Return of The Match...... : SAFC Blog - following Sunderland AFC

But Not As We Know It……

Normally by late August we’ve had a few games – everything is different this year, I’m genuinely worried that things may never be the same again.

“Excitement at absolute Fever Pitch!!!!”

There are signs that we might be allowed back at the match soon, reduced capacity and small groups etc…. so much of what I love about football is not going to be part of the Matchday experience. I’ve no idea what’s going to happen about away games? It’s just bizarre – if I made a list of what I love about going to the footie; the experience on offer moving forward, (and not just short term), looks like it’ll be very different and be missing so much of what we love.

Whilst Global Pandemics lead to change in the Matchday experience, I’ve remained healthy throughout as have my closest and dearest…. even with this perspective, I’m really missing the beautiful game and who knows where it’ll end? We will find a way, just as when we went from terraces to seats, but it’ll be a long process.

Fixtures Revisited…..

Obviously we play everyone twice and we have the added complication of when and how many fans can attend? Having looked at the fixtures, it’s a pretty good schedule; Portsmouth and Ipswich away on Tuesday nights are not ideal, although at least Portsmouth is a decent stopover, ipswich will just be a long day. A couple of long midweeks aside, it’s mostly hugely positive…..

Home 1st day
Home on Remembrance Weekend
Home on Boxing Day
Blackpool away in the Spring
Great last away game for a weekender on the piss

Whilst the club has got plenty wrong of late, to their credit they always get Remembrance just right.

On the off chance anyone doubts that we will piss this league, last time we won Division 3, our last home game was vs Northampton Town…..

“Cobblers? …. No it’s true” Home to Northampton in the last game = promotion.

You are what you wear?

Anyone who reads this Blog will know I’m 100% of the belief that Phil Parkinson is the right man for the job. Despite having the last 5 months off, he’s still not looking any smarter…..

* Parkinson, like a badly dressed PE Teacher?

Jack Ross departed Sunderland pretty rapidly, surely there must be the odd Jacket, cardigan, soft wash merino slip over etc knocking about somewhere at the Academy of Light that Phil could wear?

“Aye , listen up wee man, I didnae give a shite if it’s pre season, ya gottae keep yerself smart – ya Ken wa I mean wee man? It’s pish poor wen gaffers dress like a bag a shite, pish poor, it isnae fuckin’ rocket science, just didnae dress like Rab C Nesbit wee man”

1-1, 55 minutes gone…..

It’s our first game, but we look fit – without wanting to simplify matters, once that scary bloke with the bald head got us fit last year, we looked decent.