Fan Letters: “Ross Stewart is the best striker in the league, but we coped well without him”

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Dear Roker Report,

I have to agree regarding Ross Stewart.

He’s the best striker in the league on his day, but how many Sunderland fans thought the season was affectively over after his injury at Fulham?

If reports are true with Luis Semedo, we’ll hopefully be in a better position soon. Would you rather sell Stewart or Jack Clarke? I know a lot of fans would rather keep Clarke.

I’d also love to have the new strip out ready for the summer, but I haven’t even seen any rumours yet.

I really hope Amad gets his chance at Manchester United, but I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him on Wearside. Just a feeling!

Keep up the good work!

Phil Gooch

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Phil. Thanks for your letter!

Regardless of what happens with Ross Stewart this summer, new strikers were needed as a top priority and if we’re in for Semedo from Benfica ‘B’, that could hopefully give us another exciting option in what’s often been a problem position.

Regarding Amad, I think we’d all love to see him return to Sunderland next season, but it feels unlikely right now.

If Utd opt to loan him out again, I could easily see him heading overseas to a team competing in one of the European competitions, but like you, I’d have him back here in a heartbeat!

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Dear Roker Report,

I agree wholeheartedly with the comments from Bjorn Shigg about issuing long expensive contracts to injured players without knowing if they’ll recover fully and remain fit to carry us into and through next season.

Fans must learn to be patient. After all, it is a virtue!

Malcolm Donnison

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Malcolm. Thanks for getting in touch.

I agree that it can be a bit of a tricky issue.

On one hand, it’s always important to take care of your injured players (Corry Evans is probably the best example at the moment) but on the other, it can be a gamble as we wait and see how their recovery pans out and whether they’ll be as effective when they return.

It’s a balance that the club has to strike, certainly in Ross Stewart's case, but I trust them to make the right decisions for both the short and long term.

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

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