CHRIS COLEMAN OPEN LETTER REACTION: The Sunderland manager needs our support now more than ever

Whilst it might seem as though we’ve left it far too late to start mounting a battle against relegation, the fact of the matter is that we still have enough time to save ourselves from falling off the edge of the cliff before this season ends.

Yes, it looks like a tough ask, but our win on Good Friday away at Derby County has undoubtedly given everyone a much-needed boost.

We’re still very much in deep trouble, but the confidence and momentum that comes with achieving such a huge victory is something that we simply must capitalise upon when we take on Sheffield Wednesday on Monday afternoon.

This has of course prompted Chris Coleman to take it upon himself to make an urgent plea to supporters in order to ensure that there are as many of us in the stadium as possible.

“As a club, we need to put everything else to one side and fight for our future because, as we all know, it is worth fighting for”, Coleman said in his open letter.

And he’s absolutely right - whatever animosity or anger you have towards these players or this regime needs to be put to one side, so that we’re all on the same page and fighting for the same thing. “As a team we can’t do it alone. We need each and every one of you”, he added.

Perhaps the most pertinent thing that the Sunderland manager says in his plea to the supporters is that “this club is worth fighting for, you know it and I know it.”

Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Yes, Chris Coleman has made mistakes this season. Yes, he’s struggled to lift the malaise left behind from previous regimes - and yes, he’s probably going to make more mistakes in the past. He is only human after all.

But finally we have a manager that ‘gets it’. Finally we have a manager who can see past all of bad aspects of our club - because he can see the potential for success here.

Whatever you think of him or these players, we have to set our doubts aside if we truly want this club to survive. We can’t be on the pitch kicking the ball for them on Monday but we can certainly be vocal, passionate and vociferous. We can create an environment that gives them a fantastic platform to succeed.

Chris Coleman cares enough about our supporters to have addressed us directly, and I respect that. The best we can do for him and the players is to ensure we do our level best to not only attend Monday’s game, but be there with them every step of the way.

If you can be there, please do your level best to ensure that you are.