One Game at a Time: You’re Only Here for the Panackelty
Sun’lan (A) February 10th
With the prospect of a trip to Wembley now reduced to the outside shot of the play-offs after a heroic but ultimately predictably adverse result following the emptying of the Leeds bench to demonstrate the difference between the haves and the have nots at Championship level, Argyle return to League action with the gentle eight hundred plus mile round trip to Sunderland.
At least coach Foster should have a more generous availability of players to juggle with for this match. Against Leeds, demonstrating the maxim mentioned on Pasoti by one poster, from Alan Hansen, that to judge the respective squad depths of two sides, imagine a five a side game between their subs benches, IF was down to his final six, three of whom were Academy graduates, who between them could muster around two or three games of total experience.
It is probably worth mentioning then, that when Leeds emptied their bench they replace c £30 million pounds of striking talent with c£70 million pounds of replacements. Despite all this, over three sets of ninety minutes the running score is 4-3 to the multi-millionaires, and that is with two lots of home advantage. It should also be remembered that for the purposes of statistics, hitting the woodwork as they have done multiple times, actually count as off target shots. Over the ninety minutes, the clearer chances were Argyles by and large, with the Whittaker/Mumba axis well to the fore in the opening half. Hardie as ever ran his socks off and forced a decent if comfortable save from Meslier just before the end.
It is easy to read too much into these things but after the weekend’s novelty corner goal, came an equaliser fashioned on the training ground when Whittaker’s cross, Phillips cushioned volley pass and Galloways chest into the unguarded net meant Leeds were doomed to a late nIght in the miserable conditions no matter how many millions of pounds they decided to rest for the evening.
Summerville, a player who is a delight to watch with his combination of pace balance and power scored a delicious Leeds second, contributed to by the tiring of the Argyle back line. Giorgino’s finish was also high quality, and the less said about the unfortunate own goal from Hardie from a late corner the better. He deserved better luck for his selfless running and efforts.
As it turned out therefore, no rematch with the now former European Champions at the Bridge, but a visit now to the former World Football Champions (OGAAT previous) always assuming weather conditions allow the flight to land as we head for the Stadium of Light for the Failed Lazio Window Target derby.
If Argyle were ever missing the so-called Dockyard Derby we could at one time have replaced it with the Wearside Shipyard derby as there were at one point over 400 shipyards to choose from. Even the only aircraft designed in and named for Sunderland was a flying boat!
Sunderlands pre war loftier status meant that our only encounters were FA Cup ones and, rather like Tuesday night, they were universally rather one sided. Indeed, all of Argyles three successes in the North East were in the recentish past rather than historic.
Dwight Marshall scored the only goal of our first ever win at Roker Park, gaining an unexpected victory against the side that whilst only finishing four points above the relegated Pilgrims, did have the consolation of a Wembley trip, where they were unable to replicate their 1973 heroics, losing two nil to Liverpool in the FA Cup final.
That was our final visit to Roker Park. The first time at the Stadium of Light (other rhyming epithets are available) saw a Tuesday night five -one drubbing and the infamous Kris Kamara comment on Sky of “taxi for the Argyle fans” which whilst meant in jest was a bit harsh given almost 800 made the trip. To give context the Wolves support at Sunderland for a Saturday trip of half the distance was closer to five hundred.
The next trip to the SOL was under Ian Holloway and despite a disastrous beginning where the Pilgrims were a goal down after 28 seconds, and that included them starting the game with kick off and possession, the Greens won a famous victory with a late Nick Chadwick goal earning a 3-2 away win and leaving the Pilgrims second in the table with two away wins out of two. Easy when you know how, isn’t it?
The only other win in the for North East was under Lowe/Schumacher in the Covid season, where a deserted and waterlogged SOL saw both Argyle wing backs, a debutant Adam Lewis and Joe 90 score Argyles two goals in a match that also saw a first start for Niall Ennis. Lewis‘s goal was his only one in Green and he now plies his trade at Newport County. As for Ennis, having made the move to Stoke he should be staking out his home base in the treatment room by now.
Given the eight hundred mile round trip (more for the Cornish contingent), as well as the weather issues, the announcement from Argyle of 1200 travelling Greens is a fabulous achievement. One thing the clubs have in common is that they have used classical music to provide an inspirational start to the game. Obviously we have Semper Fidelis by Sousa (not the new one) and Sunderland, from their time of arrival had dance of the Knights by Prokofiev, better known by many as the theme from the Apprentice, which after Tuesday night wouldn’t be a bad choice at HP for similar benches.
Dance of the Knights was preferred to the Indiana Jones theme music but was also frequently interrupted by Ready to Go from Republica. The fans also frequently sing Can’t Help Falling in Love With You from Elvis, but there have been others that have flitted in and out of favour like an Easter European loan signing over the seasons.
Sunderland itself are also famous for their retention of the traditional red and white striped shirts. Indeed some claim they form the basis of the US flag as the Washington family who provided America with their first President originally hailed from the North East. Sunderland is the only city twinned with Washington DC that is not a capital city in its own right.
Having spoken about their heritage in a previous edition, one impact the club had on the game was that it was a local who created the FA Cup, not that we are bothered with that any more this season. Charles Alcock, whose family money came from shipping was sent to Harrow, and there was involved in the founding of the FA Cup tournament. His older brother was one of the founding members of the Football Association.
It has also come to light that the Stadium rules enforce strict restrictions on what can be brought into the ground to prevent their use as projectiles. One does wonder if that is because a local man, William Mills was the inventor of the Mills bomb, or hand grenade, whose familiar pineapple shaping has been manufactured in the many millions over the years. So far however only Millwall fans have produced one at a match ( at Brentford). Quelle surprise.
A slightly gentler creative spirit from the area was Charles Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll whose creation of Alice in Wonderland was in part inspired by the local area when he spent some of his childhood after being born there. The local beaches were part of the creation of the Walrus and the Carpenter. Later they would also form part of the desolate landscape for David Finchers Alien 3 film, so a broad church in terms of local creativity.
Sunderland’s heritage also includes the mining industry, and the Stadium of Light is built against the three shafts that went down into the Wearmouth Colliery, that at the time of its creation, was the deepest working mine in the world. The area also was involved in the early production of stained glass and forged one of the components of the Big Ben clock. Despite this industrial creativity one of their local delicacies is a sausage , wrapped in a bun and dipped in gravy!
Sunderland, like Argyle also have access to a lighthouse, although rather impressively the Sunderland one was, before being replaced in 1903, made portable and moved up and down into position, no mean feat given that it was several hundred yards up and down a hill. Mind you, the city also had another pointless lighthouse, built over a mile inland. Created by a local businessman, the lighthouse was refused permission to be lit as it was felt the light would be confusing for mariners heading for Wearside. In fact, the only time it was lit up occurred when, scheduled for destruction, the lighthouse burnt down on Bonfire Night in 1970.
Whilst a strongly naval city, like Plymouth, Sunderland also lays claim to Lawrence of Arabia, whose mother was a Wearsider. Lawrence of Sunderland lack the gravitas of his African reputation though.They also had one of the survivors from the Titanic but perhaps their most famous naval hero was Jack Crawford. Serving aboard Admiral Duncan’s HMS Venerable, the keelsman, having seen the Admirals colours had come down through damage to the mast, which was regarded as a sign of surrender, grabbed the ships colours and climbed the remaining mast where he nailed them in place, giving birth to the phrase ”nailing your colours to the mast.”
Argyle will hope to sail home with three more points having finally broken their travelling duck at the Swans. If our newfound defensive strength in part comes from the denial of space to the opponents, it should be noted that we will be playing against a side that once did so in the most extreme contractual way.
Stefan Schwarz, the Swedish international midfielder was by all accounts a “space nut” and was believed to have secured a place on one of the earliest passenger flights into space. On his signing for the Mackems, they inserted a clause in his contract banning him from all forms of Space travel whilst a Sunderland player. Now that is taking things to extremes. The closest an Argyle player ever got to Space was the late great Steve Coopers prodigious leaps although Jock Morrison sent a few into low orbit!
Players back….away hoodoo broken….player of the month vote secured for Morgan, Brendon potentially playing career Connect 4 with appearances.
Time for our skipper to show Lazio what they could have had….
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sun’lan (A) February 10th
With the prospect of a trip to Wembley now reduced to the outside shot of the play-offs after a heroic but ultimately predictably adverse result following the emptying of the Leeds bench to demonstrate the difference between the haves and the have nots at Championship level, Argyle return to League action with the gentle eight hundred plus mile round trip to Sunderland.
At least coach Foster should have a more generous availability of players to juggle with for this match. Against Leeds, demonstrating the maxim mentioned on Pasoti by one poster, from Alan Hansen, that to judge the respective squad depths of two sides, imagine a five a side game between their subs benches, IF was down to his final six, three of whom were Academy graduates, who between them could muster around two or three games of total experience.
It is probably worth mentioning then, that when Leeds emptied their bench they replace c £30 million pounds of striking talent with c£70 million pounds of replacements. Despite all this, over three sets of ninety minutes the running score is 4-3 to the multi-millionaires, and that is with two lots of home advantage. It should also be remembered that for the purposes of statistics, hitting the woodwork as they have done multiple times, actually count as off target shots. Over the ninety minutes, the clearer chances were Argyles by and large, with the Whittaker/Mumba axis well to the fore in the opening half. Hardie as ever ran his socks off and forced a decent if comfortable save from Meslier just before the end.
It is easy to read too much into these things but after the weekend’s novelty corner goal, came an equaliser fashioned on the training ground when Whittaker’s cross, Phillips cushioned volley pass and Galloways chest into the unguarded net meant Leeds were doomed to a late nIght in the miserable conditions no matter how many millions of pounds they decided to rest for the evening.
Summerville, a player who is a delight to watch with his combination of pace balance and power scored a delicious Leeds second, contributed to by the tiring of the Argyle back line. Giorgino’s finish was also high quality, and the less said about the unfortunate own goal from Hardie from a late corner the better. He deserved better luck for his selfless running and efforts.
As it turned out therefore, no rematch with the now former European Champions at the Bridge, but a visit now to the former World Football Champions (OGAAT previous) always assuming weather conditions allow the flight to land as we head for the Stadium of Light for the Failed Lazio Window Target derby.
If Argyle were ever missing the so-called Dockyard Derby we could at one time have replaced it with the Wearside Shipyard derby as there were at one point over 400 shipyards to choose from. Even the only aircraft designed in and named for Sunderland was a flying boat!
Sunderlands pre war loftier status meant that our only encounters were FA Cup ones and, rather like Tuesday night, they were universally rather one sided. Indeed, all of Argyles three successes in the North East were in the recentish past rather than historic.
Dwight Marshall scored the only goal of our first ever win at Roker Park, gaining an unexpected victory against the side that whilst only finishing four points above the relegated Pilgrims, did have the consolation of a Wembley trip, where they were unable to replicate their 1973 heroics, losing two nil to Liverpool in the FA Cup final.
That was our final visit to Roker Park. The first time at the Stadium of Light (other rhyming epithets are available) saw a Tuesday night five -one drubbing and the infamous Kris Kamara comment on Sky of “taxi for the Argyle fans” which whilst meant in jest was a bit harsh given almost 800 made the trip. To give context the Wolves support at Sunderland for a Saturday trip of half the distance was closer to five hundred.
The next trip to the SOL was under Ian Holloway and despite a disastrous beginning where the Pilgrims were a goal down after 28 seconds, and that included them starting the game with kick off and possession, the Greens won a famous victory with a late Nick Chadwick goal earning a 3-2 away win and leaving the Pilgrims second in the table with two away wins out of two. Easy when you know how, isn’t it?
The only other win in the for North East was under Lowe/Schumacher in the Covid season, where a deserted and waterlogged SOL saw both Argyle wing backs, a debutant Adam Lewis and Joe 90 score Argyles two goals in a match that also saw a first start for Niall Ennis. Lewis‘s goal was his only one in Green and he now plies his trade at Newport County. As for Ennis, having made the move to Stoke he should be staking out his home base in the treatment room by now.
Given the eight hundred mile round trip (more for the Cornish contingent), as well as the weather issues, the announcement from Argyle of 1200 travelling Greens is a fabulous achievement. One thing the clubs have in common is that they have used classical music to provide an inspirational start to the game. Obviously we have Semper Fidelis by Sousa (not the new one) and Sunderland, from their time of arrival had dance of the Knights by Prokofiev, better known by many as the theme from the Apprentice, which after Tuesday night wouldn’t be a bad choice at HP for similar benches.
Dance of the Knights was preferred to the Indiana Jones theme music but was also frequently interrupted by Ready to Go from Republica. The fans also frequently sing Can’t Help Falling in Love With You from Elvis, but there have been others that have flitted in and out of favour like an Easter European loan signing over the seasons.
Sunderland itself are also famous for their retention of the traditional red and white striped shirts. Indeed some claim they form the basis of the US flag as the Washington family who provided America with their first President originally hailed from the North East. Sunderland is the only city twinned with Washington DC that is not a capital city in its own right.
Having spoken about their heritage in a previous edition, one impact the club had on the game was that it was a local who created the FA Cup, not that we are bothered with that any more this season. Charles Alcock, whose family money came from shipping was sent to Harrow, and there was involved in the founding of the FA Cup tournament. His older brother was one of the founding members of the Football Association.
It has also come to light that the Stadium rules enforce strict restrictions on what can be brought into the ground to prevent their use as projectiles. One does wonder if that is because a local man, William Mills was the inventor of the Mills bomb, or hand grenade, whose familiar pineapple shaping has been manufactured in the many millions over the years. So far however only Millwall fans have produced one at a match ( at Brentford). Quelle surprise.
A slightly gentler creative spirit from the area was Charles Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll whose creation of Alice in Wonderland was in part inspired by the local area when he spent some of his childhood after being born there. The local beaches were part of the creation of the Walrus and the Carpenter. Later they would also form part of the desolate landscape for David Finchers Alien 3 film, so a broad church in terms of local creativity.
Sunderland’s heritage also includes the mining industry, and the Stadium of Light is built against the three shafts that went down into the Wearmouth Colliery, that at the time of its creation, was the deepest working mine in the world. The area also was involved in the early production of stained glass and forged one of the components of the Big Ben clock. Despite this industrial creativity one of their local delicacies is a sausage , wrapped in a bun and dipped in gravy!
Sunderland, like Argyle also have access to a lighthouse, although rather impressively the Sunderland one was, before being replaced in 1903, made portable and moved up and down into position, no mean feat given that it was several hundred yards up and down a hill. Mind you, the city also had another pointless lighthouse, built over a mile inland. Created by a local businessman, the lighthouse was refused permission to be lit as it was felt the light would be confusing for mariners heading for Wearside. In fact, the only time it was lit up occurred when, scheduled for destruction, the lighthouse burnt down on Bonfire Night in 1970.
Whilst a strongly naval city, like Plymouth, Sunderland also lays claim to Lawrence of Arabia, whose mother was a Wearsider. Lawrence of Sunderland lack the gravitas of his African reputation though.They also had one of the survivors from the Titanic but perhaps their most famous naval hero was Jack Crawford. Serving aboard Admiral Duncan’s HMS Venerable, the keelsman, having seen the Admirals colours had come down through damage to the mast, which was regarded as a sign of surrender, grabbed the ships colours and climbed the remaining mast where he nailed them in place, giving birth to the phrase ”nailing your colours to the mast.”
Argyle will hope to sail home with three more points having finally broken their travelling duck at the Swans. If our newfound defensive strength in part comes from the denial of space to the opponents, it should be noted that we will be playing against a side that once did so in the most extreme contractual way.
Stefan Schwarz, the Swedish international midfielder was by all accounts a “space nut” and was believed to have secured a place on one of the earliest passenger flights into space. On his signing for the Mackems, they inserted a clause in his contract banning him from all forms of Space travel whilst a Sunderland player. Now that is taking things to extremes. The closest an Argyle player ever got to Space was the late great Steve Coopers prodigious leaps although Jock Morrison sent a few into low orbit!
Players back….away hoodoo broken….player of the month vote secured for Morgan, Brendon potentially playing career Connect 4 with appearances.
Time for our skipper to show Lazio what they could have had….
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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