Pete Sixsmith prepares for tombola duties at Ferryhill market today with a look back to last night’s disappointing youth team game – and forward to what Everton’s European setback may mean for our prospects on Sunday A good turnout by fans at the Stadium of Light last night for the FA Youth Cup semi final […]
Soapbox: storm clouds gather
Time for gloom to descend. Nothing Sunderland fans are not used to; happens at some stage of almost every year and sometimes lasts all season. But if you think the man on the soapbox is looking glummer than usual, it is not your imagination running wild. Pete Sixsmith is a worried man The beautiful game? […]
Soapbox: Monday night fever
What is the secret of our 1973 FA Cup triumph? What would Bob Stokoe give the Lads just before they ran out for games? Why doesn’t Paul Bracewell get the beer in? Pete Sixsmith has answers to two of those questions Monday nights in the Sixsmith household are usually fairly routine and predictable. Return from […]
Soapbox: yet another bad day at the office
Another away defeat, but this time Pete Sixsmith knew the script so well that even a new roof over the visitors’ end couldn’t lure him to Fratton Park to suffer in person These away games pieces are getting easier and easier to write. Plenty of effort, lots of huffing and puffing, no penetration and a […]
Soapbox: another Saturday away from the Stadium of Light
Pete Sixsmith profits from a SAFC-free weekend to take in games at Ashington and Ryton, plot his book on the fate of proper old football grounds, hail Big Cec Irwin and question moves to stamp out of swearing on the pitch Being out of the cup gives people like me a chance to get to […]
Soapbox: the pleasures of youth
Pete Sixmith, who goes to at least three games a week during the football season, witnesses one of the best at the Stadium of Light. But the players wouldn’t have been celebrating at the Glass Spider afterwards. One of them had to be up for school the next day Those of us who trooped out […]
Soapbox: the Ofsted inspector reports
Pete Sixsmith is no stranger – it’s oft said – to Ofsted inspections. Here are the findings of one of his own, which he conducted after making an impossible demand for nine points from the last three home games A few weeks ago I said that we needed nine points out of the next three […]
Soapbox: Premier League, you’re having a laugh
Why is it that whenever the big guns of the Premier League come up with an innovative new idea, proper football fans smell a rat? Pete Sixsmith is our would-be Pied Piper The news that the Premier League is considering exporting its teams for an extra game does not seem to have filled footie fans […]
Soapbox: a frantic search for excuses
From television coverage in Abu Dhabi, I – along with the commentary team and Dubai-based studio panel – felt Sunderland should have been awarded not one but two penalties. Of the three shouts, the one that Rob Styles gave – surprise, surprise to Liverpool – was the least deserving. Disgraceful refeering, though surely not to […]
Soapbox: no blues
Perhaps safest to say nothing to Roy Keane’s face, but could it be that our esteemed leader is among the growing band of devoted readers of Pete Sixsmith’s Soapbox? Or was it just great minds thinking alike? Well, I got the team selection right. And more important, so did Roy. He said that we have […]