Fan Letters: “No place for needless negativity at Sunderland - get behind the team this season!”

Dear Roker Report,

Like many fans who are delighted with the job the owners, staff and players have done so far, I feel that the minority of screaming whingers who criticise everything we do are in danger of being bitten back.

If this constant abuse of decent people continues unabated, how long will it be before tiny cracks appear in the club, players’ confidence - even Stewart Donald wondering if he’s done the right thing, like Mr Maja?

Clubs are not rebuilt from the ground up overnight. What these folk have done in such a short period is amazing. All staff, like SD, admit they make mistakes. They happen. I suspect even screaming whingers make mistakes in their lives.

Look at Manchester United. Their players are now allowed to make mistakes without being shredded by Mourinho. So by screaming from the Sunderland rooftops, are whingers going to get the best out of JR & Co?

Just imagine what life would be like if Mr Short owned but still non-funded, our team remained with the attitude of “scary total apathy” found by Chris Coleman, and many more supporters were rightly fed up?

Please give our new Sunderland a chance.

We all deserve it!

Stephen Walker (Fulwell Ender since 1960)

Ed’s Note [Gav]: I couldn’t agree more - the only way this club moves forward at the pace that we all want it to is if everyone is on the same page and has the same goal in their sights.

I must stress - being critical is absolutely fine, but mindless abuse, ignorance and stupidity isn’t. This is the most informed that our fans have ever been, with all the information about the running of the club laid out on a daily basis in front of them.

Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

Firstly keep up the good work. I enjoy getting the notification that a new podcast is ready and has become a guilty pleasure.

I have recently listened to the last Stewart Donald podcast and for the first time felt compelled to write in. I have been a Sunderland fan for many a year, supported the club through highs and lows and have been like a lot of fans often scratching my head as to why things have gone wrong at times. I strongly believe that we are some of the greatest fans in the world, supporting this great club due to the love of the club. However I also believe that through everything we have been through a section of our fans need to have a very strong word with themselves and get a severe reality check. Short memories making rash decisions.

If you think back to where we were at our height, we finished 7th 18 years ago. That was a long time from where we are today.

If you think back to an ownership change, Ellis Short purchase the club back in 2008. It took the man 10 years to run this club to the brink of administration and we danced with relegation for 7 years of the 10 year tenure. We have witnessed super star players who played for the pay, rather than the shirt.

This was a time where we have gone through a real rollercoaster with so many downs including the club’s reputation being in tatters with a double relegation.

NOW, onto the better things, Stewart and Co.

Stewart and Co. have come into this club last May to witness our last game against Wolves. They have had one pre season to stabilise a failing club, invest in a new playing squad whilst changing the culture around the entire squad/staff. They had to bring in a new manager and change the mentality of avoid relegation, start a season, sack a manager, avoid relegation and so on and so on.

What they have done off the field and the business deals they have implemented have been remarkable. We have to stay within our means if we are to prosper moving forward and not fall into old bad habits. The rise to success will take time and the fans have to be patient. Saying that lets put things into context. We are in the play off places right now, we have been beaten twice, we have never NOT scored and finally if we win all games in hands we will be joint top!

We have a manager that appears tactically asitute with players that want to play for the club. Yes we have some players that look as though haven’t hit the heights they are capable of but let’s give them time and most importantly our support.

We are not like our noisy neigggghhhbours (excuse the horse pun) up the road who should lambaste our board. They are working on turning us round in the right way and it will take time. When was the last time you saw Sunderland owners who mingle with the fans and are as vocal about the club. That’s not for them. That’s for our benefit. Sunderland Till I Die is more than a documentary it is an ethos that should be within all Sunderland fans.

We must stop the negativity around the club, its owners and its staff. We must be the driving force behind this team and we as the fans cannot be the weak link pulling this team back.

Thank you Stewart, Charlie and the rest who have turned what seemed like an impossible task into a fantastic short journey. I for one support what you are trying to do and will be there for every home game to cheer the lads on.

Dave Pick

Ed’s Note [Gav]: Very positive, Dave! You aren’t the first person recently to raise negativity as an issue, but it’s important that it’s addressed. People are entitled to their opinion, but for me I think you have to be reasonable with it and try to see both sides of the story.

Hopefully the last few weeks have taught some supporters that you have to be patient, especially when you’re trying to turn around a club that has suffered as much as this one.