ITHICS Fanzine: We’ve come a long way, baby - Sunderland were a shambles this time last year!

Around about this time last year we had just beaten another recently relegated side, Hull City, by a goal to nil at the Stadium of Light. A crowd of just under 27,500 saw the game (10,000 less than those who saw the 1-1 draw against Luton). We were to win only two more games all season en route to a second successive relegation.

When the current team (which has only been beaten twice this season) drew away at Scunthorpe on Saturday to make it three 1-1 draws in a row, some fans started to show their concern. Well, that is the understatement of the century.

Don’t forget, the team is currently still in third place, three and four points off second and top spots respectively; with a game in hand.

Some supporters seem to have short memories.

We have a board of directors who have done an amazing job steadying a severely lurching ship, and we have a very good chance of getting promoted back to the Championship at the first attempt.

Sunderland AFC

Yes, we have had a bit of a blip, but haranguing of the owner on his twitter account is totally unacceptable. Stewart Donald is unique among football club owners in that he is so accessible and accountable to the fans. You don’t see the likes of Mike Ashley or Ellis Short open themselves up to such scrutiny.

Some fans are desperate for the ownership to spend untold sums on unproven players, whose value to use is dubious at best. The owners, quite rightly, have said that they will not be backed into a corner and undo the good work of the last six months.

The club is on the up and looking strong contenders for promotion, as well as quarter finalists in the Checkatrade Trophy.

In this age of social media, the fans are quick to lay in with an opinion without much information. At the time of writing (8.50am on Thursday morning) Keith Downie from Sky Sports had reported that Josh Maja was on his way to Bordeaux for £3.5m. That was posted at 3pm yesterday. Who knows whether this will happen or not.

The fans need to get behind the club, ignore reckless speculation, and remember how hopeless our situation was this time last year.