Sunderland at Wembley: ‘Just’ a weekend on the p*ss, or does it mean much more to us than that?

Yesterday we asked whether you considered this weekend’s Wembley final to be a bit of fun, or something much more symbolic - the answer?

Well, if truth be told, you say it’s a bit of both!

Here’s what our readers had to say on Facebook, the Roker Report website, and Twitter!

Remember, keep a look out for weekly articles asking for your opinion, and we’ll include a selection of responses in a follow-up article just like this one. Get your voice heard!

Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Facebook

It’s an escape. It’s a reward for the faithful and the fair weather supporters. A respite from the league. It’s going to be a cracking weekend regardless of cup. Let people mock. We are where we are in league 1 for a reason. But it’s Wembley. It’s a cup. It’s creating history and I for one can’t bloody wait.

- Michael Mountain

Massive weekend of fun first and if we win it a massive positive for the club and I don’t care what the trophy is, I’ve never seen us win at Wembley in 6 attempts and I’m 54, so pure joy. Missed out in 73 so I’ll happily parade ANY bit of shiny metal in any cup win. If we can bust this Wembley hoodoo we may well be back in May to do exactly the same thing all over again but this time after only weeks of winning at the same venue. Can’t wait for Saturday mornings epic trip.

- Kevin Twinn

I would like to think this is going to be the only time we are in this competition. The opportunity to win any silverware has to be grasped with both hands and hopefully the momentum can carry on through the rest of the season. This will be the 5th time at Wembley in my lifetime and we have never won yet so that would be great to get sorted as well!

- Steve Heathcote

Michael, Kevin, and Steve see this weekend as a reward for fans who’ve stuck by the club during difficult times. A win would be fantastic for both fans and the club alike - here’s hoping we can pull off a win, lads!

It could be much more than a booze fest in the smoke. It could very well be the moment when everything comes together. The lads lift the trophy, the momentum from that experience lifts the team and our last games are then our best games, played with confidence and heart, this last effort gets us promoted. Maybe we will do it through the play offs and a second Wembley invasion is needed. Either way the lifting of the EFL trophy may be the spark to glory.

- Darren Walkinshaw

Darren, however, sees the weekend as something far more important than a chance at success - something we’ll see others allude to.

Fook off with ya sh*te questions idiots.

- Robert Foster

That being said, not everyone was enamored with offering input on the topic at hand. Cheers, Robert.

Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

Roker Report Website

I wish people would stop counting their chickens.

There will be 11 other players on the pitch who will want something to say about what happens...

ftm

- Angry Joe

Angry Joe wants people to stop thinking this weekend is in the bag; however, Wearfish has a slightly different take on why this weekend is a must-win game.

Joe is right – they beat us 3-1 at their place. But in a wider context, we need to look at where we are. Third and fourth in the league and unless we can do what we haven’t really done this season and put together a consistent winning run we will not catch Barnsley.

So in May we are, in my opinion, quite possibly playing Portsmouth again at Wembley. The result of this match on Sunday is bigger than the trophy – it is potentially a psychological head start in the decider for who plays in the Championship next season.

I don’t want to go into that game having recently lost to the opposition at the same venue. I expect to be losing my voice on Sunday!

- Wearfish

It’s an interesting psychological question that Wearfish has posed, and Paul1973 agrees!

A win would give us a psychological boost in case we are back there in May. Big game for Barnsley at the weekend - really hope they get beat.

- Paul1973

Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Twitter

I’m 46 year old next month, I was 23 days old in a pram in Hastings Hill last time we won a trophy at Wembley. Remember 85, 92, 2014 disappointment, the changing economy of football and ever decreasing chance of winning a cup at Wembley. Sunday is everything for me. #safc

- Peter Cooper (@sunlunpete)

Third trip to Wembley, I was 3 in 85 and in 92 I had no option of going.... 98 I didn’t speak for about 5 hours afterwards, 2014 was just an experience and now I get to take my boy and my dad. My boy has only this year shown real interest and this is his first game away from SOL.

- Chris Dunleavy (@lander6482)

Both Peter and Chris are desperate to see a Sunderland win after several failed attempts! For Chris it’s also a chance to initiate a young’un with a brilliant first away day.

I saw a Southampton fan say that them winning it proved the catalyst for reviving the club and was the start of their rise back to the Premier League. If that were to happen to us it would certainly be looked back on as symbolic #safc

- Parkersafc (@Parkersafc)

Tom Woodward then replied to Parker’s tweet with an interesting note:

Think I read somewhere that they won the Checkatrade then went on to win their last 9 league games.

- Tom Woodward (@tommy54w)

However, Hummy wasn’t so confident!

Reality check - Southampton are the only club in the last 30 years to have won the Checkatrade trophy (or equivalent) to currently play in the PL. And maybe only three others in that time have ever played in the PL. And so you really think we will win every game left this season?

- Hummy (@eathummous1)

Guinness Guzzler and Dan1879 were keen to point out that this is really a great chance for a celebration, and that perhaps this weekend can be a positive to carry into the rest of the season.

Its a bit of fun, a cracking weekend with 40000 others. I want to win, it’ll be a minor downer on the day if we don’t, but it doesn’t really matter. Just enjoy the weekend, then worry about what really matters, going up and hopefully never being in this comp with first team again.

- Guinness Guzzler (@GuzzlerSAFC)

The result won’t impact whether it’s a good weekend away - it certainly didn’t in a more prestigious comp in 2014. But the win would have have more meaning than it maybe should based on the nightmare we’ve been through in the last few years. Would feel like the corner is turned.

- Dan (Dan1879_SAFC)