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OPINION!

Passionate opinions straight from the hearts of die-hard Sunderland supporters.

FA Cup Fairytale: What the 1973 win meant to me

"Those times were imprinted on my young mind and created a bond with Sunderland AFC which is still strong. I am a lifelong fan. ‘Sunderland til I die’ was not chanted in 1973, but it might as well have been."

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Brilliant Ballard! The former Arsenal youth prospect is looking better and better for Sunderland

Despite missing a large chunk of the season through injury, the Northern Ireland international oozes class and could be a Premier League defender in waiting, writes Phil West

Editorial: How do Sunderland get the most out of what’s left of this season?

If we now consider the play-offs to be out of reach, do we start looking ahead to next season?

Sunderland - a city and a club on the up

2023 looks set to be a year of redevelopment for Sunderland - and I’m not just talking about on the football pitch.

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After a tough few weeks and some bad losses, Sunderland are very much back on an even keel

The defeat to Stoke City could’ve sapped the players’ morale to devastating effect, but they’ve shown some admirable fighting spirit in the three games that have followed.

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Jewison Bennette is an exciting prospect- is it time to give him a chance in Sunderland’s first team?

The Costa Rica international has shown flashes of his ability this season, and Finlay Anderson looks at whether it’s time for Tony Mowbray to bring him into the fold

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Sunderland are in a decent league position, and we’re far from a state of mediocrity!

With nine games left, the Lads remain much closer to the top six than the bottom three, and mid table security has never felt so good, writes Paddy Hollis

Upcoming windows will need to transfer expectation into reality for Sunderland

After a bruising defeat to Sheffield United in midweek, Tony Mowbray said time and transfer acumen will be needed if the Lads are to become automatic promotion candidates.

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Talking Points: They should use this game as an example when discussing VAR in the Championship

How did their second goal stand? How important is Luke O’Nien? And, should we be giving ourselves more credit for what Sunderland have achieved, rather than what we "could have had"?

Why signing up Edouard Michut for a cut-price deal is a no brainer for Sunderland

News of Sunderland’s buy-out clause for on-loan PSG midfielder Eduoard Michut is positive for both player and club.

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Sunderland combined skill and steel during our victory over Norwich, and hopefully it can continue!

After three successive losses, the Lads needed to respond with a strong performance at Carrow Road, and as Lars Knutsen writes, that’s exactly what they did!

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Five years after he first arrived, Luke O’Nien’s influence is more vital than ever for Sunderland

O’Nien’s versatility, work rate, and team-oriented approach are proving to be invaluable for us, and his return to the team at Norwich City demonstrated exactly why.

John MacPhail - A rock alongside Sunderland legends

Wednesday night’s game will be used as a chance for fans of both Sunderland and Sheffield United to celebrate John MacPhail - a man who played a huge part in dragging our club out of the third tier at the end of the 80s.

Editorial: What a week! But now, there’s only merit in Sunderland looking forward and not back

Sunderland overcame an enormous mental and physical test at Norwich after a rough few weeks - proof that it would be foolish to write the season off just yet.

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Talking Points: Sunderland restore pride with a superb victory over Norwich!

The Lads responded to a run of three consecutive defeats with an excellent win at Carrow Road on Sunday. Phil West highlights some of the key takeaways from a vital win for Tony Mowbray’s side

Matchday Musings: The trio of Ballard, Batth & O’Nien dominate as Sunderland return to winning ways!

After three consecutive defeats, Sunderland returned to winnings ways with a fantastic 1-0 away win over Norwich. Which of the lads impressed?

No Alese or Cirkin - so how should Sunderland shape up on the left side of defence?

Tony Mowbray has confirmed that Dennis Cirkin won’t make the squad for Sunday, and we also learned that Aji Alese is out for the season. So, what should we do at Norwich?

If you don’t laugh at the ridiculousness of Sunderland’s injury crisis, you’ll cry

As promising as this season has been, Sunderland’s woeful injury record has been an enormous blot on the landscape.

Controlling The Controllables: Where can Sunderland be proactive as the season draws to a close?

There are still plenty of games remaining as we head towards the tail-end of the season, so where can Sunderland act proactively to ensure we’re maximising every opportunity? We asked our Twitter followers for their suggestions...

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After three losses, can Sunderland bounce back and rattle the Canaries’ cage?

The odds are stacked against the Lads against Norwich this weekend, but this season has been unpredictable and it’s a game we can certainly win.

Roker Roundtable: How should Sunderland ‘go forward’ with Joe Gelhardt?

Sunderland’s Head Coach has spoken publicly of his frustrations with finding a way to fit Joe Gelhardt into the team - so, what’s the best way forward in his final two months at the club?

Sunderland’s stars of the future need a chance to shine - why not make the most of it?

Sunderland sit 17 points clear of the relegation zone with 11 games left to play. Is now as good a time as ever to start experimenting with the starting lineup, with Anderson, Jewi, Ekwah, Ba, Lihadji and Gardiner waiting in the wings?

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In Sunderland parlance, ‘ambition’ is a strangely loaded and complex term

Despite the progress made on the field in recent years, there’s a restlessness and a level of scepticism about the direction of the club which is often difficult to understand

Opinion: Decision-making is compounding Sunderland’s current woes

"Some may say that conceding five goals has nothing to do with Ross Stewart’s absence, but do you think we would have lost 5-1 if we had a proper centre forward up top who could hold the ball up? I doubt it," writes Mike Dunne.

Enough of the moaning and excuses - Mowbray needs to start helping himself

Rather than look for positive ways out of the rut we’ve found ourselves in, the Sunderland Head Coach seems more bothered about excuse-making and moaning. After three defeats, it’s time he started helping himself

Why constructive criticism is an important step on the road to recovery from Stoke horror show

"The plaudits have been rightly dished out this season, but Saturday’s 5-1 humiliation against Stoke City is deserving of the swathes of criticism," writes Paddy Hollis.

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Editorial: A dark day at the end of a miserable fortnight for Sunderland

Saturday’s 1-5 drubbing at the hands of Stoke City was the lowest point of what’s largely been a promising season. For Tony Mowbray and his players, the criticism is fully deserved

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After Saturday’s horror show, Sunderland need to try something different - immediately!

After two defeats on the bounce, Sunderland’s problems increased with a 5-1 defeat to Stoke on Saturday. Finlay Anderson looks at what’s next for Tony Mowbray’s side and how they can

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Talking Points: Is Sunderland’s season on the brink?

Sunderland start to sleepwalk into midtable obscurity as Stoke make it through to judge's houses - what was the midfield selection all about, and is Mowbray learning from his mistakes? Bomber gives his thoughts...

Home hammering highlights Sunderland’s need for improvements in the midfield

Our lack of physicality in midfield is causing serious problems, says Toby Phipps.

Sunderland’s season cards are about to go digital - a sign of the times, or the wrong move?

Sunderland AFC have announced that season cards will be digital-only from next season, sparking debate amongst supporters over whether it’s the right move or not. What do you think?

Could the Stoke game prove pivotal in the direction of Sunderland’s season?

How important is Saturday’s game to the overall direction of our season and where things go from here?

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