I really feel I have to speak out for what I hope is the silent majority because I’m getting seriously fed up with ‘fans’ making unwarranted and often personal attacks on our owners. Just over a year ago, many of us would have given almost anything to be rid of Short’s ownership AND be debt free. It’s easy to forget just how desperate our situation was. We were in huge amounts of debt that was entirely unsustainable, we were losing tens of thousands more every week, we had players who had no interest in the club, a massively inflated wage bill and zero communication from the owners. In short, Sunderland AFC was dying and THAT is the reality of where we were. Roll on a year and how different our situation is now! We have no debt (how many other clubs in any league can say that?), we are on a sound financial footing and looking to be in profit very soon, we have players who actually want to play for us, we have a wage bill that is rapidly coming under control and until recently, communication from the owners that is unheard of in virtually any other club in the land. THAT is the reality of where we are now and on top of all of that, we have owners who are still investing more in our squad than any other League 1 club by a considerable margin. Many of our ‘fans’ have driven Donald from social media and forced him to retreat into the privacy of most other football club owners and that is entirely our fault. What do these idiots want? Do they really want new owners? I would say they should be VERY careful what they wish for because that route will take us back to ownership like Short’s. Donald and Methven took on the club when nobody else would touch it with an extended bargepole and that is to their credit. The situation the club is now in means that they could easily sell the club and make a profit but I fear we’d be landed with another faceless owner who cared more for profit than for the club and certainly the fans. The ONLY thing that concerned me about talk of a takeover was that Donald’s role would be diminished. Frankly, I’d rather be stuck in the Championship or even League 1 with an owner like Donald than be in the Premiership with another Ellis Short! This letter is not to the ‘fans’ who whine away every day, not realising just how lucky we are because I honestly don’t think they’re bright enough to understand the arguments. This letter is for Stewart Donald and I hope he reads it when he has a couple of minutes. I appreciate what you’ve done for my club and I believe that the vast majority of other Sunderland fans believe in you. These ‘fans’ do not represent the majority of Sunderland fans so please don’t let them grind you down. They’re idiots who have never had it so good and wouldn’t recognise good ownership if it kicked them in the teeth. To Mr Donald and Mr Methven, I say thank you and I hope you’re with us for many years to come. Keep up the excellent work.
Whatever you else anyone might think about Stewart Donald, he was/is at least enthusiastic about SAFC. The thing that concerns me is that his enthusiasm will dwindle if he keeps constantly getting **** from people. I don't suppose he's in it solely for the gratitude but it must be pretty disappointing if you're trying hard to turn the club around and all you get is people criticising or making unfounded accusations.
I cringe and get embarrassed when I read some of the absolute drivel people send to him. I assume as an intelligent man he can easily differentiate between an idiot, a WUM and a genuine supporter of the club.
I’ve stated many times that the negative attitude of some fans and the city in general are so fully ingrained that we see far too much of it. To share them on a forum like this is normal, to send them directly to someone who’s doing more than you could ever dream, on social media is both cowardly and about as intelligent as Moss.
I think we should also not forget that Ellis Short, for all his mistakes, is not the villain he has been made out to be! If Ellis Short had not handled the takeover the way he did then SAFC would have been deep in the proverbial !
Fella had a go didn’t he. He really did for a good period of time. If Ellis has employed Stu and Charlie we’d have had the right mix!
This is a bit like I was saying on the Rafa thread the other day. There's an attitude amongst some people where they just don't seem to want to feel joy or notice the good things around them. It's like they're happier telling themselves and everyone else that everything is ****. Weird.
It’s a British trait, a bizarre one, that’s amplified in parts of the region and fierce in Sunderland. I never noticed it so much until I lived away, but when you come back it’s a real noticeable thing. It’s extraordinary. People only want to speak about failures, and perversely you’ll be shot down for speaking about success, almost vilified for doing well. I don’t get it, I buzz off seeing pals do well, people do well, the city, region, nation do well. I guess you’re born a certain way. We all have it in us, especially around football clubs, they get so under your skin that they knock you out of your own being sometimes and you slip into it. Should be short lived and followed by optimism though, not digging holes to find the next fault.
It definitely is a British trait but, like you say, it takes it's own unique form in the north-east. It's a difficult thing to define but it's a sort of fierce pride in the region but that pride is in it being ****. When it's not **** at all.
So true mate. I could live anywhere and I live here. I’ve lived elsewhere and enjoyed it immensely but nowhere have I found all the things in one place that you get here. I know I’m fortunate in terms of pay and things but even if I got paid less I could have a wonderful life here, I’ve plenty of pals that do. Yeah there’s downsides, aye the footy clubs are a shambles, but we have great people, places, coastlines and countryside. And if it’s all that it’s an hour on a flight to London. I ****ing love the North East, and folk outside the North East, from personal experience, like us a lot. Go anywhere in Britain and they clock your accent and instantly spark up a convo. Says a lot. It’s only within the region that many don’t seem to see it.
We have our fair share of idiots just like all clubs. Just a shame most of them are vocal on Twitter and the likes. I haven't read the whole article but what I will say is that no one is above criticism regardless of who they are.
I met Methven last season and had quite a chat. I'm not the 'star struck' type so asked him some pretty blunt questions. I'm a pretty decent judge of character and he struck me as being an honest man ... he doesn't attempt to hide his public schoolboy, upper class persona. In fact he revels in it. I was asked to do a little favour by someone in the club, I'd rather not mention, and he was spot on as well. I like the atmosphere around the ub, at the moment, it's not perfect but it's better than at most clubs. Newcastle is absolutely toxic as an example, and shows no signs of changing anytime soon.
