As I made the tiny journey to my ‘local’, The City Ground, my mind wandered back to one of my previous visits, some years earlier. It was bound to, really, as that night saw almost certainly the greatest performance of any Sunderland team in my depressingly bleak career as a fan. In fact, I have to say that the 1997 vintage were the best I’ve had the pleasure to follow. Eventually to finish third behind ‘Boro and Forest and to lose the most thrilling game the old Wembley ever hosted, the team didn’t in any way get their just desserts. However, on that historic night in late-90’s Nottingham they crushed league-leaders Forest 3-0 on their own patch with a display more pride-inducing than any I’ve seen before or since.

A week before tonight’s game I had been nervous that the only changes to our team were to be the gaping holes vacated by Jones and Evans. But my wavering faith in Keane and Co. was restored with some vengeance by the time this friendly came around. Earlier that very evening The Steed had become the third of the ‘Tottenham Four’ to up sticks and join the red revolution, along with El Raj Diouf, providing an altogether better class of signing than last year. This is the long awaited ‘Beginning’. This is where it all starts.

The evening was glorious as I joined several sunbathing Mackems on the banks of the Trent an hour before kick-off, all watching Nottingham’s vast array of fitness freaks either jog, cycle or row past the Brian Clough Stand. Once inside the ground, it was very much a summer holiday feel: the away fans shielded their eyes from the sun until it eventually dropped behind the home end; beachballs bobbed around overhead; we excitedly welcomed our new boys and the PA played a long, chilling intro to Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’ to add to the Balearic feel as the teams took to the field. A crowd of over 12,000 was swelled by about 1,500 away supporters who were in good voice and high spirits.

Keano crammed three new signings into his starting eleven, to the delight of those of us who hadn’t ventured overseas and were viewing the lads for the first time this pre-season. Gordon started behind a Noz/Collins centre back pairing with Chimbonda making his debut at right back. Tainio sat deep in a five-man midfield which now boasted Diouf out wide.

The first half an hour seemed as if both teams wanted to be relaxing in the stands with us, as we allowed crosses to come into our box very easily and counter-attacked so slowly even their lumbering defence found it comfortable to recover in time. Tainio looked as though he could play the holding role for an entire season without giving the ball away, but we certainly lacked urgency. I could see Notts County’s ground from my seat and I found myself craning to see if there was a game going on over there. The game came to life in the last fifteen minutes of the first half as we finally took control. Leadbitter and Murphy had good shots well saved and Reid produced two quality set-piece deliveries to threaten his former side. It was actually getting very dark as the half ended and the hosts kindly decided to turn the lights on so we could see the pitch in the second half.

Deano replaced Grant at half time, battling in vain for a midfield slot that seems destined to be filled by Malbranque if we play 4-5-1 against Liverpool on opening day. Sporadic bursts of STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED from the fans during the game must have some of last season’s regulars fearing for their starting berths.

Diouf soon curled a beauty towards the top corner but the effort was tipped around the post in front of the travelling support, who welcomed El Hadji with great adulation as he strutted over to take the resulting corner. That was the best effort we saw from the starting lot, as Keane mass-substituted his way to a 4-4-2 with half an hour to go. Chopra and Stokes came on up top and Carlos replaced Dioufy. Reid was now wide left, perhaps looking a little trimmer after the close season. Higgy went to partner Noz in the heart of defence and our full backs were now Luscombe and Bardsley.

Stokes has had an impressive pre-season and he continued to look lively and show he has plenty of quality too. We broke much quicker with this new formation and Reid was very quick to play balls behind the Forest defence for Chopra in particular. With twenty minutes left, one such great pass down the left touchline found Stokes, who showed great composure before rolling the ball to the edge of the box and into the path of the rampaging Richardson who gleefully hammered a stunner with his ‘weak’ foot into the top corner.

We kept possession well after that, continuing to hit Forest on the break with Reid pulling the strings and both strikers eager to run in behind their high back line. Chopra, Stokes and Richardson had further chances but some of the holiday rust is understandably still there to see.

Obviously planning some tasty challenges on Gerrard and the Scousers in a couple of weeks, Keane took off Higgingbottom and replaced him with... nobody. We played the last ten minutes with ten men in an interesting exercise, which would undoubtedly have been more challenging if the opposition had actually been the five-time European Champions themselves. Mere two-time winners Forest were no such challenge.

So the new boys were fairly impressive, although Chimbonda will hopefully be more eager to overlap when the season starts for real. The defence is a worry, on paper at least, looking in dire need of another left back and a centre back. Nosworthy looked composed without Jonny holding his hand but I for one would be happier to see Collins revert to full back when a new stopper arrives. Got any money left, Niall?

Final Score: 1-0

ALS Man Of The Match: Andy Reid

Steve Newell

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