Fan Letters: “Have the EFL got an agenda against Sunderland?”

Dear Roker Report,

Well another year supporting SAFC draws to a close, though this has been a year like no other - and not just in the football world. Whatever life throws at our beloved club we’re still here supporting them.

Whether we’re at the very top - in my lifetime at least Aug 20th 1980 with a 2nd half John Hawley hat-trick in a 4-0 win at Man City, four days after starting the season with a 3-1 home win over Everton. I’m giddy just thinking about it. Or whether we’re at the bottom which is... er... now actually - we’re all still there supporting our club.

Clint Eastwood once said in a movie “Opinions are like a******s, everybody has one”, and they used to be aired in pubs & bars pre or post match. Nowadays especially in the current situation it’s in the comments sections on sites like this.

Whatever differences of opinions about SAFC we have we share a common one - we want the best for our club and we head into the new year in our worst league position, yet another new manager and potential new owners.

It’s never dull (some of Parky’s games notwithstanding).

I would just like to wish all at Roker Report & all my fellow commenters, whether you agree with my opinions or not, a happy Xmas & a safe & healthy New year. Let’s face it guys & girls, it would be dull if we agreed on everything!

Michael Atkinson

Ed’s Note [Chris]: That’s the bottom line for all of us Michael, we might disagree at times how we get there but we all want the same thing. I used to remember when that debate was the fun part in the boozer after the game, not quite sure when that changed.

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

I have to get this off my chest.

It’s Monday and I just had the worst weekend during a football season. Football was on TV but I’m not interested and didn’t care about the results. This is about the EFL. Have they got an agenda against Sunderland?

For example, they prevented ten clubs, Sunderland included, from competing for a promotion place which all had a chance to finish in the top two. Our ladies team and our friends South Shields were refused promotion when both teams were in commanding lead in their leagues. Then there was last week’s fiasco.

They passed the buck to Sunderland to decide whether to call off or play the match, while mentioning points deduction. Can you imagine if the virus spread amongst the AFC Wimbledon squad?

The EFL would have blamed Sunderland because they went ahead and played the match. Now some head coaches are proposing to have clubs that postponed matches to be disciplined. The pandemic is very dangerous and a killer, are they living in the real world?

I’m also convinced that the EFL want to keep us in League One because they know that we are the cash cow of the division with our consistent away following with no disrespect to the smaller clubs (they are all important to the English football league pyramid), but we help a little to keep them above water.

Which is why they introduced the salary cap, so that it doesn’t matter how much money the bigger clubs generate they won’t be able to spend big. We all know what the EFL and FA stand for... don’t we?

Anthony Degiovanni

Ed’s Note [Chris]: The EFL have a history littered with unexplainable decisions and although the pandemic is a difficult situation to navigate, some of the decisions have once again been bizarre. Can’t say I’m convinced it’s a conspiracy against Sunderland as I’m not sure there’s a team in the EFL who have felt hard done to as a result of an EFL decision.

Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

Happy Christmas to you all.

Having just read McGeady’s interview from the podcast, it’s unbelievable how we employed Parkinson after Ross, what an idiot. All I can say is that he must be the best bullsh***er of all time in interviews, he obviously charmed Donald.

It was yet another bad decision by the hierarchy and the sooner they go the better. Parkinson was one game from the sack last season, so he deflects the blame onto McGeady, and takes the pressure off himself - that’s embarrassing. The way this club has been ran over the years is heartbreaking hopefully the big change is coming.

From player recruitment to management appointments, we have to get it right. The current, so called, takeover has dragged on longer than brexit. Again, you read what William Storey has been spouting about his offer and again you wonder what on earth is going on?

It looks like Donald wants a deal on his terms so he can walk away a very rich man. The famous words that “the piss-taking stops here” - it’s just fu**ing starting in my eyes. I said from day one these two were chancers, and oh how I was proved right.

Photo bt Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The EFL have a lot to answer for how can people like this have been allowed to run a football club, it’s sickening, just ask Bury and Wigan fans. The whole game now is money now, the Redknapp’s and Allardyce’s etc, you don’t see them clambering to takeover at Sunderland, and I mean they could own the club as they are multi-millionaires from football.

The old school managers and regime’s are only interested in pound signs because Sam’s decision is not for the challenge at West Brom, it’s the best offer money wise, That’s the way the game is now unfortunately and the fans come second. If he wanted to, he could buy the club with a backer, but people say they love the club that’s just bull**it.

Only man whoever put the club first was Niall Quinn as his heart was in the club and the area, something that is non-existent these days, but that’s the type of owners we all want.

This takeover is probably going to be the most important in the clubs history, I hope and pray that for once the current regime gets it right to put this great club and fans back where it belongs - back in the Premier League, they deserve it. Everyone take care and here’s to a successful great 2021 - we all deserve it.

Mark Wild

Ed’s Note [Chris]: Let’s hope the ownership of the club becomes a lot more clear and straightforward in the new year Mark and we can move forward as a club. Who knows - we may have a summer looking forward to Championship football and recruitment to match? We can all dream.