Another Unwanted Record For Sunderland?

Posted by Luke on February 21, 2008 5:32 PM | Permalink

Sunderland have collected unwanted records in the Premier League almost as often as the government loses the confidential records of its citizens so they could do without another one against Portsmouth this weekend.

Twice the Black Cats have broken the record for the lowest number of points in a Premier League season as they were twice sent crashing back down to the Premier League in humiliating fashion.

No team has won less games at home than the Wearsiders (one in the 2005/6 season) in a season and no fans have had less to cheer about in the top flight in recent years than Sunderland’s.

But even in a season which has not plummeted to such lows, Sunderland are on the verge of collecting another unwanted piece of history unless they can beat Pompey at Fratton Park on Saturday.

Despite winning their last four home games in the Premier League to put some distance between themselves and the bottom three, Sunderland still have the worst away record in the top division with just two points from a possible 39.

They have had nothing to show for their efforts on the road since Liam Miller’s spectacular last-minute equaliser against Middlesbrough on September 22, a dreadful run of nine consecutive defeats.

Lose at Fratton Park and they will equal the record set 43 years ago in the 1964/5 season by a side containing such illustrious Sunderland names as Charlie Hurley and Jim Montgomery.

Lose at Derby County seven days later and the embarrassment of being beaten by the bottom of the table team will pale into insignificance when compared to the fact they will have become the side with the worst away record in the club’s history. Even the knowledge that Newcastle United were also beaten at Pride Park this season will not offer any comfort from that little piece of trivia.

For all of the confidence which has exuded from the Sunderland camp since the 2-0 win over fellow strugglers Wigan a fortnight ago, the Black Cats remain in relegation trouble and they must not forget it.

A four-point cushion can quickly disappear when there are 12 games left to play, the away form is terrible and the next two home games are against Chelsea and Everton. Yes, the relegation fight is in their hands now, but that does not necessarily mean the fight is going to be won. That - in stark contrast to a boxing match - can only be done with the feet!

Nobody can doubt that Sunderland have improved considerably as the season has progressed and that is to their credit, but plenty of teams have become complacent at this stage and fallen straight back into trouble.

There is a typically overused cliche which says no team is too good to go down, which isn’t strictly true because only three out of 20 ever do and I think it’s pretty safe to say that neither Arsenal or Manchester United will be relegated anytime soon - but in Sunderland’s case it does apply.

They have got themselves out of trouble, but unless they take something from their next two games I fear they could be right back in the nasty smelling brown stuff in time for Easter.