Fan Letters: The “Coping with Jack Clarke leaving Sunderland” Edition

Expensive Roker Report,

I have to admit that I used to be as shocked as everybody when it appeared Sunderland had folded on Jack Clarke, accepting a decrease bid than we had all anticipated whereas holding the whip hand in negotiations, contemplating:

• 2 years left on his contract
• Per week to go earlier than the switch deadline
• Leeds and Southampton seemingly hovering
• The lad not seeming determined to maneuver

Nevertheless, earlier than leaping to conclusions, it could be sensible for fellow Sunderland followers to take a couple of deep breaths. The data at present circulating is usually produced by clickbait, gutter press journalists (and the Italian man, who, to be honest, is normally proper). Correct details about transfers tends to emerge later, if in any respect. Let’s not leap to judgment, as there’s usually extra occurring behind the scenes than is publicly identified.

Good luck to Clarke in his future endeavors. He’s been a very good servant, has at all times maintained a optimistic perspective, and constantly delivered when it mattered.

If Clarke passes his medical and strikes on, we have to look forward and keep away from losing time gnashing our enamel over one thing we will’t change.

Seeking to the long run, there are two potential optimistic outcomes:

1. Mundle and/or Watson would possibly seize this chance to step up and present what they’ve received. Some might even see this as unlikely, however keep in mind, Clarke didn’t precisely mild it up instantly when he first received into the crew.
2. This example is an enormous check of the ‘mannequin,’ one thing we’ve been anticipating for some time. It’s been clear for a while that shedding Clarke was a definite chance. We’ve received to belief that the recruitment crew has a listing of potential replacements, a few of whom might have beforehand been out of our value vary however now aren’t. Hopefully, they’ve some exercise lined up for the subsequent week, and failing that, the January switch window. That stated, we should keep away from squandering Clarke’s legacy by panic shopping for.

Thanks for the reminiscences, Jack. I’m positive the overwhelming majority of followers want you nothing however good luck sooner or later. If this deal has certainly gone via, it’s time for us to maneuver on, help the crew, and have some religion.

Matthew Taylor

Expensive Roker Report,

I’m undecided if I’m lacking one thing right here, however with all of the anti-Speakman brigade kicking into gear, am I flawed in considering that he has simply made Sunderland AFC roughly £15 million just about single-handedly by recognizing Clarke and recruiting him?

I don’t keep in mind many followers suggesting we should always go and get him three years in the past. If the cash is used correctly to recruit in the precise areas (which I’ve no motive to doubt given the monitor document), then this might be good enterprise.

As Martin stated within the podcast, if Clarke (whom I thank for all he’s carried out and want properly) didn’t need to go to Ipswich, he may have merely refused.

Ian Hack

Expensive Roker Report,

Been some time, however it’s more durable to articulate “I’m very proud of the membership, right here’s an enormous thumbs up” than to air a grievance. So right here goes.

I couldn’t be extra upset about Jack Clarke being flogged for buttons. Firstly, we’re letting our greatest participant go. There’s no sum of money that may change that. Watching Jack Clarke is a pleasure that we should always really feel privileged to have as followers, particularly within the second division. He’s nice on the attention and extremely productive. So there’s that.

Secondly, it’s going to be exhausting to interchange our high aim scorer. We discovered that with Ross Stewart. No matter what you consider his accidents, we misplaced an excellent participant and didn’t exchange him.

Thirdly, the figures. £15m after “very attainable add-ons” is nonsense. Leeds have offered 4 gamers for extra, and I don’t suppose any are in the identical dialog as Jack Clarke. So not solely have we misplaced our greatest participant, however we’ve additionally been bent over and brought benefit of by a cowboy outfit now flush with money. We aren’t ready the place we have to promote, it’s the again finish of the window, and we maintain all of the playing cards.

The membership have constructed up a whole lot of good religion not too long ago, and rightly in order final season was a practice wreck, and never a very good one. However now with the squad, we’re nearly the place we have been final season, however down simply shy of half of our objectives. So now we’ve received to interchange these earlier than we’re degree with sixteenth final season.

Can somebody give me a single motive as to why this transfer is a good suggestion?

If it’s for Jack Clarke, who I do consider has greater than outperformed what he owes us for taking an opportunity, then certainly we will get him a greater membership than Ipswich?

We’re a soccer membership on the finish of the day. Sure, it’s a enterprise, however nonetheless, if I have been that bothered in regards to the figures, I’d be watching The Apprentice at 3pm every Saturday fairly than the match. For all these nerds on the market giving it “properly truly” when letting fellow followers know why promoting our greatest participant is sweet, please suppose twice and provides us a footballing motive.

Jake Taylor

Ed’s Word [Gav]: My intestine feeling is that there’s extra to this than meets the attention. If Clarke has privately been pushing to get his transfer and Ipswich are the one Premier League membership all for assembly our valuation, then it’s what it’s. If he wished to remain he’d flip them down. I want he’d keep however on the similar time, I don’t need us to maintain sad gamers. We simply have to maneuver on. I like Jack to bits however we’re not a one man crew and we’ll recover from it.

Picture by MI Information/NurPhoto through Getty Photographs

Expensive Roker Report,

My first response was disbelief. Now, because the mud is settling, I really feel much more incensed.

Leaving apart some other switch in or out, this represents a grotesque betrayal of belief. A gap gambit, I and hundreds of others thought. Not a little bit of it!

What are they considering? Archie Grey, Summerville, Rutter — every offered for double, however certainly not price double. That is gross incompetence contemplating the present market, and Tottenham are due an enormous slice into the discount. Please clarify to me how this may be considered a very good deal!

In my final publish, I intimated that the Ross Stewart payment has been absorbed into the bottom upkeep fund and never spent on strengthening the squad. The approaching deal is additional proof.

Get actual, whoever is accountable—this payment is a joke. I perceive the “mannequin,” or thought I did, however come on!

What would be the subsequent chapter of The Sunderland Benevolent Society?

Arthur Grey

Ed’s Word [Gav]: I suppose he’s solely price what somebody is ready to pay for him. The membership are in a shit scenario actually I believe — we may outright refuse to promote him however then we’d have an sad participant and we’d additionally danger ever making any cash on him by any means. I’m additionally guessing we have been banking on a sale of some type to have the ability to facilitate a few of our incomings. It’s what it’s. I’m not over the moon with the payment however I’m positive there’s most likely an inexpensive clarification.

Picture by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC through Getty Photographs

Expensive Roker Report,

In my 24 years of supporting Sunderland, I’ve by no means been as affected by a participant’s departure as I’ve been with Jack Clarke — a stark actuality which broke through a textual content from my youthful brother that didn’t beat across the bush: ‘Clarke has gone’.

The information of his transfer to Ipswich for round £20 million has left an extremely bitter style in my mouth and has frankly tainted a number of the happiest occasions I’ve skilled as a Sunderland fan.

Whereas my emotions on the matter are nonetheless very uncooked, the sentiment of my response stays: how can the songs of 40,000+ followers, the worshipping by grown males, and the idolisation by each younger lad on Wearside not be sufficient to influence him to remain? The place is the loyalty, the respect, the love for a membership that rejuvenated his profession and put him on the map?

Clarke’s choice to depart Sunderland can be a better tablet to swallow have been he going to a longtime Premier League outfit comparable to Liverpool, like Jordan Henderson. However Ipswich? Actually? What’s extra, the value tag connected to the participant — and thus the accepted provide — is an insult.

Leeds offered Clarke to Spurs for £10 million when he was nonetheless a juvenile, and now Sunderland are saying that the entire progress, the talents, the objectives, acquired over the previous few years on Wearside are price a measly £20 million? In at the moment’s market, that is an absolute discount.

I’m properly conscious that, on the finish of the day, ‘it’s solely soccer’ and there are a lot better points on the planet than this, however for somebody who pays £400+ for a season ticket, follows the lads house and away, buys the kits, lives and breathes SAFC, this hurts.

The Stadium of Mild will, little question, be that bit quieter on Saturday as we face off in opposition to Burnley with out our talismanic winger, however to that, I say: good riddance.

Joe Raine

Ed’s Word [Gav]: Cautious Joe – the Ipswich followers can be after you for saying that! It’s a crap transfer on a footballing degree. He’ll be again within the Championship subsequent season.

Expensive Roker Report,

Effectively, it’s goodbye to somebody who has been a stellar servant for Sunderland. One who has given 100% each recreation. A recreation changer: by no means pushed for a transfer: however wouldn’t signal for the membership he appears to be very proud of. I suppose most followers can be gobsmacked at shedding Clarke, however hey, that is the lifetime of a footballer.

No matter occurs, my buddy, I hope you can be blissful in your new house — you can be sorely missed. Onward and upward, bon voyage.

However wouldn’t or not it’s ironic if this 12 months Sunderland received promoted and Ipswich have been demoted? Sorry, Jack, you’ll have made a fake pas there, younger lad, however I nonetheless want you the perfect of luck.

Harry Nixon

Expensive Roker Report,

Regardless of our good outcomes in opposition to Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday, the unhappy information about Jack Clarke’s departure has received me interested by how lengthy sure golf equipment have been exiled from the highest flight. We’ve already been out of the highest flight for longer than some other interval in our historical past. We NEED to get again asap, or else the identical destiny might befall us because it has with different golf equipment. Apologies for the size of this checklist, however I’m making an attempt for instance my level as vividly as I can. Bear with me:

• Middlesbrough relegated in 2009, have been again for one season since
• Portsmouth relegated in 2010, haven’t been again since
• Birmingham and Blackpool relegated in 2011, haven’t been again since
• Bolton and Blackburn relegated in 2012, haven’t been again since
• Wigan and Studying relegated in 2013, haven’t been again since
• QPR relegated in 2015, haven’t been again since
• Sunderland, Middlesbrough, and Hull relegated in 2017, haven’t been again since
• Swansea and Stoke relegated in 2018, haven’t been again since
• Cardiff and Huddersfield relegated in 2019, haven’t been again since
• Ipswich relegated in 2002, took 22 years to get again
• Huddersfield relegated in 1972, took 45 years to get again
• Leeds relegated in 2004, took 16 years to get again
• Brentford relegated in 1947, took 74 years to get again
• Bradford Metropolis relegated in 1922, took 77 years to get again; relegated in 2001, haven’t been again since
• Coventry relegated in 2001, haven’t been again since
• Stoke relegated in 1985, took 23 years to get again
• Carlisle relegated in 1975, haven’t been again since
• Preston relegated in 1961, haven’t been again since
• Blackpool relegated in 1971, took 39 years to get again
• Blackburn relegated in 1966, took 26 years to get again
• Sheffield Wednesday relegated in 2000, haven’t been again since
• Forest relegated in 1999, took 23 years to get again
• Bradford Park Avenue relegated in 1921, haven’t been again since
• Grimsby relegated in 1948, haven’t been again since
• Notts County relegated in 1926, took 55 years to get again; relegated in 1992, haven’t been again since
• Barnsley relegated in 1998, haven’t been again since
• Oldham relegated in 1994, haven’t been again since
• Swindon relegated in 1994, haven’t been again since
• Bury relegated in 1929, haven’t been again since
• Bristol Metropolis relegated in 1911, took 66 years to get again; relegated in 1980, haven’t been again since
• Northampton relegated in 1966, haven’t been again since
• Brighton relegated in 1983, took 34 years to get again
• Charlton relegated in 1957, took 29 years to get again; relegated in 2007, haven’t been again since
• Burnley relegated in 1976, took 33 years to get again
• Fulham relegated in 1968, took 33 years to get again
• Derby relegated in 2008, haven’t been again since
• Leyton Orient relegated in 1963, haven’t been again since
• Luton relegated in 1992, took 31 years to get again
• Millwall relegated in 1990, haven’t been again since
• Oxford relegated in 1988, haven’t been again since
• Swansea relegated in 1983, took 28 years to get again
• Cardiff relegated in 1962, took 51 years to get again
• Wolves relegated in 1984, took 29 years to get again

Do you get my level? We’ve been out of the highest flight for FAR too lengthy already. We NEED to get again, asap.

Nervous sick,

Benji Eckford