Rayvin

Larger financial incentives for winning it. Perhaps something really radical like 10 points added in the league? Bizarre as that would be, it might justify the effort for some clubs - would certainly get the big teams interested again. I acknowledge it'd probably also cause chaos though. The Champs League spot is a thought if we could get UEFA behind it - sacrifice position 4 in the League for it maybe? If one of the big teams won it, it would just revert to form I guess.

Cardiff have Bolton in the next round. That would have been winnable.

Very true. Allardyce takes the biscuit though, the man is a total disgrace. Those West Ham fans basically travelled up to Nottingham to watch their under 21s lose 5-0 to a Championship team, with their manager giving up hope mid way through the second half when they were only a goal down. I think that's the most brazen 'throwing' of a game I've ever seen.

Relegation aside though, Allardyce has totally hung his kids out to dry. I get that he has a diminished squad, but he pulled three senior players off in the second half when they were 1-0 down, leaving them leaderless and without hope. And let a bunch of kids endure what will probably be one of the most miserable afternoons of their careers. I'd be utterly appalled if we did that, regardless of the situation that the club was in... And now it's 4...

Good God... this puts yesterday in perspective at least...

They're in serious shit IMO. Allardyce is currently fielding 9 under21s or something crazy like that. And they have City on Wednesday, that's going to be an absolute massacre.

Cardiff have apparently taken 6000 to Sunderland today..! It'll be like they're playing at home...

West Ham losing to Forest...

There's a Champs League spot available for winning Europa from next year - you don't think that'd persuade him it's worth a go do you?

I guess so. Unless Pardew really believed that a second string team could beat Cardiff. Although to be quite honest, I thought that team was good enough to beat them comfortably. So I'm not really sure why we didn't - even Cisse scored, so it's not like he was a total passenger.

I think the fact we played Elliot at all indicates that we don't care. If he isn't good enough for PL games, why would he be good enough for a cup game against a PL team? I know Krul is 'out injured' but if he is miraculously available for City then I think that will speak volumes. And even if he was, we could do with a better backup goalie. Although I hope to God that he's back for City...

Haha wow..!

I bet that's a real person as well

I was going to say before, he's given me a sense of perspective on all of this. A cup exit, while annoying, actually isn't the end of the world. I still think we're moving forward, just about.

Either your heart isn't in this or you're just rubbish. Incidentally, I understand Sunderland have sold about 30k for their "massive" semi final home leg against Man Utd. That's about 16k short of capacity isn't it? So the attendance thing isn't going to work for you any better than the bizarre 'we may be about to be relegated but it's better than being 10th' thing you were trying earlier. I note you've abandoned that, good call.

That's what I think too. I know coming 8th isn't going to sound like a big deal, but the league is split in two this year. If we come 8th, we're at the bottom of the top teams - rather than at the top/middle end of the shite. That's progress in my view. And as 'Stones says, a couple of buys could really make the difference. And I do think we will buy when the right players come along, even if it's someone like Anita who has been a slow burner.

Don't give it all up just yet; we could just be having a poor run of games - the cup loss is unfortunate but if we can rediscover our form from earlier in the next two or three weeks I think I'll consider that we've moved on as a football club, even if it's not as far on as we'd hope.

An interesting sentiment.

That's the spirit - you just needed to look on the bright side. Relegation is "exciting" and you're right about the semi final. I guess you're this year's Bradford City. Something to aspire to anyway - best of luck with that. God I'm bored...

What even happened? That video has a laughable attempt at a replay but obviously comes from before the time cameras were everywhere.

...you guys think that maybe we went too far? I hope he hasn't done anything drastic... Getting relegated isn't the end of the world mate! Look at Wolves, they're making a decent fist of it in League One.

How are you not more concerned with what's going on at your own club? You're going to be relegated. And I don't really see your team coming back up if I'm honest. We may be stuck in mediocrity, but we're not going down. You aren't going to be able to 'fight for your place'. I saw Poyet's interview last week - he looked like a man who regretted everything about his decision to join Sunderland. You're running out of teams you're vaguely capable of beating, you really are. And you've just come on here to taunt us about the fact that we're going to be 10th. I guess the implication should be that we should be envious that we're not in a relegation fight? Mad bastard.

Maybe he said assist and it got messed up in translation somewhere? Still not sure what he's expecting that to sound like though.

I'd actually forgotten that Sunderland existed. Them too, I guess.

I can't find any links to an interview with him but if he said that he can fuck right off. Why would anyone want to go and watch this team play in the FA Cup after the last few years? I'm amazed we got 25k.