Fan Letters: “What the hell is wrong at the club? Be more transparent!”

Dear Roker Report,

Yeah I’m beginning to agree with the lad who is falling out of love with SAFC after 50 years.

Personally I despise every gold digger at the club, from owners to players, and when I suggested the players and their wags should have their posh cars and houses and wages taken from them this was to try and make the point that doing this would maybe jolt them into actually caring and putting in a decent days work, but you decided to take the pee.

Also this is how stupid the owners are i.e. Tony (Rotten) Coton making money out of SAFC even in 2019. Have you all forgot this fella tried to sue SAFC in the nineties. He is now instrumental in bringing total rubbish players to SAFC.

So as we speak even now some people think this regime is fit for purpose. Didnt trust them from day one and still don’t. If they get us out of this mess fast I will apologise for dissing them. Still say Pratkinson should not have even been considered and find it laughable when people say he has got two teams out of this division. BIG DEAL. He might even get us out of this league - only problem is it will be down to division 4.

Don’t say it can’t happen. Ask Pompey, Sheff United, Wolves etc...

Jarvis (the Sunderland-supporting dog who, even in this mess, gets to the games when he can) and William

Ed’s Note [Tom]: Hi Jarvis the dog and William. It’s certainly a tough time, isn’t it? I think the regime have made a host of mistakes - something they’d probably admit themselves - and Parkinson could well be one of them. Will they make a move to remedy their mistake? Time will tell.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

Very sad to read on the BBC of the recent death of Martin Harvey, who made the number 4 shirt his own in the 1960s.

He replaced another legend -Stan Anderson - in Alan Brown’s 1963-1964 promotion winning side, playing alongside Charlie Hurley

A very strong, reliable defender, who was an absolute master of the sliding tackle. Never a dirty player, he was hardly ever penalised.

He didn’t score many goals, but they were worth waiting for; I can remember an absolute belter against Chelsea into the Fulwell End net that brought the house down!

314 appearances for Sunderland, 34 for his country Northern Ireland, forced by injury into retirement at the relatively young age of 30.

Thanks for many happy memories, Martin. RIP.

Mike Kennedy

Ed’s Note [Tom]: A one-club man with over 300 appearances across 13 years - incredible. Really sad to hear of his passing, Harvey was an unbelievable servant to the club.

Photo by Peter Robinson/EMPICS via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

I’ve been a fan since for 35 years followed the ups and downs as a fan. When Sunderland didn’t get promoted last season i thought right they have to fight and gain promotion this season. But from what I have seen and heard from other fans that it’s looking like they will not finish in the playoffs. What the hell is wrong at the club - be more transparent!

Steve Langford

Ed’s Note [Tom]: Hi Steve, I don’t know what’s going on with the side, but things are bleak right now. I don’t know what’s going wrong with the club, my personal view is that we need a Director of Football to improve strategy and direction. I don’t think it’s an issue with transparency, though. The club are underperforming and everyone can see that, all that matters is making moves to find improvement.