Roker Report - All PostsSunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51357/rr-fav.png2024-03-19T06:00:00+00:00http://rokerreport.sbnation.com/rss/current/2024-03-19T06:00:00+00:002024-03-19T06:00:00+00:00Sunderland must end the 2023/2024 season strongly ahead of a huge summer
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<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fTUfA4aSUo95GEJniDUBHvIVMZE=/0x0:4460x2973/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73217051/2082119480.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p><em><strong>“Despite having little to play for, the Lads need to end the campaign on a positive note after a season of ups and downs”, writes Finlay Anderson</strong></em></p> <p id="kIUEdG">Well, this feels rather unusual, doesn’t it?</p>
<p id="Ag6Rby">For the first time since the 2011/2012 season, Sunderland have relatively little to play for during the final eight matches of the campaign. </p>
<p id="f42PLC">Promotion this season seems a mammoth ask after a frustrating few months, with the Black Cats thirteen points away from the playoffs and many of the teams around those positions hitting form at just the right time. </p>
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<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/k6Rdz_zPblWKibXngsGgUfWLBgo=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25342816/2082114158.jpg">
<cite>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="oJe5aZ">West Bromwich Albion have only lost one of their last ten games; Norwich City have only suffered one defeat in nine, Hull have lost once since early January and Coventry City and Preston have a game in hand on those above.</p>
<p id="iUFsEA">Unlike the last five seasons, we won’t be challenging for promotion, with the final two playoff spots being contested by the teams mentioned above.</p>
<p id="15hpxw">An awful run of form from the end of Michael Beale’s reign into the start of Mike Dodds’ third stint in interim charge has seen us slide down the table, and the season’s promise has ebbed away fast.</p>
<p id="uyhwuR">A section of the fanbase seems to have started looking down instead of up, but for me, it’s unlikely that we’ll be dragged into any sort of relegation fight.</p>
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<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xF5nIYuCIQe7SzPd0si8lx0_Flk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25342817/2082119018.jpg">
<cite>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="TvBXfr">For one, there are too many teams between ourselves and the drop zone, and despite an upturn in form for many a couple of weeks ago, many teams seemed to have lapsed into a poor run of results.</p>
<p id="6NkmBn">And so, it leaves eight matches of a campaign that began with so much promise, but there’s still plenty of time to change the overall feeling around the club.</p>
<p id="jhFp28">Winning games needs to happen sharply upon the resumption of the league after the international break, and we need to end the season with some sort of positivity heading into a massive summer.</p>
<p id="intVV8">Only a couple of weeks ago, many of our remaining games seemed winnable, with five out of the last nine being against teams in the bottom half of the league, and four of them at the Stadium of Light.</p>
<p id="xptzPo">However, in recent weeks, we’ve seemingly been unable to generate much attacking spark and we haven’t been as solid in defence, so it leaves plenty to do if we’re to finish the season strongly. </p>
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<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/H66jvE3qM-QEWqBpsGyewUv6Pcs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25342819/2082114626.jpg">
<cite>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="oVkq8F">With a big summer on the cards, the Lads must finish well in order to start the rebuild with some sense of positivity and feel good factor around the club again.</p>
<p id="dDMJWf">Of course, it isn’t going to happen overnight, as many of the off-field issues are likely to remain unanswered for a while longer, but some progress on the pitch would help.</p>
<p id="VIaQHn">It’s set to be a crucial period between the end of this season and the start of 2024/2025, with many questions over who’ll be in the dugout permanently, and big replacements needed for key departures. </p>
<p id="TngYWy">The last thing we need in the dressing room over the summer break is a sense of unease and negativity after a poor finish to the season.</p>
<p id="iRzKa7">The Black Cats have eight matches left of a season that had the potential to be something special in the early months but fizzled out rapidly, and despite an unusual finish in that we have little to play for, we must end the campaign strongly.</p>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2024/3/19/24105054/sunderland-must-end-the-2023-2024-season-strongly-ahead-of-a-huge-summerFinlay Anderson2024-03-19T06:00:00+00:002024-03-19T06:00:00+00:00Corry’s on the comeback trail, and hopefully he’s still got a role to play!
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<p><em><strong>Our club captain got forty five minutes under his belt on Monday afternoon, so how important could his return be for the rest of this season and beyond?</strong></em></p> <h2 id="Vyp8vs"><strong>Gav says…</strong></h2>
<p id="Zll11t">I guess it shows how badly things have gone for us that we’re pining for the return of a player I’d written off as finished a year or so ago, but here we are.</p>
<p id="3CB9uM">I have no issue with Evans and I admire his resilience and professionalism which has gotten him back to this point after such a long spell on the sidelines, but it can’t be ignored that his role in the team as a leader and a holding midfield presence simply hasn’t been replaced. </p>
<p id="Kni8cw">It doesn’t even feel like we’ve attempted to replace him, so with a couple of months left in the season, he has an opportunity to earn himself a new deal.</p>
<p id="QOvlZb">I think a big part of the reason we’ve struggled recently is because we don’t have a natural holding player in the centre of the park, and it seems like Pierre Ekwah has fallen out of favour slightly, so given Evans can get himself fit and ready for the coming games, I’d expect he’ll be starting games soon enough, particularly with such a chronic lack of experience in the current side.</p>
<p id="wQdACz">All of that said, if Evans is still starting games regularly next season, I think it’s an indicator that something somewhere has gone wrong. </p>
<p id="Sw5fmC">Next season, I’m fully expecting my club to be challenging for promotion and that must be reflected in the recruitment this summer.</p>
<p id="Q1TQVZ">That means that for players like Evans, who’s served us well over recent years but aren’t quite good enough to kick us on even further, that his time simply has to be up.</p>
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<img alt="Sunderland v Ipswich Town - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/07ahv6xYithl684Fxo1LrW2srnQ=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25343090/1582673068.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
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<h2 id="jcDNHo"><strong>Ewan Bowman says…</strong></h2>
<p id="7ijoZD">Having him back is only a positive in my opinion, because we’ve often lacked experience on the pitch and he brings that in abundance.</p>
<p id="Uf4HM3">He’ll bring leadership, calmness and control to a very inexperienced group, and he also plays in a position where before his injury, he was probably under appreciated by many fans.</p>
<p id="NqxOtk">He does things on the pitch that go unnoticed, including being at the right place at the right time and starting our attacks. He’ll also provide our leaky defence with some much-needed protection.</p>
<p id="vONzXP">Whether he plays a great deal between now and the end of the season remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: it’s good to have our captain back.</p>
<p id="vydhmv">At the end of the season, both he and the club will have a decision to make, but there’s a lot of football to play between now and then and after fourteen months out, we need to give him the chance to get back to full fitness.</p>
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<h2 id="4NYCCP"><strong>Joseph Tulip says…</strong></h2>
<p id="VshObJ">For now, we have to make the most of our current resources to enable us to finish the season as strongly as possible.</p>
<p id="BX2ulo">I’m tired of the debate over ‘experience’ and whether or not we need more of it for our model to be successful. It’s my view that younger players learn from those who have years of experience under their belt, and Evans is exactly one of those players.</p>
<p id="hQPPM0">To me, it’s a no-brainer to involve Evans and who knows, he might be the perfect foil for someone like Jobe, freeing him up to support our attack whilst providing extra protection for our fragile defence.</p>
<p id="RGU4zI">Earlier in the season, my disdain over the departures of Danny Batth and Lynden Gooch was met with ‘get with the times’-type reactions from people who were keen to back the club’s youthful approach.</p>
<p id="7GNYdI">I’m all for that too, but we need a bit of seasoned know-how among our ranks, and it’s sadly been lacking all the more since the departure of Alex Pritchard, so the return of Evans would be very much welcomed by me.</p>
<p id="4THamJ">As for next season, let’s just get enough points in the bag to secure our Championship status, and take stock of things in the summer.</p>
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<img alt="Sunderland v Middlesbrough - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/o_GGsqudppKFybNJ7ICJU19Hme4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25343217/1246462138.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
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<h2 id="rMZnS2"><strong>Malc Dugdale says…</strong></h2>
<p id="pbPf0O">I was away with family at the weekend so I missed the QPR game, but having watched it back it was clear to me that we need to get back to basics. If there’s one thing Evans is good at, it’s that. </p>
<p id="trgWg9">It was one of the biggest recruitment errors of this administration that we didn’t bring in more cover for Evans during the winter window, and the lack of his calming influence and extensive experience is massively obvious in games like the home tie last Saturday. </p>
<p id="TNc9mR">I’m not saying he’ll be a feature for next season, but as we try and navigate our way through the final eight games and rebuild the confidence we need to kick on later, having Evans back can only help us with that. </p>
<p id="K3fM3I">His ability to manage the centre of the park will also free up others who’ve been shoehorned into that role, and the likes of Dan Neil and Pierre Ekwah can get back to giving us forward momentum, assuming Evans can stay fit and not succumb to more injury woes. </p>
<p id="WGTD9C">With the return of Evans and Luke O’Nien also returning from suspension, we simply have to have more about us in defence and through the middle, and if that doesn’t help the offensive intent to click more, arguably nothing will.</p>
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https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2024/3/19/24104804/corrys-on-the-comeback-trail-and-hopefully-hes-still-got-a-role-to-playEditor GavEwanBowmanjosephtulipMalcDug70732024-03-19T06:00:00+00:002024-03-19T06:00:00+00:00Sunderland should consider adjusting the parameters in the search for a new head coach
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<figcaption>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p><em><strong>“Our method of operating doesn’t need to be ripped up, but greater flexibility in recruitment should be followed by the same in the coaching staff,” writes Phil West</strong></em></p> <p id="5ykx40">As we were preparing to tackle QPR at home on Saturday, several hundred miles away, Mark Robins and Coventry City were en route to stunning Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux and booking a place in the FA Cup semi-finals in the process.</p>
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<img alt="Wolverhampton Wanderers v Coventry City - Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QWPKYJ5CVPoO-_hnJNVE4oZVRG0=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25340709/2088885045.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="iWXK9Y">At 2-1 down heading into injury time, a goal from Ellis Simms and a stunning winner from Haji Wright, set up by the former Sunderland loanee, sent the Sky Blues’ fans into ecstasy, as well as prompting Robins to celebrate with gusto, even if frightening a ball boy in the process wasn’t exactly called for.</p>
<p id="NaGF2u">Watching those scenes on the TV in the north west corner concourse, it was impossible not to feel respect for a proper, no-nonsense boss in Robins, a man whose reputation in the Midlands could hardly be higher. </p>
<p id="DBW1iJ">Indeed, as we attempt to target a permanent replacement for Michael Beale, I can’t help thinking that someone of his calibre is exactly the kind of boss we need. </p>
<p id="N26QOD">He’s improved the likes of Simms, Wright and Callum O’Hare; his side plays good, attacking football, his granite-tough personality makes him an effective operator under pressure, and City look well set for a top six push as well.</p>
<p id="i63jHO">Meanwhile, in the short term at least, we’re trying to unite behind Mike Dodds. </p>
<p id="V9xcSW">Not an easy task, despite Saturday’s draw stopping a dreadful run of defeats, but with eight games left of his spell in interim charge, hopefully we can navigate our way to the end of the season and the safety of mid-table, at which point the hard work really begins.</p>
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<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Tyb8sZa6Qa5T4Ef7xIVSzH4Go2U=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25341241/2082107680.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="pvMM1B">In the first instance, the idea that Dodds is being groomed for this job on a permanent basis ought to be a complete non-starter. He has neither the tactical acumen, the authority, nor the experience, and like Michael Beale, he might be effective as part of a wider coaching team, but in his own right? Forget it.</p>
<p id="GLqaPp">The second point is that in order to attract a coach who can deliver what we all want: promotion to the Premier League and then to establish ourselves as a competitive side in the division, the argument for widening the parameters and broadening the search is growing.</p>
<p id="HWVA7q">One of the key words being bandied around regarding the summer is ‘flexibility’, and I think that can not only be applied to our recruitment, but also to the head coaching position. </p>
<p id="ev26UV">I’m not calling for the current structure to be dismantled and consigned to the dustbin of ‘noble but ultimately failed Sunderland ideas’, but instead, it needs to be refined, honed, and fine tuned. </p>
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<img alt="Sunderland v Swansea City - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ev5uprlXIX0MmFroOONGoxPvuFg=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25342210/2029249525.jpg">
<cite>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="giLVs7">If egos could be parked and allowances made, we should be capable of attracting someone who can haul the club out of its current slump, aim for the upper reaches of the table, and continue to oversee the development of our young talents.</p>
<p id="9Yi2pl">Assuming Kristjaan Speakman remains in his current post beyond the end of the season, he needs to accept that mistakes have been made and that in order to oversee further progression, he might have to reshape his approach to appointments.</p>
<p id="kFLG3K">At the moment, potential head coaches may well be glancing at what’s going on at the Stadium of Light and thinking, ‘Hmm. Great club, passionate fanbase, huge potential, but there are plenty of issues that might trip me up, so I think I’ll pass’. </p>
<p id="rkmTQ1">If the external perception of our club is that of an organisation in chaos, it’s entirely self-inflicted and it needs to be rectified swiftly, and only a strong end to the season, some self-criticism on behalf of those making the decisions will lead to that and firm action taken will lead to that.</p>
<p id="TgRvEp">Somebody like Steve Cooper, for example, ticks a lot of boxes for us, and having guided Nottingham Forest back to the top flight, he wouldn’t struggle with the pressure of expectation on Wearside.</p>
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<img alt="Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bYj0AiOmq4bwRnKn6wc1pJT7TQ0=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25341917/1858594241.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="5CZ5KM">However, as an experienced and authoritative boss with a World Cup success on his CV, it’s unlikely that he’ll jump into line when faced with our somewhat rigid ethos, and it’s here that we hit a roadblock.</p>
<p id="wTIwXO">Speakman is a talented individual and his strike rate regarding head coaching appointments is solid enough. However, his authority, as plentiful as it clearly is, shouldn’t override what’s best for the club’s long-term interests.</p>
<p id="KvQSAI">He appointed Beale after a failed process, backed him very publicly and was left to pick up the pieces when it went wrong. However, as tempting as it might be to go down the route of seeking a head coach who’s free and available, it’s imperative that we show a willingness to compromise and broaden the scope of the search to attract the right person.</p>
<p id="sPqPhX">I’ll never waver in my belief that Sunderland AFC is an attractive job for any head coach, but the changes in the dugout this season have certainly hindered our progress.</p>
<p id="ZbnfZm">For the next man in, we need to ensure that he’s a genuine upgrade on his predecessor, that he’s given some latitude to stamp his imprint on the club, and that he can get us moving again after the misfire of the 2023/2024 campaign.</p>
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https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2024/3/19/24103793/sunderland-should-consider-adjusting-the-parameters-in-the-search-for-a-new-head-coachPhilipW_892024-03-19T06:00:00+00:002024-03-19T06:00:00+00:00On This Day (19th March 1973): Sunderland balance cup romance with league practicalities
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<figcaption>Billy Hughes puts the graft in during training...</figcaption>
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<p><em><strong>The FA Cup was the main event but a victory at Preston would prove to be the start of a crucial six-game unbeaten run in the league</strong></em></p> <p id="1izLfb">It wasn’t just Sunderland’s FA Cup win that caught the eye in 1973.</p>
<p id="9PGt0q">Since arriving towards the end of the previous year, Bob Stokoe had also managed to ease our relegation fears and had got his team playing some very attractive football, with the Lads set to take on Preston North End as the search for points continued. </p>
<p id="F8VOzB">We were nineteenth in Division Two when Stokoe was appointed, but having lost only three times on his watch, we were slowly climbing the table. </p>
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<img alt="Sunderland v Leicester City - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/U-X2u3OQ3Xm7gViBm8RQ6F2jlcg=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25337379/2061055595.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="0y2uIx">The burgeoning cup run was still taking most of the headlines, and two days before the trip to Lancashire, we’d been in quarter final action against Luton Town.</p>
<p id="VXls0X">However, there was still plenty to play for in the league and whilst the regular fixtures were less glamorous, the Lads were still able to perform with the shackles off thanks to Stokoe’s more flexible approach. </p>
<p id="zItTry">Over 53,000 fans had attended Roker Park for the Hatters tie, and whilst Deepdale was welcoming just a tiny fraction of that number, it was about to witness another step on our road to recovery. </p>
<p id="Gvhclg">The game had been rearranged as the original date was given over to the cup, with Sunderland playing at Manchester City in the fifth round instead. </p>
<p id="IOr40i">The same starting eleven that had subsequently beaten Luton in the next stage were on duty again at Preston, but there were few signs of fatigue and against a home side in poor form on their own patch, it initially looked as though we were going to run away with it. </p>
<p id="Gh7yIN">An early goal from Billy Hughes put Sunderland ahead, although there was a surprise in store when despite dominating, we were pegged back by North End’s Alex Bruce midway through the first half. </p>
<p id="5SOFwS">It was a good finish from the Scot, who controlled the ball smartly and blasted in from outside the area after a cross had been headed clear, but that was as good as it got for a Preston team featuring future Sunderland man Mel Holden. </p>
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<figcaption>Vic Halom wrapped up the scoring, and was on target next time out at Fulham as the Lads won four and drew one of their next five Division Two matches.</figcaption>
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<p id="V3Ckma">On the day, it was to be a former Roker favourite who made the biggest impact, just not in the way he might’ve hoped beforehand. </p>
<p id="LVXoob">At a crucial stage in proceedings and with the result in the balance, Jim McNab was forced off injured and within minutes his side were out of contention when, unable to regroup, they conceded a rapid double. </p>
<p id="kEhBkL">The first came from Hughes once more, who received the ball from Dennis Tueart and sped past two defenders before rounding goalkeeper John Brown and slotting in coolly, before the points were quickly wrapped up as Vic Halom sidefooted Dick Malone’s pull back into the net. </p>
<p id="UNvziq">Hughes, who’d started the move for the final goal, was in irresistible form and his superb brace would help him to end the season as Sunderland’s top scorer. In the immediate aftermath, the victory took Stokoe’s men to fourteenth, which was the highest we’d been since October. </p>
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<img alt="Soccer - FA Cup - Semi Final - Sunderland v Arsenal" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8MseY43ZMXicFqU9k0FYiwzcvFw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25337395/650958744.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Peter Robinson/EMPICS via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="tFhhyL">We also had plenty of games in hand after a combination of the cup run and illness had decimated the anticipated schedule, and with concerns of the drop fading, the ongoing FA Cup fairytale was able to flourish. </p>
<p id="y6zdbr">This was still a time where if anything, it was the league that could be seen as a distraction and alongside the Preston match reports in the following day’s local press, there were still plenty of column inches set aside for the cup. </p>
<p id="tRF7qj">Details of how Roker Park season ticket holders could apply for a spot at Hillsborough for the semi final were published and were of course of huge interest, and there was also a story about a company trying to seek permission to broadcast the tie live to selected North East cinemas. </p>
<p id="YIIlB1">This failed to materialise in the end, but the supporters who were forced to miss out could at least console themselves with the fact that Sunderland were certainly impressing on all fronts. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="1HzIiJ">
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<p id="pThq4p"><em>Monday 19 March 1973</em></p>
<p id="cABkog"><em>Football League Division Two</em></p>
<p id="tz12BN"><em>Deepdale</em></p>
<p id="MpcqFP"><em>Attendance: 7,636</em></p>
<p id="01v0NZ"><em><strong>Preston North End 1</strong></em><em> (Bruce 22’)</em></p>
<p id="hdV6L3"><em><strong>Sunderland 3</strong></em><em> (Hughes 4’, 68’, Halom 70’)</em></p>
<p id="0l6Kxr"><em><strong>Sunderland:</strong></em><em> Montgomery, Malone, Watson; Pitt, Guthrie, Kerr; Horswill, Porterfield, Tueart; Hughes (Chambers 83’), Halom</em></p>
</blockquote>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2024/3/19/24101201/on-this-day-19th-march-1973-sunderland-balance-cup-romance-with-league-practicalitiesASmithson2024-03-18T06:00:00+00:002024-03-18T06:00:00+00:00Fan Letters: “Mike Dodds is clearly struggling with the pressure at Sunderland”
<figure>
<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wbXfQxxiK2kOcLtzXHvis-mx1xQ=/0x0:2439x1626/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73214485/2082132160.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p><em><strong>Thoughts on the interim head coach after Saturday’s draw against QPR are on the agenda today, as well as views on how the search for a permanent head coach might pan out. Got something to say? Email us: </strong></em><a href="mailto:RokerReport@yahoo.co.uk"><em><strong>RokerReport@yahoo.co.uk</strong></em></a></p> <h2 id="D4fvbo"><strong>Dear Roker Report,</strong></h2>
<p id="Bz5m9z">I’d like to hear Kristjaan Speakman’s view of Saturday’s game, as he’s surely not comparing our young lads to those of Alex Ferguson’s ‘Class of ‘92’, because we’re simply light years away from that comparison.</p>
<p id="b83rWs">I’ve also heard interviews from Mike Dodds and our captain, Dan Neil, on the game.</p>
<p id="RMzCRv">Dodds claimed that it was far too slow and we showed no effort at all, and then Neil said that the team didn’t do what they’d trained for all week, so the question is why?</p>
<p id="ZcRlEH">Is it because they have no respect for the acting head coach and can do what they want? </p>
<p id="bZ33bq">This business of calling the head coach by his first name shows no respect to the man in charge, even if it’s as plain as day the bloke is struggling with the weight of leadership on his shoulders. </p>
<p id="1PWREv">Another disappointing end to a hopeful season, and something that I’ve witnessed for over fifty years.</p>
<h2 id="2tbfRa"><strong>A. Lynn</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
<p id="kc4usv"><em><strong>Ed’s Note [Phil]: </strong></em><em>Hi. Thank you for your letter.</em></p>
<p id="31xbus"><em>Saturday’s game was an absolute grind to sit through and the only positive was that we didn’t lose (although we almost did, when Chris Willock was denied by Anthony Patterson during the final stages).</em></p>
<p id="sKrQTL"><em>From a tactical point of view, I genuinely didn’t have a clue what the plan was, and the players seemed completely confused as well. I can only assume that nerves possibly got the better of them and that they became afraid to take risks and challenge for the victory as a result.</em></p>
<p id="0mWSZx"><em>The lack of shots on target was damning and Dodds certainly seems to be struggling to get any kind of sustained level of performance from his players, even against limited opponents.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xYlIchGW_115j3NtS4s64aadlrc=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25341087/2082114775.jpg">
<cite>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="4pxenJ">
<h2 id="Wbi1v2"><strong>Dear Roker Report,</strong></h2>
<p id="COcUPX">Having written to you on a number of occasions, I wonder if I ever achieve anything but I’m sure that it helps to ease my frustration with everything related to Sunderland AFC at the moment. </p>
<p id="8e01l0">After a really enjoyable 2022/2023 season, we’ve now encountered the dross of ‘after the lord mayor’s show’, and after Saturday’s game, Mike Dodds should forget about becoming Sunderland’s head coach because he simply isn’t up to the job. </p>
<p id="4jm38c">His post-match comment about the quality of performance was actually self criticism, as he’s responsible for team selection and tactics and he got it all wrong. Yes, we prevented a seventh consecutive loss, but achieved nothing else. </p>
<p id="aHncey">I’ve regularly addressed the unsuitability of Mason Burstow to this setup and also suggested that both he and Hemir might benefit by having another striker playing alongside them. </p>
<p id="dtwTPJ">Neither of them have as yet come to terms with Championship football and perhaps we need to question how they’re at Sunderland and how we use them. I also assume that Kristjaan Speakman had some knowledge of both players before we signed them on. </p>
<p id="17Deum">As a loan player, Burstow must’ve been signed as someone who could make an instant impact, whereas it could be argued that Hemir was one for the future and could be developed by the club. </p>
<p id="CvwDWe">In both cases, their use to the club this season has been non-existent, but shouldn’t we also question the coaches who play these young lads as solitary strikers when they’re clearly not ready for such a role?</p>
<p id="Y6MvZx">If I and 40,000 spectators inside the ground can see it, why can’t Mike Dodds and company see it as well? </p>
<p id="smeoAL">Speakman and Dodds clearly need to clarify their intentions regarding these two players, as Burstow will be returning to Chelsea (he should’ve gone back in January in my opinion, as he’s wasted a season of his career) but Hemir is our player and he either needs to adapt to life here or be shipped out this summer. </p>
<p id="2V4lSj">Our football at the moment is dire and with season ticket renewals just around the corner, it really is decision time for both management and supporters alike. </p>
<p id="ENB70S">The promise of football like last season would encourage me to renew but the thought of another season like this will certainly see me not returning. The pressure is certainly ramping up on Speakman and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus. </p>
<h2 id="ACxmZO"><strong>Bill Fisher</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
<p id="fWHIjF"><em><strong>Ed’s Note [Phil]: </strong></em><em>Hi, Bill. Thank you for getting in touch.</em></p>
<p id="eLcukS"><em>In the first instance, there’s absolutely no way that Dodds should be anywhere near the running for the job on a permanent basis, and we need someone of far higher quality and tactical awareness to take over in the summer.</em></p>
<p id="TdMeFn"><em>When it comes to the issue of our strikers, I agree that Mason Burstow has been a failure at Sunderland and that it’s served no real purpose by keeping him here for the entire season. I don’t doubt that he’s trying his best but the quality just isn’t there.</em></p>
<p id="pJJOYY"><em>Hemir, meanwhile, is a different proposition entirely, and I’m not willing to write him off as a Sunderland player by any means.</em></p>
<p id="roqCtY"><em>However, his development is currently being harmed and I’m convinced that he’ll be sent out on loan next season as we try and rebuild his confidence and help him to find his feet in English football. I do believe there’s a player there, but he needs to get himself back on track after a difficult first season in England.</em></p>
<p id="2f2Wvy"><em>On the subject of season ticket renewals, it’s going to be a very hard sell and I suspect the club might be in for a bit of a shock when they start their charm offensive. It’s going to be a turbulent summer and it’s easy to see why people might be unwilling to commit early, or not at all.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HT6BdJrSjG2urY1cgNRq4Udy0xg=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25341094/2082131986.jpg">
<cite>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="Jo0jK5">
<h2 id="BI9gZq"><strong>Dear Roker Report,</strong></h2>
<p id="cHV6j7">Why doesn’t Mike Dodds give Chris Rigg and Harry Gardiner a chance up front? </p>
<p id="hLY6lh">Surely they can’t do any worse than what we’ve got at the moment, and at least they’re scoring in U21 games.</p>
<p id="BVMGvA">Where’s the game time they were supposed to be going to give to Rigg? Because I haven’t seen any.</p>
<h2 id="ah742E"><strong>Ian Frame</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
<p id="MnWpVH"><em><strong>Ed’s Note [Phil]: </strong></em><em>Hi, Ian. Thank you for your letter.</em></p>
<p id="wtCRoI"><em>I think the club sees Harry Gardiner as one for the future and I trust they’ll have a plan in place for him as he continues to develop.</em></p>
<p id="SRcykP"><em>Rigg, meanwhile, has been a rare positive for Sunderland in recent weeks, and I’d love to see him start as many games as possible for the remainder of the season. </em></p>
<p id="FjK6mH"><em>He's talented, fearless and exciting to watch, and with him in the team, we look far more likely to create opportunities, so I’m eager to see more of him.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gNP-8YYsfRvh0zBCV79DbqJTT_c=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25341118/2082132126.jpg">
<cite>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="YXdItx">
<h2 id="8swVpg"><strong>Dear Roker Report,</strong></h2>
<p id="GOZGnG">When are Sunderland going to appoint a new head coach?</p>
<p id="BfaKS7">We have a stadium that’s more than equal to some of those in the Premier League, and the players are a good bunch but they badly need some good management.</p>
<p id="zSKdzE">The fans are also terrific as we still rack up attendances of 40,000 even when we lose, so why don’t Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and his sidekick stop messing around as though they think this club is a plaything?</p>
<p id="tV1mrR">We’re in danger of fighting relegation and unless points are picked up in the remaining games, the trap door will open.</p>
<p id="iTdttp">However, the serious thing is that we’ll still have 40,000 fans, so listen to us and get moving!</p>
<h2 id="XhBdmC"><strong>Bill Calvert</strong></h2>
<blockquote>
<p id="BJOWuq"><em><strong>Ed’s Note [Phil]: </strong></em><em>Hi, Bill. Thank you for getting in touch.</em></p>
<p id="IyZiAv"><em>I’d like to think the club are actively pursuing potential candidates as they search for a permanent head coach, and after the complete mess they made after Tony Mowbray was fired, it’s absolutely crucial they get it right.</em></p>
<p id="Ez4s1p"><em>Regarding the relationship between the owner, our sporting director and the fans, it’s obvious that there’s a lack of trust there, and they need to work very hard to regain it.</em></p>
<p id="zUodjk"><em>The only way that’ll happen is by addressing the mistakes made both on and off the field, working hard to rectify them over the summer, and ensuring the supporters are being listened to. </em></p>
<p id="XwtIqt"><em>It can be fixed, but it won’t be easy.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Sunderland v Birmingham City - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XNciTAt0_TAWVnesvl2DIssbYkA=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25341136/1789331365.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images</cite>
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<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="oFquou">
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2024/3/18/24104111/fan-letters-mike-dodds-is-clearly-struggling-with-the-pressure-at-sunderlandRoker Report2024-03-18T06:00:00+00:002024-03-18T06:00:00+00:00Editorial: The international break is a welcome respite from the struggles of Sunderland
<figure>
<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_bxDtzoKWgRWEqYt_JPb21Vv4D4=/0x0:2341x1561/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73214486/2082119323.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><em><strong>After we finally broke a six-game losing run with a draw against QPR, we can at least take stock and reset before the final eight games of the season.</strong></em></p> <h2 id="GFq5lU"><strong>When the ball fell to Chris Willock during the latter stages of Saturday’s stodgy encounter with QPR, it seemed as though six Sunderland losses were about to become seven. </strong></h2>
<p id="JjgIdJ">Indeed, you could feel hearts sinking as that possibility loomed large, but Anthony Patterson, whose performance on Saturday was excellent, was able to save the day, making a superb stop and denying Martí Cifuentes’ visitors a victory that few could’ve argued they didn’t deserve.</p>
<p id="ja3OOp">And so it was. </p>
<p id="pdXWOs">A final score of 0-0 and another point added to the total, and with teams below us failing to make any real headway, perhaps this was the result that suggested that the nightmare scenario of a relegation battle will be avoided, even with some awkward-looking fixtures still to come.</p>
<p id="uGa7xa">Losing on Saturday, which would’ve been set against the backdrop of Alex Neil’s latest interview regarding his Wearside exit and yet more unrest at the presence of Juan Sartori in the Sunderland boardroom, would’ve been horrific.</p>
<p id="jB9hjb">As it is, there are eight games left and a nine-point gap to the relegation zone. </p>
<p id="Soj5Za">Hardly inspiring, but maybe enough to ensure that we don’t find ourselves sliding towards a dogfight that nobody is prepared for, even if keeping an eye on other teams’ progress is always an annoying distraction.</p>
<p id="AuZ4YP">And now, with a truly dreadful game behind us, it’s time for the final international break of the 2023/2024 season.</p>
<p id="NNqJL0">This is usually a period during which we bemoan the lack of club football as we try and see the logic in Gareth Southgate’s continued loyalty to Jordan Henderson, but after such a bruising couple of months, the fact that we aren’t back in action until the trip to Cardiff on March 29th feels like a godsend, such is the laborious nature of watching Sunderland nowadays.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0RY_0NiNtE6YPYN6KGKNOgRzd8Q=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25340610/2082119335.jpg">
<cite>Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="QsVRcu">There’s really no point in sugarcoating it: the contrast from one year ago, in terms of feel good vibe, excitement at what we could potentially achieve, and a style of play that was often joyous, is stark. </p>
<p id="We7UZQ">An injury crisis of alarming proportions has robbed us of countless frontline players, and those who’ve stepped up in their absence haven’t quite delivered, although not for the want of trying, and hopefully things will look slightly more positive on that front when we resume our league campaign.</p>
<p id="ehd8tM">Following Sunderland at the moment is a chore, and to see every player other than the enigmatic Adil Aouchiche looking completely lost on Saturday was genuinely uncomfortable to witness. Mike Dodds may be considered an integral part of the club’s coaching team, but he isn’t a tactical trailblazer and nor is he a particularly inspiring presence on the touchline.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Sunderland v Queens Park Rangers - Sky Bet Championship - Stadium of Light" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BZK3cViTQXzbqEc9JtYMLzolWvI=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25340611/2082111136.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="N2cpGX">For those in the boardroom, ploughing on, blithely ignoring the ‘outside noise’ and overlooking the litany of cock ups that have landed us in such an uninspiring position simply isn’t an option.</p>
<p id="3UibcM">By the time we kick off in South Wales, the social media content for season ticket renewals will be ready to go and the club will be about to launch a charm offensive to persuade people to retain their cards for 2024/2025. </p>
<p id="Tynsay">The big question however, is ‘should they do so, and why?’, because it’s an uncomfortable truth that the summer will be one of upheaval. </p>
<p id="rjufbc">After such a turbulent campaign, merely tinkering with the system won’t be enough, and I honestly believe that persuading people to renew will be a far harder sell than many at the club may be banking on.</p>
<p id="01pBvp">Jack Clarke will doubtless leave and Dan Ballard may depart if an acceptable offer is made. As the window unfolds, others may follow and will need to be replaced, and that’s to say nothing of the potentially awkward search for a new permanent head coach. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Sunderland v Plymouth Argyle - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NLbOUuHKNVi9KLJGaioSwK9pEdc=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25340696/1993693219.jpg">
<cite>Photoby Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="zCRKGC">Indeed, as Roker Report’s Jon Guy <a href="https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2024/3/14/24099818/can-we-trust-sunderlands-process-in-the-search-for-a-new-head-coach">wrote last week</a>, should we place unequivocal trust in the club to get things right after they’ve been guilty of so many poor decisions this season? </p>
<p id="d5isIc">The Tony Mowbray > Dodds > Michael Beale > Dodds sequence was hugely disruptive, a less-than-stellar January window merely compounded matters, and many other off-field issues have left a sour taste in the mouth.</p>
<p id="gnbHtM">This will all factor into whether people decide to renew or not, and rightly so. Trust is a priceless commodity at any football club, and between the supporters and those in the boardroom, it feels in short supply at Sunderland right now.</p>
<p id="TWAszh">Regardless of how the season finishes and exactly where we end the campaign, I’ve no doubt that there’ll be even stronger demands for Kristjaan Speakman to leave, and for Kyril Louis-Dreyfus to sell the club. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Sunderland v Coventry City - Sky Bet Championship - Stadium of Light" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Jgwxl6zTYEWre9owAQz0iYHZO5w=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25340810/1870082815.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Richard Sellers/PA Images via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="QzsTRs">When it comes to Speakman, it’s not necessarily a question of ripping up the idea of a sporting director as potentially seeking an upgrade.</p>
<p id="pdgYwA">In Dreyfus’ case, however, putting the club up for sale would be the easy part, but finding an owner who’d deliver on the demands for spending in line with a club of our stature would be a minefield in itself.</p>
<p id="GVLWVD">Those might be questions for another day but for now, the players and Dodds need to galvanise themselves for the final push. </p>
<p id="vMDyXs">We’re limping, rather then galloping towards the finishing line, and the sense of apathy that I hear regularly during games and on the concourses is by no means unjustified as a season of promise has gone badly wrong.</p>
<p id="8HULpd"></p>
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<p id="zKSMNS"></p>
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2024/3/18/24103666/editorial-the-international-break-is-a-welcome-respite-from-the-struggles-of-sunderlandPhilipW_892024-03-18T06:00:00+00:002024-03-18T06:00:00+00:00The lowdown on Matty Young — How is Sunderland’s next top keeper prospect doing at Darlo?
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-WBROrws_kpnT8fWG0avgurQRko=/0x0:1620x1080/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73214481/GH_ElmmXcAAtIV8.0.jpg" />
</figure>
<p><em><strong>Sunderland’s youth keeper is out on loan at Darlington at the moment, and he’s impressing Quakers fans</strong></em><em> </em></p> <p id="PuKDch">Sunderland have a pretty good knack for creating good goalkeepers in recent years. Jordan Pickford is the stand-out, with current number one Anthony Patterson also making good strides in his career despite some shaky displays of late. </p>
<p id="txvShf">The next on the production line looks set to be Matty Young, a stopper who is getting a taste of first-team football down the road at Vanarama National League North side Darlington. A quick browse of Twitter after games shows that he is proving to be popular, and his signing for Darlington has coincided with a huge turnaround in form which has seen Darlington win six of the eight games where Matty has been between the sticks. </p>
<p id="VE1tH9">Young has already earned his first international call-up, playing for the England under 19s when just 16 years of age. During the upcoming international break, he will be away with the under-18 setup. </p>
<p id="4OwwOe">Is this a coincidence? Perhaps, but two clean sheets and just eight conceded will be a huge boost for a keeper tipped for big things. To see how he’s been getting on, we caught up with Michael Price from Darlo Fans Radio. </p>
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<img alt="New Mexico United v Sunderland: Pre-Season Friendly" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f-i6761df0TJHEDGIuSAtaAGC_U=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25338766/1543355961.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images</cite>
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<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="SUI2ZI">
<h3 id="Tb0Sjp"><strong>Did you have any real knowledge/ expectations of him when he signed?</strong></h3>
<blockquote><p id="qOd0jl"><em>I think my only “expectation”, as it were, was that he would be a good stand-in for our main keeper, Tommy Taylor, who injured himself crashing into a goalpost when trying to save a shot in the game prior to us signing Matty. The replies on our social media posts from Sunderland fans once the loan was announced definitely helped build up a bit of hype, though - he’s obviously very highly rated up there.</em></p></blockquote>
<h3 id="6AzkIN"><strong>You’ve turned a corner in recent weeks, has Matty played a big part in this?</strong></h3>
<blockquote>
<p id="kzQFdK"><em>There’s been a massive improvement at both ends of the pitch. Prior to Steve and Terry taking charge, we had as big a problem with scoring goals as we did stopping them going in our net - I think at one point we had the worst defence AND the worst attack in the division. The managers got the right players in to take care of it. </em></p>
<p id="GyW964"><em>You’ve got Cedric Main and Matty Cornish doing the business at one end of the pitch with Scott Barrow and Matty playing their part in defence. They’ve all then brought the best out of the players already here, like Lees, Platt, and Salkeld, and the overall effect is 6 wins from 8 and renewed belief we’ll avoid the drop. Matty’s definitely a part of that.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<h3 id="KqtuuC"><strong>What would you say are his strengths?</strong></h3>
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<img alt="Sunderland v Cardiff City - Sky Bet Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qkRQJig2YIqwpmU810zC-w4ilqk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25338767/1686452321.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<blockquote><p id="vZ6Icb"><em>He just seems incredibly composed and certain in his decision-making, and his distribution is also great - he’s very quick to get the ball moving, he knows when to come for crosses, and I’ve not seen him drop a catch or spill a shot anywhere dangerous. He’s got all the basics absolutely nailed.</em></p></blockquote>
<h3 id="3Xcrmq"><strong>I’ve seen some fans say that he’s better than Pickford was at that age when he was also on loan at Darlington, would you agree?</strong></h3>
<blockquote><p id="3Rgo5E"><em>Tough call - Matty and Jordan both came to the club in very difficult situations and made slotting into a troubled team look effortless. There’s absolutely no doubting his potential and I believe Matty’s career path could definitely follow a similar path to Jordan’s. First Darlo, then England... we’ve got a decent track record for taking keepers on loan and having them go on to big things - we had Kasper Schmeichel as well!</em></p></blockquote>
<h3 id="FkPGmq"><strong>His month loan is almost up, do you feel it suits him and both clubs to get that extended?</strong></h3>
<blockquote>
<p id="XdXEMy"><em>It would definitely suit us! He’s expressed a desire for it to be extended in </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=hs06bi19UOjDvngE&v=Klynk7eG_LE&feature=youtu.be"><em>an interview</em></a><em> and I love that he’s up for the challenge, especially at only 17. </em></p>
<p id="oQ1nn7"><em>There’s been some talk this year about us having trouble bringing players in who are up for a relegation battle, so it says a lot about his character that he was willing to come here AND willing to stay to hopefully help us finish the job. </em></p>
<p id="QDnOja"><em>It’ll be a good test for him as the pressure builds.</em></p>
<p id="osV54j"><em>We’re going to lose him one way or the other after this weekend’s game anyway because he’s off to play for England for a game or two, but we’ll definitely be hoping he comes back. This is nothing against our own man between the sticks - Tommy’s a good keeper as well but even he’s apparently been heard saying he’s not getting back in the team while Matty is here...</em></p>
</blockquote>
<h3 id="pcjlqR">
<strong>Obviously, he’s got years of development ahead of him, but do you think there’s anything obvious he can improve on to take him to the next level?</strong> </h3>
<blockquote><p id="CF2Rlq"><em>He just needs to keep working on getting the basics right, making the right decisions, and continuing the trajectory he’s clearly on. Coming into a step 6 relegation battle is a massive ask and a big challenge, and he’s taken to it like a duck to water, and hopefully, by the time he leaves us he’ll know he’s done a job in helping us stay up. His potential is massive - he’ll always be welcome back (season-long loan in 24/25? ) and I’ll be keeping an eye on his future career to see how high he goes.</em></p></blockquote>
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https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2024/3/18/24102459/the-lowdown-on-matty-young-how-is-sunderlands-next-top-keeper-prospect-doing-at-darloPaddyHollis2024-03-18T06:00:00+00:002024-03-18T06:00:00+00:00On This Day (18th March 1992): Sunderland through to the FA Cup semi-final!
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<img alt="Soccer - Sunderland" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iK9lhtSdJQdLe3RrIgksSgzOpRA=/0x273:1600x1340/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73214482/649957512.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Paul Marriott/EMPICS via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p><em><strong>It was one of Roker Park’s last great nights under the lights as we beat Ian Porterfield’s Chelsea to go through to the semi-final of the cup.</strong></em></p> <p id="s9pBIk">It was almost 11 weeks to the day since Malcolm Crosby had taken charge of his first game for Sunderland, but he’d already packed a lot into his short time as caretaker manager.</p>
<p id="PwPhs5">Denis Smith’s Sunderland hadn’t adjusted to life back in Barclays League Division Two as everyone had hoped after falling out of the First Division. Fan favourite Marco Gabbiadini went to Crystal Palace for a club record £1.8 million in September to freshen things up.</p>
<p id="K6QG2K">Don Goodman, John Byrne and Anton Rogan arrived ahead of the festive period, but something wasn’t quite clicking. After a resounding 3-0 defeat at Brian Horton’s Oxford United between Christmas and New Year, Sunderland sat 17th in Division Two, and Denis Smith was relieved of his duties at Roker Park.</p>
<p id="U0YtHX">By this time, Malcolm Crosby had moved up to become his assistant after initially being brought to the club to be the youth team coach. Being a Sunderland fan, Crosby jumped at the chance to hold the fort while the club looked for a replacement.</p>
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<figcaption>Neil Warnock was the man the Sunderland board wanted to replace Denis Smith according to the Evening Chronicle</figcaption>
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<p id="IaOC7J">Immediately, South Shields-born Crosby went to work. On New Year’s Day 1992, Sunderland ran out 2-0 winners at Roker against Barnsley thanks to goals from Gordon Armstrong and Don Goodman and this was backed up by dispatching Port Vale 3-0 in the FA Cup third round, which in turn was followed by a 6-2 victory over Millwall that included a Don Goodman hat-trick.</p>
<p id="0T8W4j">As Sunderland very quickly rose to the relative security of mid-table, names previously linked to the job such as Neil Warnock, Don Mackay, Colin Todd, Bruce Rioch, Joe Jordan and John Beck were all taking up fewer column inches as the weeks passed by, and something was clearly happening around the man who was tasked with keeping it steady until a more permanent solution was found.</p>
<p id="8C6drU">By mid-March, although Sunderland’s league form had faltered, Oxford United and First Division West Ham United had been brushed aside in the FA Cup to reach the quarter-final and set up a tie with Chelsea.</p>
<p id="WIBNMK">To sprinkle a little more FA Cup magic on the tie, Chelsea were managed by a Sunderland legend in the form of Ian Porterfield, who was also a name that was heavily linked with the vacant position at Roker Park. He knew full well the potential of cup ties under the floodlights at Roker Park, as a John Byrne header with ten minutes remaining of the tie at Stamford Bridge forced a replay.</p>
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<img alt="Chelsea v Sunderland - FA Cup Sixth Round - Stamford Bridge" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RNGSEU2KXJyGm3YBDdSHfYxcgh4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/10110489/828364834.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by John Stillwell - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>John Byrne scored the equaliser at Stamford for Sunderland to earn a replay at Roker Park</figcaption>
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<p id="U4gtNb">Just over 26,000 turned up at Roker Park, as did the Sky cameras for the first time, after they had covered the original draw in the capital. The Chelsea fans had the middle section of the Roker End meaning either wing in the terraced stand was left vacant and predictably for Sunderland in mid-March, it was blowing a gale and freezing cold.</p>
<p id="FMrqSm">It all built up to an atmosphere of a type only Roker Park could generate, where you had that feeling a big night lay ahead, and the lads did not disappoint by going after the top flight side from the off. </p>
<p id="nOkOfz">Peter Davenport attacked the Chelsea defence early on and saw his shot deflected out for a corner. Every touch from a Sunderland player was met with a roar that seemed to move the ball independently towards the Chelsea goal which, combined with the wind, gave the visitors a torrid opening spell defending an intimidating Fulwell End.</p>
<p id="xwFWwe">The resultant corner was a dangerous one to the near post from Brian Atkinson, but was cleared and eventually found its way to Paul Bracewell on the edge of the box. The ex-Everton midfielder whipped the ball in with his left foot to the back post to find Gordon Armstrong, who slotted home from six yards out, only to see it ruled out for offside as he ran towards the linesman.</p>
<p id="xXcNsR">The pressure applied by Crosby’s side was relentless as more corners were forced and free-kicks in dangerous areas were won, until around the 20 minute mark, when we finally made the pressure count. A rare Chelsea counter-attack was halted by good work by Brian Atkinson, before he slipped the ball to David Rush, who charged into the Chelsea half before releasing John Byrne down the right flank.</p>
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<img alt="Soccer - FA Cup Semi Final - Sunderland v Norwich City" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Zqe7sCu2dxdt_233CChE_aNmdnY=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/10198129/649818262.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Neal Simpson/EMPICS via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Tony Norman kept Sunderland in the game as we eventually made it through to the FA Cup semi-final in 1992</figcaption>
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<p id="xpbAyS">Byrne cut inside Paul Elliott and got into the box on his left foot, before getting a low shot off that Dave Beasant could only parry straight into the path of Peter Davenport, who slotted home in front of the Fulwell End. It was nothing more than Sunderland deserved. It would stay like that until half time, when the home crowd responded to the side’s performance with resounding appreciation. </p>
<p id="VBGch0">Chelsea began to get a foothold in the second half and forced Tony Norman into two world-class point blank saves, first from Kerry Dixon, then from Dennis Wise. After his heroics at Upton Park in the fifth round, this didn’t come as a surprise to the Fulwell End behind him, but Wise stared in disbelief as his close range shot resulted in nothing more than a corner.</p>
<p id="051nUP">Both sides threatened further, with Bracewell twice clearing off the line for Sunderland, Paul Elliott at the other end made a last ditch tackle to deny Davenport scoring an open goal, then Byrne had another goal for Sunderland ruled out for offside, before Tony Cascarino hit the bar. </p>
<p id="zKkkoe">With five minutes remaining however, Crosby’s side lost concentration for a split second, and the game was turned on its head. A long punted ball forward from Beasant was cleared to Vinnie Jones, who then hooked the ball back into the area where Dennis Wise ran in behind the Sunderland back line and slotted past Norman. </p>
<p id="84wcys">There was a single scream as the ball hit the net, then silence, followed by the dull roar from the opposite end of the ground, that was almost a backdrop to the deafening silence that fell across the remaining three stands.</p>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HZaQSB3K48VAZ4oqrc-gtxRD2y8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/16003097/image.jpg">
<cite>Sunderland Echo</cite>
<figcaption>Gordon Armstrong scores the header to send Sunderland through to the FA Cup semi-final in 1992</figcaption>
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<p id="N8C8js">Thoughts turned to extra time as the players looked shell-shocked, but then a clever switch of play only two minutes after surrendering the lead from John Byrne to David Rush won Sunderland a corner. </p>
<p id="6DPRDl">Brian Atkinson stepped up where the Clock Stand met the Roker End and hit the corner in almost a straight line towards the penalty spot, and with perfect precision, Gordon Armstrong was running to meet it. Then, from a position that some players find difficult with the ball at their feet, met it with the most perfect header that you will ever see that sailed into the opposite corner past the despairing Beasant.</p>
<p id="EpFYMU">The whistles from the crowd during the seemingly endless hours of injury time were deafening. But when the referee signalled the end of the game, the fans engulfed the pitch and Sunderland had earned a place in the FA Cup semi-final. </p>
<p id="cjKPsZ">Almost fitting that it turned out to be our last victory at Roker Park in the FA Cup.</p>
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<h2 id="bqUkAL"><em><strong>Wednesday 18th March, 1992</strong></em></h2>
<h3 id="9dSHeG"><em><strong>FA Cup Quarter-Final Replay</strong></em></h3>
<h4 id="8tJ8Tm"><strong>Roker Park</strong></h4>
<h2 id="sxDEZ9"><strong>Sunderland 2-1 Chelsea</strong></h2>
<p id="kQVbSN"><small><strong>[Davenport 20’, Armstrong 88’ - Wise 85’]</strong></small></p>
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<p id="29ey8s"><em><strong>Sunderland:</strong></em><em> Norman, Kay, Ball, Rogan, Hardyman (Ord), Rush, Atkinson, Bracewell, Armstrong, Davenport, Byrne </em><em><strong>Substitute not used: </strong></em><em>Brady</em></p>
<p id="qig7OY"><em><strong>Chelsea:</strong></em><em> Beasant, Clarke, Elliott, Cundy (Allen), Sinclair, Le Saux (Stuart), Jones, Townsend, Wise, Dixon, Cascarino</em></p>
<p id="GHS4Uz"><em><strong>Attendance:</strong></em><em> 26,039</em></p>
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https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2024/3/18/24100502/on-this-day-18th-march-1992-sunderland-through-to-the-fa-cup-semi-finalChrisWynn