Fan Letters: “Sunderland need us, so get off your f**king arses and get behind the lads!”

Dear Roker Report,

I am writing this as a plea to all Sunderland fans everywhere.

Losing our last two games, failing to get automatic promotion... it’s been a huge kick to the b*llocks to us all. To have supported the team through thick and thin this season, breaking records left right and centre only to fail to achieve automatic promotion, I feel like I’ve been knocked to the mat after the last month’s performances with the countless chances to grasp automatic promotion wasted.

On Sunday morning I felt the last place I wanted to be on Saturday was back at the SOL, another £20 out of pocket to see a team that I have seen come close to achieving something so many times, only to throw it away.

Yet, somehow, I found myself buying a ticket.

Because regardless of how you feel this season has gone, we are three games away from promotion. It’s not where we wanted to be but it’s where we are. This group of lads have always tried their best for the shirt, the owner is doing his best for the club but I think on Saturday, they will need us.

They will need the atmosphere we can create, they will need 40,000 mackems who would be nuts to turn up, but do anyway to scream them on. When those lads look around on Saturday we need to be there with them, making the SOL a fortress for one last time this season.

So I’m writing this as a plea... if you can be there, come.

Don’t settle for watching it on TV or listening to it on the radio, be at the ground. Don’t regret not being there when you see the passion, the hope and the absolutely barmy support. One last home game, let’s fill the place and make an atmosphere so great that the players can’t help but know they are in a play off fight... and we are alongside them.

Kieran O’Leary

Ed’s Note [Gav]: Bang on Kieran. I’m sick of hearing people moan about the fact we’re in the play-offs now - just face it, it’s where we’re at so let’s own it. Let’s embrace it and let’s push the team on as much as we possibly can this Saturday. One inspired performance could be all it takes to ensure we get to Wembley - and, like when we beat Chelsea in 2016 to secure survival, it was the fans that drove and spurred the team on.

It’s the most worn out, used cliché in football but we can be the twelfth man - the roar of the crowd can suck the ball into the net and can give the players that extra boost they’ll need when they’re inevitably under pressure.

Like you say, the best place to be to take in the action will be the Stadium of Light. Let’s just hope that, as kick off approaches, more and more people realise that they can contribute to something special in being there to watch the action from within the ground.

Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

I would like respond to the guy who is on about not giving young lads a chance.

Clearly when he refers to throwing money away he’s talking about Grigg - oh, for hindsight eh?

When he signed fans were thinking he was the piece in the jigsaw that will take us up, but unfortunately at the moment it hasn’t worked out - and I repeat, at the moment. Both he and Wyke need a pre-season together and I’m sure from that we’ll reap the benefits.

As for Nelson and co, remember our coaches see these kids on a daily basis so I’m sure they’re capable of deciding whether he’s good enough for League One - don’t be to quick to judge if it goes wrong, sh*t happens.

Some of the worst judges are our fans, prime example being our very own Jordan Henderson who since leaving us has captained England and Liverpool - I wonder what the tools who booed him and said he was crap think now?

On a finishing note - another season in League One will do us no harm. I hope we don’t end up here again, but judging by fans’ comments they’ve already decided that’s going to happen.

Negativity p*sses me off, it breeds failure. Sunderland need us so get off your f*cking arses and get behind the lads!

Nigel

Ed’s Note [Gav]: All fair points, particularly the one about Nelson. You’ve just got to trust their judgement. I’ve said this before, but the fact we’ve barely seen Sterling or Kimpioka suggests he was right to leave because it’s unlikely that he’d have been given a chance.

I hope people can shake the negativity off and get themselves to the Stadium on Saturday. Nobody is happy with what has gone on but it’s happened and we ought to just own our situation.