Page 121 - 368603 LP250721 AWY AWY AWY Book (238pp A5)

on the bench at Derby. We’ve got a big squad and Roy Keane is of course encouraging players to fight for their places but it’s good to know that we’ve got some quality on the bench again. Some players, Stead and Lawrence at once come to mind, will either have to seriously pull their socks up or get out. With a world-famous man like Keane in charge we’re going to attract other quality players when the transfer window opens again.
We now play Leeds at Elland Road tomorrow evening, which is the closest we get to a derby game these days, and it’s always been a tough fixture but I fancy us to get at least a draw. A win would shoot us rapidly up the table but I’m trying not to get too carried away. This would set us up for the home match against Leicester on Saturday. Our allocation of five thousand tickets for Leeds has been sold out and if all goes well, I’m sure we’d get forty thousand on Saturday. Having endured the ridicule of the nation’s fans twice in the last five years, particularly those of us who have to work side by side with Mags, we’re relishing any good things that come our way. With a motivational manager like Roy Keane, a large squad of talented players, who’ve already shown that they’ve got what it takes at this level, and a huge fanbase roaring them on I’d say Sunderland are now the team to try and beat in the Championship.
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