
Following the recent announcement that Sunderland will play their pre season friendlies in Portugal in July, I thought I’d revisit our last trip there. Nearer the time I’ll preview the tour and offer an ‘alternative travel guide’. Whilst the club are offering official corporate trips at £2500 a man ~ there is so much fun to be had in the vicinity for next to nothing, (over 18s ).
Recreativo de Huelva
Estadio Municipal de Albufeira
Tuesday 29th July 2014
Can’t beat a pre season game abroad. Taxi into Albufeira in good time. Never been one for watching the team arrive ~ but it’s actually quite good when you’re stood in the sun, with a beer and the players stop to talk etc.

Plenty of SAFC in attendance, (800/900 id say?) ~ sat outside the ground watching the hordes arrive is an event in itself ~ everyone is pissed it seems?
From memory; the match is like a training season ~ I’ve a vague recollection of a penalty being missed and someone scoring?
Pretty sure it was either 1~0, 1~1 or 0~1






Slightly surreal moment during the 2nd half, when Adam Johnson appears in the bar and requests 22 cups of tea for the dressing room at full time.


Once this play off nonsense is out of the way, I’ll preview the Algarve trip and offer an “Alternative Sunderland Travel Guide”
In Jack We Trust