The open letter to fans Stewart Donald should pen... "Dear and devoted SAFC fans how can the board and I even begin to apologise for the disastrous appointment of Phil Parkinson? Not only have we made quick and humiliating exits from every cup competition, but we continue to drop down the league as we notch up one dreadful defeat after another. The football, to all the fans who have to suffer it, is utterly dire and the notion of relegation to Division Two is no longer a ridiculous proposition. How could we have got it so wrong? We were convinced that with a "safe pair of hands" at the helm performances and results would improve. We were utterly wrong, no doubt about it we blew it big time."
Of course, no such letter will be penned and the ostriches who run the club will continue to have their heads planted firmly in the sand and will go into hyper-denialism to any criticism. After all, how can you sack two managers in just a matter of weeks. It would just leave too much egg on too many faces.
But what of the fans? When does loyalty merge into stunning naivety, or supporting a football team become some kind of masochistic religion? When does "Sunderland until I die" translate into - 'look keep trashing the club but we will keep turning up home and away regardless?' Does persistent humiliation and disappointment actually have a breaking point? Will the ever-increasing moaning turn into more organised protests? We shall see.
