Fan Letters: “Let’s get Phil Bardsley back to Sunderland at the end of the season!”

Dear Roker Report,

Listening to Phil Bardsley on the Roker Rapport Podcast brought back so many good memories for me. The semi-final at Old Trafford, his screamer against West Brom, his goal in the Everton FA Cup quarter final, him standing on the hoardings in front of the mags at St James Park - it’s safe to say that during a largely bleak period, Bardo was a shining light.

I couldn’t help but think that, at the age of 33, Bardo would be a brilliant signing for us next season if we get promoted. Do you reckon he’d be up for it?

Let’s get Bardo back to Sunderland!

Dan Moore

Ed’s Note [Gav]: It’s an interesting one Dan - the Podcast did indeed stir up memories of Bardo’s good times at Sunderland and I couldn’t help but feel that he’d fit right in with the current bunch, who all have similar personalities to him.

He’s not really been getting a game for Burnley in the Premier League and his deal is up in the summer, so he could well be looking for a new club.

If we get promoted I imagine he’d be willing to at least speak to us... but who knows.

Adam Matthews has been in great form this season but he’s also out of contract, and Donald Love probably isn’t fancied. I imagine we’ll be shopping around for a full back or two next year regardless of which league we are in. Let’s just wait and see, eh!

Photo by Richard Sellers/Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

I’m absolutely papping my pants ahead of this weekend... not because I don’t believe in the team but because this game is just too important for us to knack up.

Pompey pose the biggest threat we’ve faced so far this season and a loss would knock us down a peg or two... but a win would in my opinion cement us as favourites for the league title halfway through the season.

But then, on the other hand... I remember back to the Keano days at at this point of the season we were absolutely nowhere near the top ten never-mind the promotion places, and I think that should maybe act as a remember that the league championship isn’t won or lost in December. Something to ponder.

Am I wrong to be worried? I wouldn’t be a Sunderland fan if I didn’t feel nervous about big games... it’s been so long since we were in a title race that I’ve forgotten how this feels actually.

Brian Lawson

Ed’s Note [Gav]: I get where you’re coming from. It’s not a season-defining game, because it’s far too early to be calling any game ‘season-defining’, but we’re into the meaty part of the season (as Nick Barnes puts it) and we’re at the stage where you can start to see which teams are going to be up there come the end of the season.

Portsmouth have been the most consistent team in the league this season alongside ourselves, though they’ve gone about it in an entirely different way. They play with a target man and pace out wide, which I worry will trouble us, but at the same time we are technically better than any side in this league and can pick any defence apart provided the lads are up for it.

I genuinely can’t call which way this one will go... though a draw wouldn’t be a bad result when you consider the opponent and the fact we still have those two games in hand to play at some stage.