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A plea for calm and stability at Sunderland

An interesting in depth reflective blog by a Sunderland fan about the situation at the club which has a wider applicability: Evaluating Sunderland under the microscope. In particular, I have in mind his comment: 'One of the things I have considered is whether our passion for the club doesn’t sometimes tip beyond a football obsession and into something altogether darker.'

All fans are passionate about their club and Sunderland fans particularly so. They have also been through some very difficult times and are playing at a lower level than they should be.

But as he concludes: 'As we prepare to welcome a new owner, maybe it is time for us to regain a bit of dignity as we wave goodbye to the current lot and wait to see what the new people DO. Not what they say - or what somebody we met in a bar thought his cousin’s neighbour might have heard them say – but what they actually do. No need for hero worship. No need for vilification.'

'Because, if next time we save our passion for the terraces and encourage stability and calm questioning around the club as a whole, it’s us fans who’ll be the ultimate beneficiaries.'

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