We were truly spoiled when Roy Keane famously overhauled our squad in the space of about four hours of the summer deadline day in 2006. Six players were signed and the sheer excitement of it all was enough to send our fanbase doolally - a wave of optimism that got Keane off on the best footing with supporters who just weeks earlier were resigned to a season of utter despair.
Since then we’ve not really lived up to the hype of that fateful day and each year since has seen us feeling more and more frustrated at the lack of action going on at our club as the window for signing players nears its end.
Today I’m about as pissed off as I’ve been since last season ended. Simon Grayson told us we had a competitive budget, that his phone was ringing off the hook due to calls from agents trying to sell him players that were desperate to come here. The reality of it all is that we are so utterly broke that we can’t even afford to sanction a bunch of loans for unwanted Aston Villa players, and that whatever money is available to the Sunderland manager isn’t even enough to cover the transfer of a decent striker or centre half.
Things could change as the day progresses, of course, but there’s an air of desperation about it all and anyone that we do sign is probably going to arrive late on, on loan. Fantastic.
I’m just as concerned about the players we’ve got going out of the door and whether we’re prepared for replacing them. I can deal with Wahbi Khazri leaving, even if I think it’s utterly pathetic that we can’t get a fee for him, but you just know that if a big offer comes in later on for Didier Ndong or Lamine Kone we’ll let them go. Arguably our two most talented players, and they could leave us in the dust if a Premier League does so much as flutter their eyelashes at us before the night is over.
I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
One thing that I am looking forward to is tonight’s live Podcast we’re doing over on our Youtube channel from 9pm. It’s an idea that I had a few days ago, that deadline day can be boring for Sunderland supporters and it would be nice for them to have something other than Skysports News to listen to as the evening peters out.
I hope you’ll all join us, it should be good crack and if nowt else you’ll get to hear a bunch of pissed off fans vent their frustrations at our lack of activity. Or better yet - we might even have some positive news to talk about, like the fact someone is actually daft enough to take Papy Djilobodji off our hands. Who knows.