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Steven Fletcher
There is no question that Darren Bent had a great season at Sunderland, but a great player for Sunderland he most certainly was not. Because - let's face it - being a great Sunderland player is about much more than what you do on the pitch.
Great Sunderland players do not attempt to hold the club to ransom after they moved heaven and earth rescue them from perpetual misery and humiliation at another club. Great Sunderland players do not bullsh*t the fans on a weekly basis, playing on their emotions so he could leech off their loyalty. Great Sunderland players do not take to the field for a Wear/Tyne derby with a written transfer request tucked away in the inside pocket of their jackets in the dressing room waiting to be handed in on the final whistle.
Steven Fletcher should really win this based purely upon the fact that Darren Bent should not be allowed to, but that would be to do him a disservice as he is - quite simply - a better player than the Aston Villa reserve.
His first touch is immaculate and his finishing clinical. With a similar supply line that Bent enjoyed in his full season here - and penalty duties - there is no reason Fletcher couldn't approach the same amount of goals. Granted, he doesn't have the pace or mobility of Darren Bent, but he makes up for that with touch and intelligence.
Bent may have had the fleeting quantity of goals but Fletcher's have had the quality. We are all enjoying the current spending spree at the club and signing full Italian and Argentinian internationals etc, but without the goals of Steven Fletcher there would be no fat new TV contract or bright new future for Sunderland.
When no one else could score - he did. When no one else could win us points - he did. I'll take that as a 'great Sunderland player' over a coward who turned tailed and ran the second he got a whiff of a better deal. Do the right thing. Vote Fletch. Do not allow the lecherous mercenary to con your affections out of you again. (MG)
Darren Bent
Ugh. Just eliminate him already - I don't want to write any more nice things about Darren f***ing B£nt.
The truth is, he was brilliant during his time here. He scored against pretty much everyone, he was guaranteed to score if he got the ball in the opposition box and...well...that's just it, isn't it? He was, without doubt, the most prolific marksmen we've had since Kevin Phillips.
Question his motives behind moving to Aston Villa all you like - and God knows, I have - but prior to that he'd proven himself as comfortably Sunderland's best signing since their return to the Premier League. The team was heavily reliant on his services, almost embarrassingly so at times, yet Bent never baulked under the pressure, and the goals kept on coming.
He was never, nor will ever be, the best all round footballer to wear a red and white shirt. His limitations were clear and evident. Yet, he knew them, and didn't try to be something he wasn't. Instead of seeking approval by dropping deep, moving wide, or looking to link up play, he stuck to what he was best at - scoring goals. There's a lot to said for that. Even if he is a money-grabbing c...[Ed: rest of sentence deleted to avoid Roker Report being sued for libel.] (CW)
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Be sure to make your vote count and send one of these two through to the next round. Make your voice heard below, because you only have until 11pm (GMT) tonight to get your vote in...