On this occasion I was in a Sky Sports studio watching. It was two from three on this occasion. Middlesboro could only draw at Leeds whilst Reidy’s Sunderland lost at Wimbledon. They both went down.
I was the only person involved
who saw the last 15 minutes at Spurs. They battered us. Steve Ogrizovic had a worldly and kept them at bay. They were desperate to beat us, perhaps remembering 1987?
The match was coming into the Sky building, but we couldn’t put it to air because we’d covered our allotted amount of games for that season. There was me, trying to conduct a sensible conversation with our studio guests, whilst glued to what was happening at White Hart Lane. We should’ve put it to air and argued about it with the PL later. Everyone was desperate to see it.
There was no skull-duggery this time though.
So let’s go back to the original reason why this animosity exists between Sunderland and Coventry - and why I’ve chosen to revisit this now.
As I said - it’s time to let it go. First - It isn’t the only game that’s ever been fixed. It happens every week somewhere in the world nowadays. Even WC matches have been fixed. Not that that’s an excuse for what happened at Coventry.
Second - Sunderland had their revenge beating us in the play-off semi-finals last season. We were better in the two games, but we lost. I think it’s fair to say Sheff Utd were better in the final, but they lost. So top marks to Sunderland. They earned the right to play PL football this season.
And I’m absolutely delighted to see them doing so well right now. They were fantastic at Chelsea and they sit fourth on merit. Keep it going guys.
Having said that, I feel as though I can point out the winner at Chelsea could easily have been disallowed. Geertruida was clearly offside and in the keeper’s line of sight, but Sanchez failed to make anything of it, so Talbi’s goal was given.
And Isidor’s equaliser should’ve been disallowed. Mukiele’s long throw was illegal. His back foot was off the ground when he released the ball. But who would expect the assistant, who was six metres away to spot that? Anyway - well played Sunderland. You made the most of it again.
Nothing was made of Sunderland’s winner, but Stuart Attwell (VAR) took it upon himself to disallow Everton’s equaliser v Spurs, for much the same reason I’m arguing Sunderland’s first was a little fortune The decision changed the whole game. It was a ridiculous call. Craig Pawson was weak and should’ve ignored Attwell, who’s trying like a bear to impress enough people to get a WC call up.
The Brentford pen was another daft call. Leave it. Don’t get involved. And how Antony Taylor and Michael Oliver decided United shouldn’t have had a pen when Amad was brought down is staggering. The fact the ball brushed off a defender’s heel is irrelevant. The foul had been committed. Taylor and Oliver are supposed to be our two tops refs. Well - they consider themselves to be. I’m still counting Howard.
Truce Sunderland? And please back off Jason McAteer. He didn’t mean any harm. He loved his time at Sunderland.
