I have kept the faith for over 60 years, through all the trials and tribulations, slings and arrows. I remember the promise of Willie McPheat's intelligent, cultured left foot being ended by a Bobby Collins foul, as we first witnessed the beginnings of "dirty dirty Leeds". But that only strengthened my faith because I knew we could find another goalscorer, and we did.
I stood in the old Clock Stand and saw, and heard, Cloughie brought down by the Bury goalkeeper. And I refused to believe my dad when he turned and said, "that's his career finished", even as he still lay on the pitch with Bob Stokoe glowering over him. Setbacks like that only strengthened my faith, because they weren't our fault.
When our first serious promotion challenge was ended by a goal scored off Tommy Harmer's arse, I still kept the faith, because I knew we would come again, stronger, and we did.
Through all the ups and downs that followed I kept the faith. Things like Jimmy Hill being allowed to invent "crowd congestion" at Coventry to condemn us to another relegation, were just another instance of the Establishment attacking Sunderland, as they had done since the 17th century. These things were sent to try our faith but only made it stronger.
Somehow my faith even withstood sitting in the SoL and watching us contrive to score three own goals in the first half against a mediocre Charlton side (why is it always Charlton?). Even when the demise of the Celtic Tiger led to the end of the magic carpet ride and St. Niall handed the reins to an American who knew nothing and cared less about football, I kept the faith, because I hoped a rich American throwing money at the problem might solve it. And he did throw money at it, and as a succession of poor managers squandered that money on poorer players, I still managed to keep the faith.
Even when a couple of carpetbaggers arrived from the South I kept the faith because I knew their asset strip would be a short term project. When it looked like they were going to take us the way of Bury and Derby, my faith was sorely tested, but just in time a young rich chevalier blanc, came riding across the channel and saved the day.
And I do believe in the KLD project. He appears to understand Sunderland, and has empathy with the town, the people, the culture. I know what he is trying to do is good and that he is trying to do it in the right way. And I know that it is a long term project.
But please, can we first get out of this bloody awful league One? Do whatever it takes to get us back to the Championship, then the long term evolution of the club can start. Throw money at it in January. Bring in a Kevin Ball / Alex Rae / Jordan Henderson type to galvanise the young players. If necessary bribe some officials. Whatever it takes, just do it. Because my faith can not bear any more of this awful division.
While I wait for the sunlit uplands of the Championship to return I will dedicate myself to the winter Ashes tour and a tour of the West Indies in the Spring. The recent T20 World Cup was a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than recent Sunderland performances (I loved the Sunderland fan in the crowd in Sharjah with his banner reading "Howk it marra").
Wake me up when the League One nightmare is over. I would love to see Sunderland back where they belong, recognised as one of the top 10 English teams. And I am sure the KLD project will eventually get there. But I will be satisfied to see them established in the second tier, because that is where I first gained my faith all those years ago.
