29 December MW 18 & 19 HAT-TRICK HEAVEN Chris Wood’s hat-trick against his former club Newcastle was the eighth of the season equalling the number scored throughout the whole of last season. Wood’s goals came in 46th, 53rd and 60th minutes, becoming the quickest of the season so far. This was only the fourth timeContinue reading “2023/24 Premier League Nuggets”
Category Archives: Sunderland
A brief history of top-flight points deductions
Everton’s 10-point deduction is the heaviest punishment in the history of the English top flight, but they are not the first club to have been docked points. Sunderland were the first club to be docked two points in the 1890-91 season when they fielded an unregistered player, Ned Doig. The Scottish goalkeeper went on toContinue reading “A brief history of top-flight points deductions”
The 2022 Play-Offs – Return of crowds, Records and Redemption – Part Two
For both Nottingham Forest and Sunderland the 2022 Play-Offs finally provided two clubs recently starved of success with a reason to celebrate as they gained promotion after many years in the wilderness. However, the most heart-warming story of this year’s Play-Offs came in the League Two Final. Port Vale’s 3-0 triumph over Mansfield TownContinue reading “The 2022 Play-Offs – Return of crowds, Records and Redemption – Part Two”
The 2022 Play-Offs: Return of crowds, Records and Redemption
If any evidence of the popularity of the Football League Play-Offs was needed, it was provided this week by the Sunderland Sheffield Wednesday tie. On Friday night the record for the highest attendance of a semi-final was broken by over 4,000 as 44,724 gathered at the Stadium of Light for the first leg. An impressiveContinue reading “The 2022 Play-Offs: Return of crowds, Records and Redemption”
Up, Up and Away – the 2021 Play-Offs
This year’s Play-Off finals started with a penalty and they ended with a penalty. The first was stroked home with consummate confidence by the Championship’s top scorer Ivan Toney, his 33rd goal of the season, which set Brentford on their way to finally ending the curse of clubs that traditionally wear red-and-white striped shirts withContinue reading “Up, Up and Away – the 2021 Play-Offs”
The 2021 Play-Offs: Will the Curse finally be broken?
As the build-up to the Play-Offs weekend intensifies, a slight dampener was cast on proceedings. Unlike the FA Cup Final which was deemed ‘a test event’ with Chelsea and Leicester City receiving around 10,000 tickets each, only 4,000 tickets were made available to each of the Play-Offs finalists. Although an extra 2,000 tickets have nowContinue reading “The 2021 Play-Offs: Will the Curse finally be broken?”
Own Goals Part Two – Double Trouble
When the ball cannoned off Craig Dawson past Lukasz Fabianski during West Ham’s helter-skelter draw with Arsenal last weekend it was the centre back’s second own goal in consecutive matches. It was also the second that West Ham conceded in this game as Tomas Soucek had inadvertently deflected Alexandre Lacazette’s shot into his own netContinue reading “Own Goals Part Two – Double Trouble”
Kits fit for a king – a personal history of Palace’s fine line
There have been numerous times when I have questioned the sanity of following my football club. Like the vast majority of supporters, the mixture of good and bad has leaned towards the latter. But one thing that has been an almost continuous source of joy with very few disappointments along the way has been ourContinue reading “Kits fit for a king – a personal history of Palace’s fine line”
Shot to pieces: The strange tale of Spencer Trethewy
As rumours continue to circulate and strengthen about 23 year-old Frenchman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’ interest in taking a majority shareholding in their club, Sunderland fans should take note of a cautionary tale from 30 years ago. In 1990 an even younger man came to rescue Aldershot FC. Spencer Trethewy was still a teenager, although already aContinue reading “Shot to pieces: The strange tale of Spencer Trethewy”
The Football Mine 