Dead Rubbers? Try telling that to paying fans 

19/04/2024 17:12

"Sunderland's season has come to a quiet and unassuming ending - but the dead-rubber attitude should be avoided," writes Paddy Hollis.

The end of the season sees several teams stuck in the limbo of midtable. They can't go down and they can no longer threaten the top six, leaving a few games where they can either hunker down and see out the campaign, or try some new things such as tactics or blooding academy products.

With Sunderland, it feels as though our 'on the beach' period was that six-match losing streak earlier in the season. Since then the players seem to have upped their game and have played much better as a unit.

It's hard to pinpoint just when Sunderland's season stopped being one in which we had something to play for, but the last few games have seen us go into games with this attitude. Away trips to West Brom and Leeds were against teams very much in the promotion picture, and the term 'dead-rubber' was bandied around.

With three games left, including an away trip down to Watford, it would be good to not go into them with the 'minds on the beach' attitude. Luckily, our last two away trips have seen the players keep committed and pick up four points.

Labelling matches, particularly away games, as 'dead rubbers' feels like a bit of an insult to paying fans. Thousands went down to Cardiff and we sold out at Leeds and then West Brom. These fans wouldn't have wanted to be told that they were spending hard-earned money to watch a game where other fans tell them there's nothing to play for. Our away following deserves that at least.

Our final away day of the season down at Watford sold out quickly, to the surprise of no one. This will be against a side also cemented into mid-table, and there might even be something to play for in terms of finishing in the top half which given the almighty implosion we had in February and March, wouldn't be a bad recovery.

I'm off to Watford away and I'll be pissed off if I turn up with 2,000 other Sunderland fans and watch our club's players look as though their minds are on the beach. In our situation and with a big summer ahead, players of all levels of experience should be chomping at the bit to show they have a part to play in the next chapter of our club.

Maintaining a 'there's no such thing as a dead rubber' attitude should also maintain a positive mentality. Players should be putting their all into games, regardless of it being the fourth or 44th game of the season. Building positivity heading into the summer is going to be huge, and what better way to do that than by winning football matches and playing well?

In fairness to Mike Dodds and the players, they have recovered well from that collapse earlier in the season. We're tougher to beat, and we've started taking more chances. With three games left, Dodds has made a rallying call, saying that the players will continue to give their all for the fans so we can go into the summer with positivity.

So on that note, over to you Doddsy and the boys.