Sunderland News Archives

Saying goodbye to the football season is very much like giving birth to a ginger child: after nine months of optimism, hope and anguish, you’re left with a genuine feeling of disappointment.

The final day is often emotional. Who could forget Arsenal pipping Liverpool to the title in 1989? Well sadly, my old man. In fact, if you see a small befuddled pensioner roaming the streets, you’ll be better off avoiding football trivia altogether; senility is no picnic.

Read the rest of this entry »

The North East of England is often described as a ‘football hotbed’ – an area that is widely accepted to be rich in the culture, tradition and passion of the beautiful game. Three big clubs, hundreds of thousands of loyal supporters and a breeding ground for talent through the eras, there can’t be many parts of the world that top Tyneside, Wearside and the Tees on the hotbed thermometer ?

Well of course there are. Bobby Charlton, Alan Shearer and Paul Gascoigne apart, how many world class players has the ‘hotbed’ produced ? And how many trophies have their teams won on a national or international stage ?

I know it’s not all about glory and home grown talent, but I can make a case for ten diverse areas on this planet all being bigger hotbeds than the North East (population: 2,515,442):

Read the rest of this entry »

Keano has lost patience with some his players and wants to ship out the non-performers as soon as possible:

Read the rest of this entry »

All Premier League highlights from Saturday’s matches:

Read the rest of this entry »

Tubby Brazilian Ronaldo may be one of the greatest players to ever grace a football pitch, but he’s definitely a poor role model. The AC Milan man let himself down when he invited three members of the late-night entertainment industry back to a motel. It wasn’t just the fact that they turned out to be ladyboys; he shamefully offered to pay them for doing nothing. If I pay a builder to construct a conservatory, and he brings along a few superfluous tools, I’d expect him to keep his head down and finish the job.

This sorry tale was not the only case of mistaken identity this week; Rio Ferdinand kicked a female Chelsea steward after mistaking her for a wall. It sounds like a tall story, but I once kicked the wife by accident; I thought she was her mother.

Read the rest of this entry »

Saturday’s Premier League game highlights:

Read the rest of this entry »

Soccerlens welcomes odds man Gerry McDonnell for another round of playing offside, general debauchery and betting scams…although there is no evidence to suggest that Gerry McDonnell was involved in a scam, or in fact a scam actually took place, or that he’s actually paying for exclusive access to Lindsay Lohan.

I do enjoy a moral dilemma. An intellectual friend asked if I would kill a chicken to save a chicken’s life. I honestly replied that I’d happily slaughter a chicken if I missed breakfast.

He went on to ask if I would ever use inside information to profit from gambling. I once again answered in all honesty that I have never been involved in such a practice; but then again, I don’t know Harry Redknapp.

There is still uproar amongst the betting community whenever the controversial ‘next Portsmouth manager’ market is discussed. I must point out that there is no evidence to suggest that Harry Redknapp was involved in a scam, or in fact that a scam actually took place. I will just say that the 11/4 for a Newcastle win over Portsmouth should be investigated further.

Read the rest of this entry »

Roy Keane insists that Sunderland haven’t yet secured their Premier League future.

A fourth consecutive win for the Black Cats at home to Manchester City on Saturday will all but see the north-east club safe.

Read the rest of this entry »

All the goals from 5-6 April 08 English Premier League games:

Read the rest of this entry »

Sunderland effectively ensured they will be playing Premier League football again next season with an impressive 3-1 win at Fulham, who will now need a most unlikely turnaround in their form and fortunes to avoid relegation.

Sunderland (13th) are now 10 points clear of Bolton (18th) and with 5 games to go, it’s hard to see Sunderland fall behind either Bolton or Fulham (19th and 12 points behind).

Read the rest of this entry »

The inimitable (we’re running out of adjectives) betting expert Gerry McDonnell gives his take on this weekend’s FA Cup action, Premier League action and all the other action he loves watching on the telly.

The adult film industry has many knockers, but I remain a fully-fledged supporter. My only possible critique would be that the storylines occasionally lack realism. I can’t begin to tell you how disappointed I was with my job as a photocopier repair man.

My wife is a fierce critic of the genre as she incorrectly believes that the art form demeans women. Personally, I think it’s a positive when a hobby becomes an occupation; I would love to get paid for sending nude photographs of myself to Cheryl Tweedy. I’ll have to finance my pastime by backing Portsmouth at 10/11 to beat West Brom in their FA Cup semi-final.

My favourite sub-genre of the adult entertainment industry is the one when two ladies take a spiritual road to self-discovery. There are things I’d rather not see though, and watching Barnsley play Cardiff is the equivalent of watching Lisa Riley tinker with Jade Goody. Cardiff will probably win their semi at 11/8, but I’d rather watch something a little more uplifting.

Read the rest of this entry »

Gerry McDonnell returns with his weekly betting column on the English Premier League.

Marriage is like a chicken vindaloo, it’s something you have to try at least once, even though you know you’ll later regret it.

I experienced my seven-year itch quite early, it was on the honeymoon. Fortunately, my wandering eye didn’t lead to an act of betrayal, although I put that down to the fact that the barmaid was almost certainly a button-flicker.

Read the rest of this entry »

Gerry McDonnell returns with his weekly betting column on the English Premier League.

Even though I was brought up as a Catholic, I have never followed a spiritual path. I blame an over-zealous Priest for my descent into heresy; he was constantly on my back when I was young.

If my memory serves me correctly, Easter is a time to reflect upon the resurrection of Christ. It’s believed that after three days, He rose again. I don’t want to diminish the significance, but I’d fancy Pele to beat that. The Geordies believe that King Keegan is the one true Messiah; it would be sacrilegious not to back Newcastle at 10/11 against Fulham.

Jesus may have forgiven Robbie Keane for his petulant reaction to being substituted last weekend, but Juande Ramos was apoplectic. I have a lot of sympathy for Keane in this case; it’s an emotional time when you’re being pulled off. I’ll happily play with the even money for a Tottenham win over Portsmouth.

Read the rest of this entry »

Roy Keane has done his hardman image considerable damage - he’s brought in a psychologist to help inspire his Sunderland players to success.

But that’s not the worst part of it actually - he’s brought in the same person who was appointed by Steve McClaren to help the England players, Bill Beswick (he was also at Manchester United, apparently.

Actually, we shouldn’t be so harsh. You need an edge in professional football and if Beswick can give Sunderland players that edge over their rivals, then so be it. Brum, Boro, Bolton, Fulham, Reading and Newcastle might laugh, but at the end of the season if Sunderland can finish ahead of two of these six teams, it’ll be Keano (and Beswick) doing all the laughing.

Roy Keane:

“I enjoyed chatting to Bill very much when I was a player and he has been in once or twice to talk to the players.

We try different things on different occasions and the high jumper Steve Smith has also been in a couple of times and given talks about the mental side of the game. You’ve sometimes got to get out of the box and think a bit differently to other people. I’m very open-minded.”

When a manager goes on record as saying that he’s ‘very open-minded’, it’s a failed attempt to stave off criticism that he’s getting desperate.

More Keano:

“You’ve got to try things and you just hope the players plug into it. Some people might want to see Bill one to one, others don’t and they won’t see him again. I generally think the players enjoy it, though. We don’t tie them into a seat and make them listen for 90 minutes; it’s all very casual.”

And then this gem:

“The position at United was also very casual. If you wanted to go to see Bill you went to see him. Some players never saw him, I saw him once or twice but I often couldn’t get in because Gary Neville was always in there with him.”

Best of luck to Keane and Sunderland (and to Gary Neville as well - will the Neviller play for United this season?) - hopefully they can stay up for a go at mid-table security next season.

Gerry McDonnell returns with his weekly betting column on the English Premier League.

There’s life in the old dog…unfortunately

Like Wayne Rooney, I’m a lover of the old. I’m never happier than when some wrinkled old seaside-bungalow hogger is regaling me with tales of a bygone age.

If my old man is to be believed, and he’s not, football was completely different in the old days. Goals were celebrated by a handshake, an assault on a goalkeeper was practically encouraged and heading the ball led to a short stay in hospital, which was basically a shed with a sponge.

I’m unsure of the best way of handling the elderly when they reach such a constant state of dull reflection, but only a fool should rule out euthanasia. It looks like Avram Grant will soon be put out of his misery; Sunderland can lend a helping hand at 7/1.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sunderland have led something of a yo-yo existance over the past few years. Promotion to the Premier League with a record points total in 1999 was followed by two successful years in the top flight with consecutive 7th place finishes. The next season was less successful and relegation with a record low number of points followed in 2003. 2004 saw play-off failure, but promotion followed in 2005 as champions. Relegation with a new record low number of points came in the first season, but a Roy Keane inspired team bounced straight back last season as champions again.

For a long while it looked as though Keane would guide his side to mid-table and end this run of ups and downs. It looked as though he would establish Sunderland as a Premiership side. He still might do that, but it’s going to be mighty close.

Read the rest of this entry »

Like Martin Luther King and Gandhi, I’m a fan of passive resistance; but there are some things in life that we have to fight for. For me, it’s a baby’s smile, the love of a mute woman or more affordable prices at the petrol pump.

It’s to my deep and lasting regret that a serious injury prevented me from joining the military. I’ve been plagued with recurring back pain since childhood - it’s never easy growing up in Jersey.

Fortunately for the army, Prince Harry was able to stand up and fight for possible Grandmother and Country. His willingness to get his hands dirty shows real character; he’s stuck two fingers up to those who question Germany’s poor war record. Fulham’s recent record is at an equally unhealthy level; they’ve only one won of their last eighteen battles. Blackburn will take no prisoners at 11/20.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sunderland manager Roy Keane seems to think so:

“Five major decisions have gone against us.

We keep talking about fairness but the decisions certainly haven’t gone our way. You’re looking at six points lost.

…

I find it very hard to take some of the comments that come my way from referees and officials and generally the attitude to our football club has left me very disappointed.

The attitude seems to be ‘It’s only Sunderland’. All we’re asking for is fairness in the game and this football club is not getting that at the moment.”

He’s right about the Derby game - Sunderland deserved to win that one and were denied by a poor refereeing decision.

But what about the incorrect decisions that have gone in Sunderland’s favor? Are we only going to look at the points Sunderland have lost and not the points Sunderland have gained?

Keano, I respect you a lot, but maybe you should consider this and this as well.

Something you folks didn’t know about Paul Gascoigne:

Handed £1000 over to Jimmy Five Bellies after betting that the burly boozer couldn’t withstand a cigarette lighter’s heat on the bridge of his nose for five seconds. Jimmy could. Twice.

More on Gascoigne, plus Israel, Iran, Italy, Idiots and the Premier League (just about par for the course…).

Read the rest of this entry »

I won’t mention anything about what happened to Arsenal’s Eduardo over the weekend, since it’s been talked about plenty already, but I send my get well wishes towards him, and hope he’s back scoring goals (but not against Manchester United) again as soon as possible.

It was a pretty important weekend of football in the Premier League, with the race for the title and for European places getting ever tighter as we edge towards the home stretch.

At the other end, the relegation battle is ongoing, and though it’s almost a given that Derby will be playing Championship football next term, several other sides are fighting to not join the Rams in the second level.

Read the rest of this entry »

In today’s football videos roundup we look a some of today’s and yesterday’s Premier League matches.

Read the rest of this entry »

A look at the goals from some of the top games in the Premier League on Saturday - we’ve picked Manchester City v Arsenal, Tottenham v Manchester United, Liverpool v Sunderland and Portsmouth v Chelsea.

Read the rest of this entry »

Call me old-fashioned, but i believe that fidelity remains the cornerstone of a successful relationship. I would never cheat on my wife, unless the opportunity arose.

I have serious doubts over my wife’s respect for monogamy. The word on the street is that Ashley Cole was physically sick while performing the horizontal 64-second jig, which fits in perfectly with the wife’s M.O.

I can’t condemn Cole too strongly, as he’s not the first man to hurl after munching on a late-night kebab. On reflection, he probably should have stuck with a sausage sandwich. A Chelsea draw against Pompey ticks all the right boxes at 5/2, and then cleans them with disinfectant.

Read the rest of this entry »

Momo Sissoko can’t be too pleased that his Mali team got dumped out of the African Cup of Nations in the first round, but I imagine he might be skipping down the streets of Turin pretty shortly, as his transfer to Juventus has been completed. Sissoko wanted out of Liverpool, and now he’s out, with him signing a four and a half year deal to be reunited with Claudio Ranieri, his manager at Valencia. The 8.2 million pound fee will be paid in three installments, and the total fee could increase depending on how well Juve does.

Read the rest of this entry »

Fulham’s glaring need for attacking improvements was quite evident in their FA Cup shootout defeat to Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night, but Roy Hodgson may finally be getting his prayers answered. The Cottagers have signed American international striker Eddie Johnson from the Kansas City Wizards, with the 23-year old penning a three and a half year deal to be the latest American to ply his trade at Craven Cottage.

Read the rest of this entry »