As the full time whistle went in the car on Saturday just as I – thank God – had pulled up and put the handbrake on as I arrived home. I’d had to make an “emergency” trip to Aldi; it was in fact a carefully
planned anxiety dash; so desperate was I to get out of the house in order to follow the game without the distractions of two small children. Their ability to increase the blood pressure at the best of times is a work of art, however now it would probably have pushed me into heart attack territory. We all know the release don’t we? The feeling of anxiety jutting up against the feeling of sheer elation that is experienced when you know the points are secured, crashing through the dam walls to wash your fears down river. How many other moments are there that bring such a contrast? Not many, I’ll wager. In fact, I celebrated so hard with my phone, it flashed up “CRASH DETECTED. Are you okay? 1. I’m okay. 2. Emergency services required.” It was no surprise really, because my car was shaking like the scene in Only Fools and Horses when Del Boy and Rodney sold that watch for a few million quid all those years ago.
Football was made for moments like Saturday. It’s also a time to reflect on the past, if only to tell it “f*ck you.” Which is incidentally what James Vaughan did to his own fans at Burton – remember that? Or maybe you dream of the time we were mercilessly trolled by Fleetwood’s Captain Pugwash goal music? How about the 6-0 arse paddling at Bolton which in many ways was the turning point to where we find ourselves today.
Fast forward a mere three and a half years and we’re all behaving like we’re in the opening scene of The Sound of Music. It’s fantastic stuff, and all achieved because of the clear vision and recruitment strategy of those at the club.
The players have come in, untainted by the what has gone before, only armed with experience of winning, and being elite. Pre-Crystal Palace, Granit Xhaka posted on Instagram “Back on it tomorrow. No excuses. We go for the win.” I thought “Steady on Granit mate, this is Crystal Palace. FA Cup winners, seemingly undefeated since Liz Truss was PM. Sunderland respect the point at places like this.”
He meant it: we were going for the win. Just like we did at Stamford Bridge – except where the latter is concerned we got it.
So what squad members like Xhaka have done is hauled us out of the inferiority complex that had been created over the course of many seasons; pleasingly those who were at the club in the Championship are coming along for the ride, and thriving because of it. Wilson Isidor, Dan Ballard, Chris Rigg, Trai Hume – not one looks out of place in the Premier League.
Those who have come in have all contributed. A special mention for Brian Brobbey who with one attack created a moment which will mean he’s remembered long after all at the club have moved on – for managing to hold the ball up for longer than it would take for someone to forward roll across the Keel Crossing, before laying it off to Chemsdine Talbi to slot home.
And now people are waking up to the fact this team is not merely newly promoted Sunderland. It’s far more than that. All of a sudden we have become the point of discussion on Premier League-wide podcasts. And what about Alan Shearer’s face these days? There is an existential battle going on in his head, no doubt about it: the dislike of Sunderland mixed with the realisation that professionally, he cannot do anything but praise us, because to do otherwise would be a crime against broadcasting. His eyes narrow to almost imperceptible slits as if he’s staring into the sun, trying to find answers when all he can see is his penalty miss on repeat.
The exciting thing about this season is that one question remains unanswered. Namely, how will Sunderland do this season? Back in June the answer was “ask me in August once the window has shut.” The answer now surely has to be ask me again in December. The duality of the Sunderland fan is on one hand on Sunday, we were slightly disappointed that Burnley and Wolves didn’t end in a draw – but on the other hand were hoping that Aston Villa would hold on to beat Manchester City, and ensure Pep Guardiola’s men didn’t go above us, at least for another week.
Still, nice problems to have eh?
