a survey carried out at every ground in the league; the highest peak volume was measured at 129.2 decibels."

They obviously didn't record the bloke next to me saying "For F**ks sake Rovers, you make it too easy for them." Admittedly his volume drops a bit the fourth time he says it in the following 30 seconds.

Oh the joys of watching Rovers.......

Finally: morals & ethics of football - A study of Cribbins

You'll remember the

scored by Sunderland at The Stadium Of light last season.

Cribbins was pretty relaxed about it stating:

(a ) "Well it's one of those bizzare incidents that will be played in quiz shows in years to come. I hope it doesn't become the issue in us winning the match;"(b ) "we've got away with it" & (c ) "I think you have to be pretty sad if you know that rule (sic)" (it's a "law" BTW Steve - the "outside agent" one*.) Which is an amazing admission of ingnorance for someone who has spent 32 years in the professional game.

Roll on a few months to the recent game at Anfield where this happens

Cribbins was not quite so relaxed this time.

“It sticks a bit when you get decisions like that which for me are not in the fairness of the game and what we are known for in this country,it’s unjust and unsportsmanlike and not in the rules of the game. They’ve capitalized on it.”

Luckily we don't have a manager who spouts 80ll0ck5 a lot of the time. Oh!

* For the pedantic - here

click down to pages 6 & 7 to see that an "outside agent" seems to have to be a human. From which we may assume that Robbo actually "parking the team bus" across his goal & employing a pack of rabid rottweilers to patrol his penalty area would be OK. Probably not.

Lawks, look at the time, I've been chattering away like a fishwife. Must go and donkey stone the front step.

[1864roverite]

Wow, have we really got a home game to look forward to ? I had forgotten it was the football season !

I have a genuine affection for Sunderland with family connections up there, although I have to say I despise their shirts.

Monday night football, winter on the horizon, rich club versus poor club, multi million pound strikers versus cheap defenders, an aggressive combatent midfield versus powderpuff players ?

Its got 0-0 written all over it

[Steve Moss]

click down to pages 6 & 7 to see that an "outside agent" seems to have to be a human. From which we may assume that Robbo actually "parking the team bus" across his goal & employing a pack of rabid rottweilers to patrol his penalty area would be OK. Probably not.

Excellent review.

On the issue of Robbo, the team bus and rabid Rotweilers:

1. Law 4, Safety, "A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player".

2. Law 5, Referree, "stops, suspends or abandons the match because of outside interference of any kind".

But I would like see those tactics used, especially against the likes of Arsenal.

Rovers 2-1 Sunderland

[Hughesy]

They seem to be abit of a bogey team for us at home - a very boring team to play, especially on a monday night.

1-1 il go for. 3 points would be good though!

[RibbleValleyRover]

Good preview.

At the moment I just cannot confidently predict Rovers winning any game. Sunderland put in a decent performance against United and will be too much for us i fear.

2-0 Sunderland.

[G Somerset Rover]

I've got a bad feeling about this one too. They're never easy to play against and with Bent and Gyan boast forward options that we could only ever dream of.

Going to be a tricky couple of months:

Rovers 1 sunderland 2

[only2garners]

The 1973 FA Cup final win was one of those moments that the more mature will remember for an upset. Sunderland were in the old second division and the oppositionwas Leeds United who were in their pomp & glory years.

I remember that only too well. I was at university in Sheffield and one of my mates was (and still is) a big Sunderland fan. He took long odds bets from us all before the third round that Sunderland would in the cup that year - imagine how that felt come May. Eerily we are having a reunion this weekend in Sheffield - the Premier league have been very kind to move this fixture to Monday for us, but I don't know whether I'll be able to get Jim to come over.

[Ricky]

Sky sports news are reporting that Bent is out of the England squad with a groin injury. Wonder if he'll be out on Monday?

[philipl]

Great preview Colin!

Let's wait and see who comes back from internationals week in what condition before thinking about a result.

Rovers ought to prevail- surely not even Sam can get out-witted by Bruce at half time.

[Inta Beaver]

Sunderland have had some very good results recently with drawing at Anfield and at home the Arsenal, I would be happy with a point out of this game, I just can't see us winning.

[Iceman]

Rovers 2-0 Sunderland. M Diouf and Kalinic with the goals.

[Big A]

Class as ever Colin. Sunderland have got some decent results against the big boys but last seasons struggled against the mid-low teams. If Bent is still injured that will leave them pretty toothless up front. 0-0 it is!

[colin]

Thank you all, for your kind comments.

You know who you are. Much appreciated.

I'm just waiting for the first to do an estimate on the crowd and to ring the bell, no one has bitten yet.

53,492nd most common surname in the United States

Plenty of time yet. Let's just wait. Someone will bite.

[otto man]

I think I might regret this, but it's.............W anchor!

[Brfcrule1]

I thought this would be the most appropriate thread to put this as it concerns this game. If anyone is interested lives in London that is not going to the game on Monday night I shall be watching the Sunderland game in 3D at the Globe in Baker St. If anyone who is not going to the game fancies meeting in there that would be great, and before anyone has a wise crack on my behalf I know some of you will be watching the game in 3D from the Riverside this is intendedfor rovers fans in London not travelling up who fancy meeting up. By the way anyone who is interested the programme starts at 7PM I will be in there from 7.40.

[MarkBRFC71]

We know the script by now ..... we'll go 1-0 up by virtue of a scrappy goal from a set-piece, be comfortable until half time then sit back in the second half, and inevitably concede. The only question is how many - will it end 1-1 or 1-2? My money's on the former. Could really do with a win here though - here's hoping we break the pattern ....

[Fife Rover]

We know the script by now ..... we'll go 1-0 up by virtue of a scrappy goal from a set-piece, be comfortable until half time then sit back in the second half, and inevitably concede. The only question is how many - will it end 1-1 or 1-2? My money's on the former. Could really do with a win here though - here's hoping we break the pattern ....

I am coming down for this one, and am determined to see this "crap trend" come an end (ooh! I'm a poet and I didn't know it). SO...... I decided to do something about it, and I hunted around for my old footie boots (last worn 40 years ago incidentally before anyone asks). So now all I have to do is pass Sam's testicals. Wonder what the odds are on that?

[Amo]

Wonder what the odds are on that?

Seeing as Dunn, Grella, Andrews and Benjani are all employed by BRFC - pretty short!

[Stuart]

Nice pre view Colin.

Another stat: Sunderland have NEVER finished above us in the Premier League. Even last year and the year before when we've struggled! Even the year we were relegated, Sunderland were on the (then) first division.

Score: 2-1 Rovers

Attendance: 26,456

Ding ding!

[colin]

Attendance: 26,456

Ding ding!

Get your trousers on, you're nicked. In the car right now son.

John Thaw was born just up the road from here.

[savage8]

GREAT PREVIEW - made me laugh alot

Scrappy 2-0 home win - one of the goals being an O.G., set piece, deflection, result of a foul on keeper etc.

Love a night match !

COYB

[ABBEY]

we need to attack to win but zzzzzam wont do that at least the telly watchers can turn it over...0-1 and chorus of booes and sam out chants.

[Amo]

We're at home, so I give us every chance of grinding out a result. I'd like to see Sam shake things up, bring in Olsson & Hoilett, but he won't.

[47er]

The sort of home game we really have to win if we are not to be involved in a relegation battle. Our invincible home form won't look too good at W1/D1/L2. Yet, compared to us they have spent a fortune over the last couple of seasons..........

[darwenblueswearehere]

Great preview, thanks.

I'm usually quite positive before home games, particularly in terms of what the result might be. Sadly, on this occasion I fear a defeat. Much depends on the fitness of Bent....they are half the team without him that they are when he plays.

With Bent 2-1 to Sunderland.

Without Bent 1-0 to us.