Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Sunderland's Plight
Black, White, and Gray
Whilst stuck in the political doldrums that frequent the period between Christmas and mid January, I have enjoyed a few days away from the Corner Shop and even found time to take in a game at the Stadium of Light on Monday. My normal sojourn to the ground this season has been followed by a trudge back to the car with a blackened and heavy heart, having experienced another defeat at the hands of more experienced players with high quality pedigrees.
The season started with some promise, having won the Championship with a group of virtually unknown players, brought together by Mick McCarthy on a shoestring budget. His trading in the transfer market for last season had impressed, the great question was whether he might be able to strengthen for a campaign in the Premiership, a campaign with surely one aim - SURVIVAL.
However, I am afraid that I am now on the point of joining the ranks of those who wished to turn the ground into "The Stadium of White" on Monday, their dismal protest fizzled after a few moments and demonstrated the absolute despondancy of the majority of fans who cannot even find sufficient enthusiasm to wave a white handkerchief.
Despite McCarthy's heroics in achieving promotion at the end of the last campaign, his record as a Premiership manager is abysmal, this season's six points from a possible fifty-four speaks volumes (GP 18 | W 1 | D 3 | L 14), add that to the dismal run of defeats that we suffered when we were last relegated and you begin to see the whole picture. The team was weakened rather than strengthened, the releasing of two very good goalkeepers, Poom and Myrhe, and the loss of a proven goalscorer in Marcus Stewart has had a demoralising effect. The replacements Kelvin Davis and Jon Stead have been extremely disappointing and neither Tommy Miller nor Andy Grey have set the world alight since their arrival.
Unfortunately in Bob Murray, we have a Chairman who has demonstrated in the past that his loyalty to his manager is virtually total (we endured two most torrid seasons under Peter Reid's guidance before the Chairman acted-so don't expect Mick McCarthy to be looking for pastures new just yet!). Perhaps it is this over cautious approach to the whole business of running a football club, that has stifled all real ambition to make progress. Even the fact that we have almost GBP 30 million pounds of debt being steadily repaid can be called into question. Why has it not been restructured over the next twenty years? Why have the club failed to realise the potential of a "naming" sponsor for the Stadium of Light?
These questions are becoming all too common amongst those sat in the West Stand.
Meanwhile, tonight's trip to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers takes on extra significance for two players. Jon Stead, because he may still have something to prove after a shambolic season for Rovers following his transfer from Huddersfield, and Michael Gray. The former Sunderland captain is back to his best and has impressed me in at least four games this year, he will be giving no favours to his hometown team and will be happier for the three points to go to Blackburn.
I was a fan of Gray during a seven year stint when he was converted from a winger to a full back for the Black Cats, but like so many of Peter Reid's players his application and stomach for a fight went missing during his final year in Sunderland. Similar traits are now recognisable amongst the 30,000 regulars who watch the team lose at home all too often, watch out this could be another record breaking season - for all the wrong reasons!
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Curly Born in 1956
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