“It would be a great experience for the fans.” So said Roy Keane about the proposed playing a selection of Premiership games in the Far East, New York, and Australia.

Sorry, Roy, it what way would it be a great experience for the fans? As Keegan said “playing against Sunderland for the championship in Beijing – that would be great” – but for whom? The only people who can be genuinely anything but negative about these proposals are the people who think of nothing but money. It’ll be great for the Sunderland fans to watch us play Wigan live on the TV (at 3 in the morning) in front of 50,000 squealing Oriental schoolchildren, will it? A potential championship-deciding derby against the mags played with 50 fans of each side in a crowd of ambivalent Chinese? John Williams, the Blackburn chairman, said that “it adds, and it takes nothing away.”

And he’s talking utter shite while he thinks about nothing more than his wallet.

Who is the game about? It’s about the fans, and if the powers that be decide that the fans that matter are the ones with the pizza and the six-pack in front of the TV, then that’s the end of the game as we know it. They spend week after week moaning that there are too many games, that the players don’t get time to rest, and then they propose sticking another game into the mix. We don’t need a mid-season break. We don’t need as many TV games as we’ve got. We don’t need games at the other side of the globe to decide what happens to us next season. I want to see Sunderland play football, and this proposal will take that opportunity away from me, because like 99.9% of football fans, I can’t afford £1000 (minimum, sleeping at the airport) to watch my team play. If we qualify for Europe, fair enough, I’ll do what I can to get there. If we qualify for the World Club championship, I’ll do what I can to get there but accept that it’s probably beyond my means. If we need points in a domestic competition, I want to be there to shout my team on, and I simply can’t do that if it’s in Honk Kong. Call me selfish, but I would think that a Sunderland fan living in Sydney would still think that a Premier League game played in his town of residence is wrong.

Keano, give your head a shake. Quinny, stop coming out with comments like “if it was on the moon, our fans would get there. We know we would, but the point is that, for league games, we shouldn’t have to. Play abroad by all means, but in a competition pre-season – one that means less than the FA Cup. And the League Cup, for that matter. Tell the Premiership management committee that it’s all wrong. We might have the best league in the world, but any extra money will only end up going into the players’ pockets and benefit the fans in no way whatsoever.

….and relax. I should really be more worried about the state of our midfield, really. Having watched Miller limp out of Ireland’s game the other night ( and our options for a month or so), Etuhu coming back from Africa with an injury that may or may not clear up by 3 today, Leadbitter’s toes still hanging off, Yorke knackered, Richardson knackered, Reid not match fit, Edwards still in an oxygen tent, I could have been forgiven for bring my boots along. McShane in midfield? Evans in midfield? An unknown youth, recently in the squad at Liverpool, getting a game?

Having survived the trauma of getting the money in on the bus (and getting git right), I left Fitzie’s upset that the mags were beating Villa. By the time I left ALS towers for the match, a quick call to VillaDave confirmed the rumours (despite considerable and justified background noise) that yet another wheel had fallen of the Chipperfield’s wagon.

Gordon, Bardsley, Noz, Evans, Collins, Deano, Etuhu, O’Donovan, Murphy, Jones, Chops.

With the pitch looking a bit threadbare, we charged forward and won a free kick for handball within seconds, but it was charged down and the cross eventually taken, Dicka fed the left wing and the deep cross was headed just wide by O’Donovan, then Heskey shot over and did what he does best – fell over in a heap. Kenwyne, sporting a nice new haircut (did his mam get a hold of him during the week and take the shears to his dreads?) On 7 minutes they fired a 35 yarder past our post, then soon after Noz put in a great tackle, and Collins followed up with two good challenges in a row, either side of a Wigan break. Deano took what looked like a nasty arm to the head in the centre circle, but got up to take the free-kick. Dicka then gave away a foul (if he’s carrying an injury, he’ll be canny when he’s fit) which was no more than a slight lean, but their lad stayed down for ages despite the ref telling him to get up. Some determined work by Deano set up a left wing cross that Jones headed over, then Noz got a bit personal with a forward but the ref was in lenient mood and we escaped. The resultant throw was well taken by Gordon, and then O’Donovan played in Chopra but the eventual cross was no problem for Kirkland. As Wigan wasted their third potentially dangerous free-kick by floating it wide of the goal, Prica came on for O’Donovan. Injured or not performing? You decide.

Anyhow, Murphy battled through the middle on a good run, then Noz produced a Brazilian moment when he flicked the ball over his opponent’s head and gave us all a heart attack. Wigan then got on top of the game for a while without producing much in the way of direct shots before Bardsley burst through after Deano’s pass and responded to the cries of “shoooooot” by firing just wide on 37 minutes. Another great run through the middle by Murph ended with a foul on Bardsely 25 yards out. Deano curled it in, Dicka rose at the back post to power in a header. Great text book goal, and great celebrations. We hung on for the remaining five minutes as we allowed a head-down to fall to Heskey, who shot just wide, then Chops went through the middle to Jones, to Prica, and the Swede looked to have a good chance but lost his footing (fell over). Jones chased down a ball on the left wing and found Deano, but he lost possession and Wigan broke but it was eventually taken well by Gordon. 1-0 at the break, but we’d allowed them a couple of daft chances and one goal was never going to be enough.

The half time draw was made by the only man ever to transfer himself to Sunderland, Ivor Broadis, who apparently hasn’t even seen his hometown team, Carlisle, play for ages, so that’s another point to our PR department.

Koumas replaced Melchiot (our best chance of a penalty) for the second half, and within 15 seconds Heskey had played it through, Gordon had saved, and Whitehead had cleared the loose ball off the line. Not a good start to the half, but Chops found Prica and the cross won a corner, which Kirkland took well. The ref allowed advantage after two Wigan fouls, and they came out on top, breaking down their right and winning a throw then a corner. Prica found the improving Deano, who crossed for Murphy to volley wide from the back of the box. Wigan then headed against the bar and over, the corner was defended by Deano who chased the ball down and put it out for a throw, After another corner, Prica fed Evans, and he set Murphy through, but Daryl shot early and wide under pressure.

Steve Bruce appeared, only a pipe away from being your scuffy uncle, and we responded by nearly breaking through a coupe of times. Murphy robbed his fullback on 60 minutes, and crossed to the back post, but it was cleared. Prica got his revenge for a push with a clattering tackle that resulted in a free-kick and a chat from the ref, then Jones spent a worrying while on the ground after a knock. A Wigan throw was reversed for stealing about ten yards, then on 68 Heskey went off for a lie down and was replaced by Bent. Soon after this we got our first look at our latest Irishman, Reid. It was pure bad luck that this coincided with my shouting at Bruce “sit down you fat get” but thankfully our Reid saw the funny side, shrugged of a couple of challenges and fired a 50 yard ball inside Kilbane. Murphy took it inside and smashed in a shot off the underside of the bar that had Halom, Edwards, Atkins, Hawley, and Malone written all over it. The sort of goal that will have you out of bed early of a Sunday to watch Match of the Day again, and that warms your heart and has you smiling for at least three days.

The remainder of the game was a story of about twenty Wigan corners, some good Sunderland defending, and evidence form Reid that he can control a ball as quick as you like and do something positive with it. An overhead kick brought a fine save from Gordon, and the crowd got behind him, realising that he’s looking like a very good goalkeeper all of a sudden. Kilbane fluffed a free-kick to Prica, but recovered well to concede a throw before Leadbitter replaced Dicka on 84. Personally, I’d have kept on everyone over six feet just for their corners, but Grant showed some good touches a the added four minutes ticked away.

2-0 was greeted by a huge roar of joy and relief, then followed by a series of further cheers as all but one result went our way – and that was a draw for Brum – and the day got better and better.

To the ref’s credit, he’d only had his card out once, preferring the talking option, and as for Man of the Match, there were several contenders. Despite Wigan’s numerous corners, Bardsley and Collins had fine games, and Jones was again a handful. Dicka had one of his better games for us, but just for that goal, it has to go to Murphy.

Keep the faith

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