Sunderland Dream Team 1998-2008

How do they compare with the current Sunderland 11?



As a big fan of Craig Gordon, I'd have to say I prefer him over Tommy, even considering THAT penalty save!



Phil Bardsley looks quality and he reminds me a lot of the 'tractor', but John Kay wins this hands down for now. Bardo WILL become a legend though in my opinion. 1 all.



Am I the only one who didn't like Mickey Gray? I'd much prefer Collins to be honest, but if I'm going to be fair, Gray DID get an England cap so unfortunately, I'll have to give it to him. 2-1 to the legends!



Jody Craddock was a surprise inclusion in the Dream Team, but deserving nonetheless. He was solid and uncompromising and a model pro, but up against Johnny Evans, I'm afraid there is no comparison. Johnny takes this slot for me and that makes it Legends XI 2-2 Current XI.



Bennett versus Nosworthy is a tough one because Nos has become such a cult hero and there are obvious similarities, however Bennett simply HAS to win this category. His commitment to Sunderland was incredible; one of our greatest ever servants.



Nicky Summerbee is one of my favourite all time players and I had to have him above Carlos Edwards, despite Carlos being my current favourite player! Such a tough call, but the legends go 4-2 up!



Allan Johnston was never proven at the top level. A great player to watch, quality skills, simply Magic, but unfortunately for him, I'm plumping for Rico. Richardson has a great future ahead of him, is already an England international and will become integral to our team. 4-3.



Kevin Ball versus Dean Whitehead in the holding role is a non-contest. Bally wins hands down, and takes the captaincy from him too!



Schwarz was a very, very good, solid player, although I think we'd lack a bit of creativity with him and Bally in the middle. Reid is also left footed and I think I'd prefer his 'wand' to Schwarz's endeavour. 5-4



The vote for our 'Strikers Legends' was a foregone conclusion. So is this. Jones is quality, but he has a long, long way to go to ever be in Quinn's bracket. 6-4



As above. Phillips versus Chopra/Murphy is another walkover. Sunderland Legends XI 7-4 Sunderland Current XI

So a solid win for the legends! Would anyone disagree?

SAFC Dream Team as voted for by SAFC 606ers

Finally.........

After 11 articles, more than 400 votes, 109 article ratings, 440 comments and 157 candidates the Sunderland Dream Team 1988-2008 is complete!

The vote wasn't as straightforward as we may have thought, with Craddock, Schwarz and Johnston ousting favourites Melville, Hutch and Arca, however I think that the majority is a fair reflection and we've arrived at a pretty damn good team!

Player	Appearances	Goals
GK: Thomas Sorensen	171	0
LB: Michael Gray	363	16
RB: John Kay	236	0
CB: Gary Bennett	369	23
CB: Jody Craddock	146	2
RW: Nicky Summerbee	94	7
LW: Allan Johnston	87	19
CM: Kevin Ball	388	27
CM: Stefan Schwarz	75	3
CF: Kevin Phillips	235	130
CF: Niall Quinn	220	69

Subs

S1: Mart Poom	68	1
S2: Andy Melville	236	14
S3: Julio Arca	177	23
S4: Don Hutchison	39	10
S5: Marco Gabbiadini	185	87

Thanks for all of your contributions.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A34002578

Flash

Choose Life!

CHOOSE SUNDERLAND

It's been a long time since I've seen one of these knocking about so I thought I'd have a go at writing one myself. It's a veiled attempt at humour, and it's basically an exercise to pass the time, so I hope this is taken in the vain it's intended and that the glaring hypocrisy of it is overlooked!!!!

Based on the majestic 'Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh', I give you 'Choose Sunderland'!

Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a football team. Choose Newcastle Utd. Choose trying to buy the title and blowing a 12 point lead. Choose humiliating yourself live on Sky when Fergie outwitted you. Choose crying on the tele. Choose only remembering football games from 1993 onwards. Choose 52,000 and forget 9,000. Choose genuflecting in front of Shearer, your hero. Choose Shepherd and Hall. Choose the fake sheikh. Choose scandal all over the national newspapers. Choose Geordie women being called dogs. Choose £5 football shirts. Choose a brothel. Choose bridges, so many bridges in fact you may as well concrete over your stench ridden river. Choose Gullit. Choose dropping your star man. Choose losing to your local rivals. Choose the rematch and recalling your hero. Choose him missing a pen in the last minute. Choose wearing your shirt every day on holiday. Choose sweat patches. Choose Keiron Dyer. Choose 7 up. Choose sacking a man like Bobby Robson. Choose Bramble. Choose Guivarch. Choose Fumaca. Choose Boumsong. Choose Cacapa. Choose Smith. Choose 20,000 fans coming to welcome Owen. Choose 52,000 booing him. Choose Allardyce, the Mackem. Choose injuries. Choose mental tactics. Choose Derby County. Twice. Choose Fat Ashley. Choose his shirt. Choose stretch marks. Choose the Bigg Market. Choose him clubbing. Choose one rule for one and one for the other. Choose 10 grand tips so he can dance in his shirt. Choose your airport of which your so inherently proud, even though Sunderland own it too. Choose reappointing Keegan. Choose Special K. Choose the Messiah in January even though he'll be executed at Easter. Choose entertaining football. Choose booing. Choose racial abuse at Mido. Choose racial abuse at Hadji and Chippo. Choose waving cereal boxes at Keegan. Choose no win since December. Choose a European challenge becoming a relegation battle. Choose delusion. Choose spitting the dummy out. Choose blaming Shearer. Choose Shearer undermining your boss on national TV. Choose idiot fans not eating bacon because it's red and white. Choose obesity. Choose Greggs. Choose thrashing after thrashing. Choose being a big club despite winning nowt for God knows how many years. Choose the Fairs cup that no longer exists. Choose the Intertoto Cup. Choose Scott Parker looking proud holding it. Choose debt. Choose a hotch potch stadium. Choose Friends of the Town Moor (FTM) protesting against a new stadium. Choose a 'soccer circus'.

Fuck that! I chose Sunderland. I chose a life!

Flash The Mackem

I'm just messing around at the moment.

I'm hoping to create a Blogspot for all to use as a sort of 'forum', much like 606 provided by the BBC, although I won't prohibit bad language or freedom of speech!