Well, it's very entertaining at least. Four games of defeat after defeat, and then a victory, who knows what to expect next? A hard fought victory at that, the score line made more comfortable by Hopey’s late couple of goals, but before that it was all hands to the pump as the terriers of Bedlington kept biting our ankles. Bit of a mix of metaphors, but you had to be there to see it. Sadly for them it is starting to look like those in the bottom three places now will still be there at the end of things. They are all fighting to be sure, as we know, but so are those just above them, and with a good few points in hand. Be a shock to see clubs like Bedlington and Durham in the second division, but we can’t worry about that. So never mind, on we stumble, only a quarter of a season to go.
But at least things are relatively rosy overall. It's been an exciting season, and whatever our little ups and downs now, we can always cheer ourselves up by reminding ourselves that they aren’t anything like so bad as they are for our friends over the water, or, even worse, the battalions of the damned further north.
It seems to me that, in a way that is pure Sunderland, the bold lads at the Stadium of Light now have the makings of the best team in years, and yet seem likely to lose the annual fight against relegation this time round having survived for what seems forever with much worse sides previously. Only hereabouts. I watch on the telly of course, which isn’t always the best, but several of the new lads look like proper footballers indeed, be a real pity if they all go off this summer to pastures new. Which is a certainty if they do get relegated and maybe a probability anyway. Can’t see them hanging onto the big German for long that's for sure. What a force he is. Never mind, happily for Newcastle things are even worse. What a club. A capacity for self delusion rarely seen outside of an opium den, a firm conviction they are part of the global football elite, £80 million spent and they forgot to buy a left back. Never write off the magpies though, they have a capacity for surprise if nothing else.
So a busy few weeks here at the Meadow and in the wider football world, light nights and a little bit of sunshine from time to time, let's all enjoy.