Sunderland’s European Dream – Jealousy and Ambition

In the aftermath of our latest outstanding victory over our self-aggrandising neighbours from Tyneside, the anticipated bitter retorts have been as tedious as they are predictable. “Yas have neva won a trophy,” “yas divvent even have an airport”, and, of course, “yas have neva played in Yoorap (sic). ” The list goes on.

The first two of these coping mechanisms come with pretty significant caveats in my opinion. Their trophy – a solitary League Cup – was only finally achieved after the club sold its soul to a reprehensible theocratic dictatorship, which anyone with even a modicum of a conscience would find troubling at least, and besides, this still remains their sole piece of silverware after five years of Saudi ownership and hundreds of millions spent on transfers. The airport argument is, and always has been, tired and puerile, as if transport hubs are in any way relevant to football success.

Crewe has always been a key rail interchange, but you can’t see The Alex troubling the Premier League for a long time. I will admit, however, that the European point has always stung. Whisper it quietly, but I can’t deny that I’ve always looked at Newcastle fans travelling across the continent to watch their club with more than a twinge of jealousy.

Not for the experience of travelling around with a rabble of pissed-up, boorish Mags, of course, but for the prospect of seeing beautiful, historic cities and experiencing what they have to offer with your fellow fans. Sunderland’s travelling support has been one constant throughout the turmoil of recent decades. Even in the darkest times, when attendances at the SOL dwindled, we would still pack out the away ends at dilapidated, half-finished League One grounds across the country.