I've got too much energy to switch off my mind,
But not enough to get myself organized.
My heart is heavy, my head is confused,
And my aching little soul, has started burning blue!

I can't give you up, till I've got more than enough.
So infect me with your love
Nurse me into sickness, nurse me back to health.
Endow me with the gifts of the Sunderland world.

When support becomes an illness instead of a joy,
And games a necessity, hard to be enjoyed.

Still no sign of a new leader, but lots of people making noises about SAFC. Paul Ince still reckons the world was out to get Keane, probably so that he can claim the same victimization if and when he gets the sack fro not being very good. At the Former Players do the other night, the majority of those asked choose the next man went for Houllier. Monty didn’t make a comment, as he’d slipped on the ice outside his house and done his back in. Whether being accompanied to A&E by Bobby Kerr was a good idea or not, Monty was back home later that night with no serious damage done. Let’s hope he gets all better very soon.

As ever, it was interesting to try indentifying the twenty-odd former players in attendance – Cec Irwin was easy, looking much the same as he did when rampaging down the right at Roker, my first personal Sunderland hero. Pitt, Benno, Horswill, Gatesy, Big Chief Lee Howey, Nic Sharkey, and Bobby Kerr were also instantly recognizable, but the other dozen or so beat me. Never mind, me and our Ian came third in the quiz, which was won by George Foster, if he doesn’t know it about Sunderland, it probably didn’t happen. I was particularly chuffed to identify Len Duns in the SAFC player pictures, but upset to identify Jimmy Shoulder as Brian Shoulder (whoever Brian Shoulder is).

The stuff coming out of the caretaker boss Ricky S made good reading, as did Ferdy’s comments. It seems that we have someone with temporary hold of the wheel who understands football, and a player who understands Sunderland – or simply knows what to say in the current situation. What made slightly less enjoyable reading were the comments of the previously unheard-of Andersson, now known as the Swedish gobshite. Apparently something to do with the company that Ellis Short is involved with, he came out with a load of nonsense and speculation about what went on in the dressing room and why Roy Keane was an all-round bad egg. For someone allegedly involved in SAFC, it was pretty negative way to make your fist comments about the club. Unless this feller has been sneaking into games unannounced and hiding in somebody’s locker, I suggest he haads his whisht until he’s actually been to Sunderland, seen us play, and experience what SAFC is all about.

All of this uncertainty brought even more comments, and an email entitled “Sobs @ Liberty Stadium” which I immediately took to be someone trying to sell me something. However, it turned out to be from someone I worked with for a couple of weeks over about twelve years ago. We spent a fortnight drinking beer in France, me talking about Sunderland and he about Swansea, then went back to our respective parts of the UK, never to converse again. Or not until last week, when Andrew Tucker sent the email, in which he outlined plans for a weekend on the lash in Swansea should the worst come to the worst and our two teams have to face each other next season. Turns out he’s taken on SAFC as his second team, which is how it should be, and follows our progress via ALS online. Obviously, Swansea will need to get promoted to play us, the FA Cup a possible exception, but it’s nice to see the faith being kept in South Wales. Once we get you, we keep you – another example of Sunderland getting under your skin.

It was cold and wet as we left Bishop, and the spare seats on the bus were testament to the seasonal lack of cash/crap weather/general disillusion.

Fulop (pronounced Feeeulop, apparently)
Bardsley Noz Ferdy Collins
Steed Teemu Richardson Reid
Cisse Jones

That should do against West Brom, we thought, despite most of the players having opted for those silly red long-sleeved undies with short sleeved shirts, Sorry Lads, you looked a mess.

The visitors won an early left wing corner through Greening, who saw his kick cleared, but it eventually went for another on their right. We used some nice interplay to get it out of defence, but that ended when Noz was fouled, From the free kick, Cisse was away down the right, and his cross was knocked into the keeper’s arms by Jones. All this and only three minutes gone.

From Teemu’s looping header, Reid broke down the left and saw his cross eventually cleared in slippery conditions. Chasing back, Richardson saw his tackle do no more than feed their forward, but Ferdy was on hand to halt the attack on the edge of our box. Noz put in a great tackle on the right, then a brave diving header from Ferdy cleared danger from the spot. Another good tackle, this time by Bardsley, broke up an attack, but he then played it to one of their men just outside the box. Thankfully, and despite what must be sounding like a lot of West Brom possession, nothing came of it.

Down at the other end, what looked like a climb on Jones went unpunished for the first of many times during the game, then Richo fed Cisse down the left and the cross evaded everyone to go across the goalmouth for a goal kick. When we had the ball we looked patient and positive, but when we hadn’t we looked unlikely to win it back. Maybe we were missing Deano’s runs from one end to the other to get in the opponents’ way. On 23 minutes, Reid curled in a typical ball, but from the right, and Jones stooped to head into the side of the goal. Nice one, Ken, pressure off a bit. We hadn’t even had time to sit down when Steed muscled his way forward and found Cisse on the right. Djib’s shot was palmed away at the near post, but he got to the loose ball, and, under pressure, fired in a low cross that was saved, blocked, and then had the killer touch applied by Jones. Two in a minute – thanks, Santa, that’s one off my list. To those unfortunate to be relieving themselves, why miss one goal while in the toilet when you can miss two, with Super Kenwyne?

Jones and Cisse swapped headers only for Kenwyne to be crowded out in the box as the half hour passed. Bardsley produced more tenacious stuff to keep them out of the box as a sliced shot threatened to open us up, then Steed got free on the left to cross and Jones headed over. Kenwyne then found Cisse, who flicked the ball over his shoulder and his marker, but could find no room in the box to shoot. Ken was at it again soon after, finding Steed, who produced what is fast becoming a trademark burst into the box before firing in a cross to the back post, where Andy Reid did the necessary. 3-0 and only 39 minutes gone? Is this Sunderland? Yes it is.

Another Steed cross was hoofed clear with 43 gone, then he got in a low shat which was taken by Carson at the second attempt. A patient display made us worth the lead at half time, and there were no changes for us as the second half began, although the Baggies brought on Bendtner and Kim for Brunt and Morrison. We broke straight down the left, Jones was fouled, and Steed whipped in the free kick. UP it went off an outstretched defensive shin, down it came onto an outstretched defensive hand. Blow me of the ref didn’t go mad and give us our first penalty of the season. After a bit of strutting about, and Jones looking less than chuffed, Cisse blasted the ball straight down the middle and in. 4-0, and only 47 gone? Not even my birthday!

As we tried to break up an attack, Jones was infuriated by a flying elbow that nearly took his face off, and Fulop’s free kick reached the edge of the area and Cisse’s foot. His flick found Steed but it was cleared. As a few late challenges began to creep in to West Brom’s game, showing their frustration, we put on a bit of pressure, but it’s hard to be ruthless when you’re four goals to the good and the killer finish wasn’t there. Cisse took a flick from Jones, but hit it on the bounce as he ran through and it flew well over. Carlos replaced Steed, who looked rather puzzled by the decision, and our shape stayed the same, as you’d expect. West Brom headed a decent chance over, then Feeulop took a cross well, and Reid broke away. Unfortunately, he chose to shoot (well over) when Richardson was well placed to his left. Soon after this, Jones burst through the middle and looked on to complete his hat-trick, but the shot was blocked and Reid fired the rebound over the top. Beattie (Craig) came on for them, and quickly slashed a shot well wide. An outrageous backheel from Cissee freed Edwards near the corner flag, but his cross went behind everybody on 70 minutes. Fulop saved again, but to be fair, it was like all of his other saves today – straight into his chest. Cisse got in a shot which was deflected but saved, then Carson made an arse of a clearance and had to endure a good 15 minutes of goalie bating. Ahh, takes me back.....

There was mystery booking for Anton, then West Brom went daft and won about a dozen corners in the space of five minutes, all of which we defended well. You have to wonder what a better team would have got from at least one of them. Bardsley and Edwards broke down the right to relieve the pressure, then, with 12 to go, Reid made way for Leadbitter. Carlos responded to our cries of “shoooot” by unleashing one at about 75% power, and Cisse’s flick almost steered it home. The Noz won a header on the edge of our box, but the challenge was deemed a foul, despite being OK on Jones all afternoon. The wall did its job, and the follow-up was cleared to loud cheers, and there was still time for them to play a ball right across the face of goal before we broke again. Richardson cocked his deadly left foot, we anticipated the net bulging, but he hit it badly wide. Not to worry, the ref blew and it was all over. Good tactics by Ricky S. I know WBA are crap – pretty and generally effective in the middle, but lightweight up front and very fragile at the back despite their size – but the thing to do with crap sides is to beat them, and beat them well. Maybe the win was the main thing, but the four goals were probably less important than the clean sheet.

Man of the Match? Well, nothing got past Noz (although they were his sort of opponents), and Steed put in a tremendous shift, but I think that Teemu was the hub today, so a bottle of Maxim to the Finn.

Nurse us out of sickness, nurse us back to health
And give me what it is that I want in this world...

Sobs' Book click here...