Wee visit to watch Sunderland today

[Since90+2]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

There's not a huge amount of clubs bigger than Sunderland in England and most of them will be in the premiership.

Just because they're currently pish doesn't mean they're a wee team.

Yip. Sunderland had an attendance of 29,000 on Saturday playing against Fleetwood Town in the English third tier. You don't have that level of support without being a big club. If Hibs were playing at the same level in Scotland we'd probably be getting around 6k.

You can also point to the fact that they have about 300,000 more Twitter followers than Celtic.

[SirDavidsNapper]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Yip. Sunderland had an attendance of 29,000 on Saturday playing against Fleetwood Town in the English third tier. You don't have that level of support without being a big club. If Hibs were playing at the same level in Scotland we'd probably be getting around 6k.

You can also point to the fact that they have about 300,000 more Twitter followers than Celtic.

Attendances mean nothing. They won their last major trophy in 1973 and the last top league title was pre war. The only thing of note Sunderland have done in 50 years is move to a huge stadium they cant fill.

[Since90+2]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Attendances mean nothing. They won their last major trophy in 1973 and the last top league title was pre war. The only thing of note Sunderland have done in 50 years is move to a huge stadium they cant fill.

I think the fact they can still get almost 30,000 fans at a game in the third tier despite winning nothing proves how big a club they are. They are a bigger club than Hibs by some distance , let's be honest about that.

[Cod Boy]

Was at the game yesterday Fleetwood played very well and Sunderland looked ordinary. Don’t think they will win the league.

[SirDavidsNapper]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I think the fact they can still get almost 30,000 fans at a game in the third tier despite winning nothing proves how big a club they are. They are a bigger club than Hibs by some distance , let's be honest about that.

To me Sunderland are a 3rd division English club who just drew with Fleetwood at home and haven't won anything in a generation. Yes they have a big fanbase and can pay a lot more than Hibs but its all relative to the countries both clubs play in. Hibs are much bigger in Scotland than Sunderland are in England.

[eastcoasthibby]

Big big club Sunderland but in a massive slump and dont think what they have playing for them will see them go up. A few fans I spoke to yesterday have real doubts that they think Jack Ross is the manager they need to get them there......

[cleanyman]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

To me Sunderland are a 3rd division English club who just drew with Fleetwood at home and haven't won anything in a generation. Yes they have a big fanbase and can pay a lot more than Hibs but its all relative to the countries both clubs play in. Hibs are much bigger in Scotland than Sunderland are in England.

Are Hearts a bigger club than Hibs

[Lancs Harp]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

To me Sunderland are a 3rd division English club who just drew with Fleetwood at home and haven't won anything in a generation. Yes they have a big fanbase and can pay a lot more than Hibs but its all relative to the countries both clubs play in. Hibs are much bigger in Scotland than Sunderland are in England.

I think thats a fair and very interesting point.

[Eyrie]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

To me Sunderland are a 3rd division English club who just drew with Fleetwood at home and haven't won anything in a generation. Yes they have a big fanbase and can pay a lot more than Hibs but its all relative to the countries both clubs play in. Hibs are much bigger in Scotland than Sunderland are in England.

So we're a big fish in a small pond and they're a small fish in a big pond.

Problem is that even a small fish down there is the size of our big fish because of the TV money they're swimming in.

[Smartie]

Sunderland might turn out to be a good move for a player who served us well, and we should hope it works out for him.

[DstN75]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Grass really greener ? Depends what you want from life...I know lots of people who earn 4 times more than me that are miserable as sin, divorced, stressed and verging on depression.

A footballers career may be short, but they should be 12-15 years of happiness, getting to play the game you love, full of highs and great memories that also earn you a handsome wage. I don't think there is any doubt that last season with Hibs was the happiest and most fulfilling of his career. Playing well, mostly injury free, adored by the fans and playing in a successful team with a great dressing room atmosphere. He now has more money in his pocket and none of that. I don't see that as greener grass. More lucrative maybe.

Good post, all true. Not necessarily an argument for Dylan to have stayed at Hibs though.

[DstN75]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

To me Sunderland are a 3rd division English club who just drew with Fleetwood at home and haven't won anything in a generation. Yes they have a big fanbase and can pay a lot more than Hibs but its all relative to the countries both clubs play in. Hibs are much bigger in Scotland than Sunderland are in England.

On that basis if Vikingur Gota of the Faroes had tabled a bid for Dylan he should have gone there!

Sunderland are in a terrible slump but they have huge resources and new owners. They have been terribly run for years and it's not unreasonably optimistic to expect this to be the bottom of the downswing and for the club to be back in the top tier and going on cup runs etc fairly soon. If things go equally well for Hibs on our own terms I guess that would equate to us maybe winning the cup again. And Dylan's already done that.

[HH81]

Going tomorrow to the game.

Staying over in Newcastle so hoping for a decent game.

[HibbyDave]

Pint in The Grange pre match if you get off Metro one stop before the stadium of light

[HH81]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Pint in The Grange pre match if you get off Metro one stop before the stadium of light

Cheers. Going with a Sunderland fan so hopefully he will know where to have a drink. Will mention it though.

[Iggy Pope]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Cheers. Going with a Sunderland fan so hopefully he will know where to have a drink. Will mention it though.

Don't know if Idols is still on the go....those were some places in the North East!

[Smartie]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Don't know if Idols is still on the go....those were some places in the North East!

Idols in Newcastle was outstanding.

I remember going to a 70s night in there with a DJ called Sammy Shortshaft, and it was one of the funniest and best nights out I ever had.

[Cod Boy]

Pub a couple of minutes walk from stadium of light station called the wheatchef. Had a comedian guy upstairs which is good fun.

[Cardinal G]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Pub a couple of minutes walk from stadium of light station called the wheatchef. Had a comedian guy upstairs which is good fun.

Aye he is called wee phillie, big sunderland fan.

Quite a few clips on you tube give you a flavour of his show.

Wasn't sure of him at first but I've warmed to him, takes the piss a fair bit but also laughs at himself.

[Hibrandenburg]

I've just read that the Spice Girls will be playing at the Stadium of Light on the 6th of June 2019. Should be an easy 3 points for them.

[Keith_M]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I've just read that the Spice Girls will be playing at the Stadium of Light on the 6th of June 2019. Should be an easy 3 points for them.

[HH81]

A poor half of football.

[Smartie]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

A poor half of football.

I went down to a few Sunderland games last season.

It was amazing how difficult the fans could make it for their own players to play at the Stadium of Light at times - a bad half would lead to nerves setting in and normally a capitulation.

They seem to have a bit more resilience about themselves these days.

Of the players who played for them last season I don't think I'd have kept one of them - they were all absolutely dreadful and some of them on frightening sums of money.


How is Dylan playing?

[EH54]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I went down to a few Sunderland games last season.

It was amazing how difficult the fans could make it for their own players to play at the Stadium of Light at times - a bad half would lead to nerves setting in and normally a capitulation.

They seem to have a bit more resilience about themselves these days.

Of the players who played for them last season I don't think I'd have kept one of them - they were all absolutely dreadful and some of them on frightening sums of money.


How is Dylan playing?

He's been taken off, had a look at their forum. He's too negative and always goes back the way apparantly. Impatient negative bunch of fans no wonder right enough but reminds me of us before we got relegated.

[Famous Fiver]

To use modern jargon, my opinion is that Dylan manages the play. He never makes the Hollywood pass but will always look to keep possession even if that means a short, sideways, or backwards pass.

He covers a lot of areas looking to intercept and pass on to a colleague in space.

That does not satisfy the fans who are looking for game changers and goal scoring heroes.

He's a guy i would always have in my team.

[B.H.F.C]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

To use modern jargon, my opinion is that Dylan manages the play. He never makes the Hollywood pass but will always look to keep possession even if that means a short, sideways, or backwards pass.

He covers a lot of areas looking to intercept and pass on to a colleague in space.

That does not satisfy the fans who are looking for game changers and goal scoring heroes.

He's a guy i would always have in my team.

Absolutely agree with your last sentence.

He needs to be in there with the right players though. If he’s not, then I can see why the Sunderland fans won’t have taken to him because, on the face of it, all he’s doing is playing simple 10 yard passes which people will perceive as negative. He always had forward thinking players round him at Hibs. A 10 yard pass to a McGinn or a Boyle who would then take you 40 yards up the pitch suddenly made the 10 yard passes he was making important. If him and Lee Cattermole are just passing it square to each other at Sunderland then it doesn’t quite look as good all of a sudden.

[Ryan69]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

To use modern jargon, my opinion is that Dylan manages the play. He never makes the Hollywood pass but will always look to keep possession even if that means a short, sideways, or backwards pass.

He covers a lot of areas looking to intercept and pass on to a colleague in space.

That does not satisfy the fans who are looking for game changers and goal scoring heroes.

He's a guy i would always have in my team.

So going to Sunderland...Has turned him into Barry the crab then.

[HH81]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I went down to a few Sunderland games last season.

It was amazing how difficult the fans could make it for their own players to play at the Stadium of Light at times - a bad half would lead to nerves setting in and normally a capitulation.

They seem to have a bit more resilience about themselves these days.

Of the players who played for them last season I don't think I'd have kept one of them - they were all absolutely dreadful and some of them on frightening sums of money.


How is Dylan playing?

He had a lot of the ball 1st half and made a few decent passes. Sunderland as a team were poor though so that won't have helped. He was taken off early 2nd half. I reckon Wycombe wouldn't have scored if he had been on the pitch but in saying that I'm not convinced Sunderland would have.

Wasn't overly impressed with both sides. Expected Sunderland to be better. Decent ground and there was a museum near it with a bar which was excellent and worth a visit. Signed shirts and lots of football stuff. Chilled out and we walked round have a beer. Great place.

Over 30,000 on the gate too.

[Smartie]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

He had a lot of the ball 1st half and made a few decent passes. Sunderland as a team were poor though so that won't have helped. He was taken off early 2nd half. I reckon Wycombe wouldn't have scored if he had been on the pitch but in saying that I'm not convinced Sunderland would have.

Wasn't overly impressed with both sides. Expected Sunderland to be better. Decent ground and there was a museum near it with a bar which was excellent and worth a visit. Signed shirts and lots of football stuff. Chilled out and we walked round have a beer. Great place.

Over 30,000 on the gate too.

I quite like going down there. Very easy to get to from Edinburgh, no problem getting tickets but you still get decent crowds.

On my visits last season I have to say that whilst I understood that Sunderland were bad, I really didn't think much of the other Championship teams either. There was an awful lot of brawn on show, a lot of graft, size, strength and effort and very little actual quality. I can only imagine it will be worse with them being down a level.

When I was watching them last season I thought they were crying out for the Hibs equivalent in every position, so it isn't hugely surprising to hear them linked with many of the same players as us as I don't think it would be hard to drastically improve on what they had last season for only a very modest outlay.

That's why I'm curious as to how Dylan is getting on, as they were murdered in midfield nearly every time I saw them last year, and they looked like they were crying out for someone to put their foot on the ball and join their team up, yet they don't seem to have really warmed to him.