ITHICS Fanzine: “Perhaps recent results should teach us to trust Sunderland boss Jack Ross!”

Two wins in the last two games. Teams around us are starting to display the fallibility that we kind of didn’t show over the last couple of months. Six goals scored and a mere two conceded. Even the relentless Luton have started dropping points - to the mighty Coventry, if you please.

As it stands, we are on 65 points having played 33 games. Luton and Barnsley have played a game more and are on 72 and 67 points respectively.

Early Spring is the ideal time to turn around our winless streak to a winning streak. Don’t forget, we still haven’t been beaten since before Christmas.

We are due to visit Oakwell on 12 March. As our fortunes seemed to have changed, who’s to say that we won’t be above the team from South Yorkshire by then?

Jack Ross has approached this sticky patch perfectly. He hasn’t panicked and hasn’t let the less than perfect results get to him. Nor did he get carried away in the early season when we were flying high. Ross understands that this is a 46-game season.

Sunderland AFC

We’ve had a few fans on a bit of a panic… well, that’s a bit of an understatement. But Ross never flapped. He has always said that Sunderland is a great place to work and been humble in all his utterances with the press.

The man is a class act and we have to be impressed that Messrs Donald and Methven were wise enough to know about him and were relentless in perusing him for the position.

We were all shocked at the Chris Coleman dismissal and were surprised in the first Roker Rapport Podcast featuring our new owners when they said that they weren’t necessarily going to re-appoint the former Wales boss. He was just one of a few who were under consideration.

In hindsight, Ross was clearly their first and only choice.

And, it’s now clear to see why.

In the goldfish bowl of north east football - one that famously saw Jermaine Jenas quit Newcastle for Spurs, citing that he couldn’t stand the constant scrutiny that came with playing in the region - Ross has been the epitome of calm when all about him were losing their heads. I don’t like to quote the brexiter’s favourite poet, Rudyard Kipling, but he did say some sensible things.

I won’t say we told you so, but it always helps to take a step back and consider.

Let’s hope this revival continues and our rivals’ misfortunes continue to deteriorate.

Danny Roberts