It may be quiet around here in the coming week. I am off to St Petersburg on Monday – still Leningrad as far as Sixer is concerned – and what appears at Salut! Sunderland will depend on what others can supply and what Joan Dawson is able to post. After Chelsea tomorrow (about which I will try to post something, whatever becomes of us), the next game is not until Mon Nov 22 and the Everton “Who are You?” will appear on Friday, Friday and Saturday if we receive more than one completed questionnaire. See you soon …
The word – Mackemoiselles – officially entered the vocabulary on Thursday. Claire Reidlinger, photographed with her son (pictured above) at the Leicester pre-season friendly, had announced that she would not be in the Blackcats e-mail loop for the time being, thanks to a job change, leaving Karen Turner alone in flying the flag for female subscribers.
The word suggested itself as I thought about Claire’s temporary retreat.
Salut! Sunderland has a range of SAFC supporters contributing warm, witty or wise words on a regular basis. But they’re all not only of a certain age (with Luke Harvey’s youthful exception); they’re also exclusively male.
There have been one-offs from Georgia (right), a SAFC-supporting Australian, though she did tell an astonishing and heartrending tale, and Tash (below), who wrote beautifully about her first visit to the Stadium of Light.
Otherwise, the only female writers to grace these pages have been fans of other clubs. We’d like that to change. It is
time to redress the balance – both here and at the Blackcats. Hence the new word. I am clearly missing France, but it seemed to fit.
This has nothing to do with BBC-style sexism and ageism (as alleged and denied in a current case) designed to get prettier and younger faces on board, though no one would complain if that happened.
But if any other female wants to write for Salut! Sunderland, an e-mail to me – see the link near the top of the page to your left – or a comment expressing willingness here, using your correct e-mail address (which I will see but is not visible publicly), would suffice. The hours are rubbish and the rewards solely in heaven (until our boat comes in). But think of the inner satisfaction and plaudits you’ll receive.
Claire’s witticisms will be sorely missed, not least from the Salut! Smiles column, also down the left-hand sidebar. But maybe her example will serve to encourage some new star writers who also happen to be Mackemoiselles.
Oh, yes, and blokes can apply too, since we could always do with additional supplies of them. The more the merrier.
Colin Randall
Sunderland News 24/7
