Sunderland Till I Die

February



We get off to a much better start this month than we did last month as we have a great game against Portsmouth to start us off as Parrott and Gomes get in the goals alongside Dobson. I was then expecting a tougher match against Ipswich after the first time we played them but Patoulidis gets the opening goal after only 9 minutes before Parrott doubles the score. Against Rochdale Gomes scores the quickest goal in league history after only 18 seconds before Parrott again doubles the lead. Rochdale get a goal back in the 94th minute through James Ward. The Oxford match was a boring match as neither team really had any real chances.

In the Checkatrade Trophy we rotate a few players so others can have a rest and we struggle through with the only goal of the game coming from our left back Denver Hume. Bristol Rovers pretty much just lay down to us as Gomes gets an excellent brace either side of a goal from Clarke-Harris with Parrott getting the 3rd in the 90th minute. The Coventry game was a disaster as we were 3-0 down after 64 minutes but we managed to rally a bit and managed to get back into the game with a penalty that Max Power scored it in the 70th minute. Semenyo then gets a 2nd in the 81st minute but sadly it was just too late and we didn't have enough time left to grab another goal or two.

League



March



Transfers Out

So with the American transfer window open we had David Beckham contact us in relation to Lynden Gooch we had a view offers go back and forth but we finally agreed on a deal worth £1,500,000. He has fallen behind Rober so happy to cash in on him to boost the clubs bank balance a bit.

March



It ends up being a ridiculously quiet month as the match against Southend was changed so we only had 2 games for the whole month.

With the first game against Gillingham it was a tale of two halves here as Gillingham went ahead after 8 minutes before Parrott got a double either side of a Gomes goal all within 25 minutes. Cochrane then scored the fourth in the 32nd minute before Akinde got the second for Gillingham in the 42nd minute and the 2nd half was a drab affair.

There was only ever going to be one winner here after Parrott got 2 goals in the opening 7 minutes. Gomes also got a quick fire brace with goals in the 21st and 25th minute. Kaikai pulls one back for Blackpool before Dobson rounds it all off in the 69th minute.

With other games going ahead later in the month the results there were enough to confirm us as being guaranteed the top 2 so we will be playing in the Championship next season.

League



The Run In



Youth

We have the youth intake this month and we have one promising player coming through, we will see how he turns out





Budget



A small budget for next season so we will need to make sure we spend it right.

Takeover



This has been dragging on for nearly the whole month now so wish they can just make their mind up and get it over the line or call it off.

The Run In



We go into the match against Shrewsbury knowing that a win will see us crowned Champions with 6 games to go. We get off to a fantastic start as Gomes is brought down in the box and Patoulidis slots home after only 3 minutes. Things turn quickly though as Ebanks-landell scores just a minute later to cancel it out. Luckily Semenyou scores a goal on the stroke of half time before scoring on the stroke of full time as well to let us be Champions. On a high we travel to Wembley for our first cup final and Gomes is a one man team here with two excellent solo goals before a Holy own goal to see us win the Checkatrade Trophy.

We then go on an amazing run over the next 5 games taking it game about scoring 4 goals and then a goal to score a total of 14 goals across 5 games while we only conceded 2. They lads have certainly been on a high over these games as its showed as they've all put in excellent performances. We round off the season with a disappointing but excellent result against Rotherham. Matt Crooks puts them ahead after 9 minutes before Ben Wiles doubles their lead after 26 minutes. At half time I tear through the team at half time as a loss is not how we want to finish the season. Max Power finally gets our opening goal on 65 minutes. The closer it gets to the final whistle I feel that we aren't going to get it back but Troy Parrott comes to the rescue as he scores in the 91st minute to ensure we finish the season with a hard fought draw.

League



Takeover



Its finally gone through with plenty of time before the transfer window opens and they have also doubled the transfer budget available for next season to £8,000,000

End of season Awards



Season Review

Transfers Out



We let a good few players go who had no part to play in the squad going forward and it freed up more cash for wages. One big surprise leaving the club was Bali Mumba but I just didn't think he had it in him for the long term so decided to cash in instead of him sitting in the U23 sqaud. The other bit surprise was George Dobson when Swansea first put an offer in I upped it to 20 million and they re-negotiated to 10. He was in my first team plans so I tried 15 and they accepted. After that it was a no brainer to accept and re-invest the cash in the squad.

Transfers In



We've brought in a fair few players as the squad needed a rebuilding to be able to compete here and with Dobson leaving we had plenty of money to spend. The big transfer of the window was the signing of Sergio Gomez from Dortmund who was transfer listed by the club so he will replace Dobson and if need be we can sell him for a significant fee in the future. Along with him players like Vallejo and Ampadu can make us a real force in the Championship. I was also happy with winning the singing Isaac Lihadji from Marseille on a free transfer as there were a number of other clubs interested but left it too late to make an offer. He will fight it out with Rober for the RW.

Otani is the player I'm really looking forward to developing at the club. My scouts did a great job in finding him and bringing him to the clubs attention. He looks like he could go onto great things here and he will also be good for shirt sales as well.



I could of done with another LW and LB but the transfer window closed earlier than I expected with the season starting at the start of August so we will need to make do until January now.

Starting XI



PreSeason



WE had a successful preseason here and we even got some big results which is a confidence booster going forward. Bring on the start of the season now.

Expectations



I feel these are pretty standard and we should meet all of them as long as we get decent draws in the two cups. Its now time to get to work and get this season started.

August



What a month to get started as we're thrown straight into the deep end with 8 games so its going to be a busy month ahead. We start off against one of the big teams in Leeds who take the lead through Helder Costa in the 18th minute. Troy Parrott picks up where he left off last season with getting the equaliser in the 25th minute. Meriah then gives Leeds the lead again in the 60th minute but luckily Patouldis pops up 2 minutes later. Its a great point to get from our first game. We're then up against Portsmouth who were promoted alongside us. Luke O'Nien takes the leaf in the 35th minute for us. Its looking like thats all its going to be before Matos is sent off for a foul challenge in the 58th minute. We take full advantage of this as Rober gets two goals in the 62nd and 83rd minutes before Harrison pulls one back for Portsmouth. Jairo then finishes it all off in the 86th minute for another goal.

The Carabao Cup match against Morecambe goes as expected and Jairo gets two goals before Lihadji and Otani get debut goals for the club. Sheffield Wednesday were up next and Patoulidis gets the opening goal in the 14th minute but Adam Reach pulls it back 10 minutes later. Its looking like a draw is going to be a fair result but Jota pops up with a well placed finish to win the game for them.

We then bounce back against with a game against Wigan. Things don't go to plan when Patoulidis is sent off after 15 minutes but Mitchell gets his first goal for the club 7 minutes later. Troy Parrott then scores in the 56th minute but Windass then pulls one back before Kieffer Moore then gets it back to 2-2. We don't go down without fighting though as Rober then puts us ahead again in the 81st minute and then Parrott doubles the lead again in the 86th minute but Callum Lang pulls another one back in the 92nd minute.

Watford we looked good value agianst as Parrott got the opening goal after 4 minutes to get us off to a great start. It looked like we were going to get the 3 points but a slip bu O'Nein cost us as it let Foulquier cut inside and score. Against Blackburn we rotated a bit and Joe Rothwell put them ahead after 11 minutes. Otani was starting again and took his chance in the 28th minute before Patoulidis slotted home from the penalty spot to see us through to the third round of the Carabao Cup. Finally we round off the month against Brentford where Lihadji scores an excellent hat-trick off the right wing.

League



September