Dear ALS
The negativity of Sunderland fans seems to be topical lately, with Jack Ross suggesting that negativity around the club would hold it back.
I take issue with that and see it as just another excuse (which football clubs are every good at) for not performing. Jack Ross just needs to concentrate on getting it right on the pitch. Rather than responding in the way he did to observations that the Accrington performance was poor, he should be focusing on improving those performances because sure enough they then slipped up against Rotherham.
Sunderland fans have put up with a lot over recent years. The number of times I travelled up from Leeds to watch pitiful performances in the Prem and then our freefall down to League 1, the fans have every right to be constructively challenging.
Ross/Donald/Methven should be looking back to our successful spell under Peter Reid and how the fans responded to that, the difference being we had a manager and a side that played well and got results.
The fans have played their role so many times only to be let down by the team’s performance, Boxing Day 2014 at home to Hull was a perfect example, after a 1-0 win at St James five days earlier, the SOL was full with a great atmosphere and it got better, we were gifted an early goal only for us then to turn in one of the worst home performances I can remember and lose 1-3 and Hull were relegated that season.
Rather than talk about negativity, Jack Ross and the players should consider themselves lucky to have the opportunity to play in front of so many people and at Sunderland the door is open for them to make themselves heroes, but unfortunately that doesn’t appear to be the mindset and is something I hope the new owners quickly address.
Phil in Leeds
