Fan Letters: Post-match reaction from Sunderland fans!

Dear Roker Report,

I’ve just finished listening to the match against Rotherham, and I’m buzzing. It wasn’t great football, but it was exciting. As the table is so close, it’s impossible to say who we’ll play if we make the playoffs. Whom would you fancy us meeting in the semi-finals?

Me? I’d prefer Plymouth or Rotherham. MK Dons scare me with their overall quality. Wycombe scare me with their size and unorthodox style. Sheff Wed because of their form and capability. In a perfect world, we get 5, and Plymouth 4. Rotherham 3, and —gun to my head— Wycombe I suppose 6. Your thoughts?

Michael Krogh (Latinitas)

Ed’ Note [Rich]: I think listening to the game was probably preferable to watching it if I’m honest, Michael. It certainly wasn’t a great game of football on the eye - Rotherham know how to spoil a match and I thought we were terribly sloppy in possession, lacking the dynamism that we showed on Saturday, and devoid of creativity.

Who would I like us to face in the playoff semi-finals if we get there? We can beat any team on our day, and hopefully, we’ve learned a lot from playing Rotherham tonight. I’d take them again to be honest, if only because surely we cannot be that bad again against them for a third and fourth time this season.

Photo by Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images

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Dear Roker Report,

Just sat in the car on the way home after the match tonight.

Not really sure what I was expecting before the game but I’m happy with the point. I thought we deserved a point, we worked hard at the end. Anyone else think Pritch had scored that free kick? Me and my mum went mental for a good minute before we realised it went wide.

Hoh Hum. On we go.

Craig Charlton

Ed’ Note [Rich]: On we go indeed, Craig. It was a poor game of football, one that I am glad is out of the way and one I think neither team deserved to win rather than anyone deserving a point. I thought Pritchard’s freekick was in the back of the net too, as did Frankie Francis on the club’s commentary! It was certainly the closest a Sunderland player came to forcing a save out of the Rotherham keeper, who did little other than pick the ball out of the net the whole game.

Photo by Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images

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Dear Roker Report,

I have been a Sunderland fan for over 60 years, but have been unable to see many matches due to my ill health. However, on Saturday my son Philip, (Yes the one of Hot Takes fame) took me to see the Cambridge match.

What a game, a sending off, a penalty, 6 goals, and Alex Neil kicking the water bottles when Cambridge scored. You could not ask for more. Well, you could actually.

As a disabled fan, I have a Radar key to enable me to use the disabled toilets. I initially used the main toilets, because I did not know where the disabled ones were. They were terrible, smelly, with no lights in the cubicles, and a dank and grey atmosphere.

At halftime, I found the disabled toilets, they were no different from the main ones, except there was no running water from the taps.

In this post covid era, this is nothing short of a disgrace. I, like everyone, want Sunderland back in the Premiership, but the facilities must be improved for everyone. I have also written to the club for their comments.

I would like to hear other people's experiences as well.

Yours Sincerely,

Robert West

Ed’ Note [Rich]: Hello there, Robert. It’s great to hear that you and Phil had a good time on Saturday, I was there with my son, best mate, nephew, and my dad, and it’s always better when you get to share the joy a big home win with your family.

Your experiences with the poor facilities, particularly the disabled loos being out of action, will I am sure resonate with many fans who’ve noticed the deterioration of the condition of Stadium of Light as it nears its 25th anniversary.

The owners of the club have a responsibility to ensure that they invest to maintain the ground to a good standard for all paying customers, and I am sure that this matter is something that Red & White Army and the Senior Supporters Association would be interested in hearing about ahead of their meeting with the club in the next few days.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images