What's it all about for you?

I was listening to the phone in after the Arsenal game last night and a fair proportion of callers happened to be requesting the heads of the "mercenaries" they claimed had just bottled it after conceding the second goal. Now some of them also happened to mention how they resented the fact that Viera, or his agent, had used the offer of an alleged £120,000 a week from Barca as a bargaining tool in his negotiations with their board. As the claims and counter claims developed it became apparent that a fair proportion of the fans wanted to see Ray Parlour in the side even if it were at the expense of one of their superstars. This got me to thinking how pleased I am to be a Sunderland supporter at present. Think about it, no gutless superstars hiding on Saturday afternoons but all too visible in post and pre match interviews spouting the tired old excuses for yet another "inexplicable" defeat. Nobody on wages that are so ridiculously out of step with performance they generate the sort of resentment that became apparent over our last 2 seasons. Having pre and post match drinks and banter with real fans who have stuck with their team through everything despite being taunted and ridiculed by johnny come lately glory hunting tosspots that wouldn't know a footballer if he were stood in their living room wearing his strip. Even the blood and thunder style of football suits me fine. Error driven the excitement may be but at least it gets the old juices flowing. I'm not saying our club shouldn't show ambition, don't get me wrong, winning the Premier or Champs League would be something special, and if by some miracle it could be done with a smattering of home produced talent in the side even more so, but as things stand in the game at present I couldn't give a toss about the Champions League.

Look at it like this, if you were a Chelsea fan and over the next few years you won every honour in the game what would it really mean to you? Would you feel a sense of acheivement? Would you feel proud?. IMO it says a lot about the modern game and some of it's supporters that some fans would celebrate the fact that a guy with no connection to the club whatsoever has appeared out of the blue and bought them some trophies. Hand on heart it would mean nothing to me.

By the way, this isn't sour grapes and it's nothing to do with past seasons or recent results, it's about my love for the game and what it means to me and it's just that for the first time in a long while I'm looking forward to games and enjoying feeling proud to be a Sunderland fan again.

[Gata Negra]

fantastic post. I'm loving this season so far, trying to guess which players are going to come through for us. Even losing at Stoke wasn't so bad, because we kept fighting second half and we looked like a proper football club again..........

[Daydream Believer]

What it's all about for me is that I feel bad if I dont go and sing my heart out for the lads.

[johnkaysleftleg]

Hell of a lot of Arsenal fans on phone in's are total nobs IMHO but I can't belive the majority arn't as happy as pigs in poo with there current squad even if they don't do it in europe.

[ned_werby]

Top post Cass. I've already said on here before that despite being relegated and having to put up with the shite from the Mags about the Nationwide blah, blah, blah, I'm enjoying this season enormously for the reasons you and others have already stated. The fact that there's more football to be seen (46 league games, early entry to the cup competitions). Add to that the fact that the league isn't a foregone conclusion (Wigan for the title?) and the corporate/money/star shite is all but done away with and this is 'proper' footy. Loving it. :)

[Keith S30S]

Can you give me writing lessons?

Top post!

The match has changed for me over the years. When I was young and had no sense I bought er I went to the match with my mates and came home fufilled. Then I as got older I went for a jar or 2 and took the car now and again. Around the butcher era I gave up taking the car and had a dam good drink afore and after to lesson the pain. I had kids and went out with my mates less in general but despite the good years from '98 onwards, I've continued in the same vein of a dam good drink ever since.

My (total) passion for SAFC is coming back this season after going to the match and not looking forward to much apart from the crack with me mates. The Lads are on my mind a lot now, who'll play, who's injured, where are we in the table etc. For the previous 18 months (my sabatical from this board) I still went the home games but with little hope of any positive signs.

The SST and then the good results have cheered me up no end.

Haway the Lads.

[AWJ]

Originally Posted by ned_werby

Top post Cass. I've already said on here before that despite being relegated and having to put up with the shite from the Mags about the Nationwide blah, blah, blah, I'm enjoying this season enormously for the reasons you and others have already stated. The fact that there's more football to be seen (46 league games, early entry to the cup competitions). Add to that the fact that the league isn't a foregone conclusion (Wigan for the title?) and the corporate/money/star shite is all but done away with and this is 'proper' footy. Loving it. :)

Couldn't agree more, I found myself during pre-season looking forward to this season more than ever because I knew we'd be back down to the fans he gave a shit and wanted to come and cheer the team on no matter what. Also, the prospect of coming back up and knowing I'm one of a few who've stood by the team and that as the stadium fills up, half of them in there couldn't honestly call themselves die hard fans.

The thing about players coming through is so true as well. Mag friends of mine thought I was mad when the final score came through after the Stoke game and I was like "at least Kyle scored again" because for a lot of them they wouldnt understand the concept of young lads trying their hearts out just to get near the first team and then finally coming good - not since the days of clark, watson etc. has this applied to them

Arsenal fans are suddenly in the huff when in reality they have been batting well above their station for about 6 years. With Man Utds cash they should have been miles behind but Wenger has played a blinder and they have kept level and even won the double a couple of times.

First Class post Cass !

For me, it's all about the feeling I had coming out of the game after Saturday's Palace game, I can honestly say hand on heart I've never felt so good after a match in years.

To get that feeling on a Saturday afternoon, to be with your mates, to enjoy the craic, that's the hokey cokey of it all !! :D :D

Originally Posted by

Arsenal fans are suddenly in the huff when in reality they have been batting well above their station for about 6 years. With Man Utds cash they should have been miles behind but Wenger has played a blinder and they have kept level and even won the double a couple of times.

Fair comment, but as a Mag what does the game mean to you?