Jerseybean

Last season it finished all square thanks to our first penalty in 469 days https://youtu.be/GcHefHW9qEM

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-penalty-shock-euphoria-8166515

Guide to the Stadium of Light: https://footballgroundguide.com/leagues/england/league-one/stadium-of-light-sunderland.html

We won at our place in December thanks to a great performance from Max O’Leary highlights: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/video/highlights/extended-highlights-bristol-city-1-0-sunderland/

New head coach Michael Beale joined them immediately after this game, he said joining the club was "a huge honour." At that time they were 7th in the table. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67730543 In February they sacked him after just 63 days and 12 games in charge!  Mike Dodds was appointed as interim head coach until the end of the season.

In January they signed defender Leo Hjelde [20] from Leeds United on a four-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

Also signed winger Romaine Mundle from Belgian top-flight club Standard Liege on a four-and-a-half year deal, for an undisclosed fee.

Jack Clarke made a cameo appearance against Blackburn and could be fit to take Romaine Mundle’s place.

Head-to-head record

Won: 18

Lost: 16

Drawn: 15

Players who’ve played for them and us include Marcus Stewart, Stern John and Bailey Wright, of course LJ has managed both clubs.

They are immediately below us in the table on 51 points and are 21st in the form table while we are 11th, they have 2 points from their last 6 games, we have 9.

They haven’t won at home since February 10th (when they beat Plymouth 3-1) and were thumped 5-1 at home by Blackburn on Easter Monday.

Pay on the day will not be available.

Referee is Leigh Doughty

Chris Hogg presser: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/video/interviews/hogg-previews-black-cats-trip/

Sunderland stuff

You can see stalactites in Sunderland. Behind the Marina Activities Centre in Roker is the North Dock Tufa, a set of calcite stalactites created over the centuries by dripping water. No one knows for sure where the water comes from and it was only discovered in 1992 when some old huts were removed, although some claim to have known about it before that. Tufa looks especially beautiful when lit up at night. It’s free to view and is open day and night.

Wearmouth Colliery was the deepest mine in the world. The area was once home to the deepest mine in the world. The Stadium of Light was built on the site next to the three shafts leading deep below the earth. When Wearmouth Colliery began producing coal in 1835, it was the deepest mine in the world at 481m, almost a third of a mile. Eventually there were three pits on the site, imaginatively entitled A, B and C. In December 1993 Wearmouth became the last deep coal mine of the County Durham coalfield to close.

The first stained glass windows were made at St Peter’s ... probably. The earliest known reference to true stained glass windows is from 675 AD, when Benedit Biscop imported French craftsmen to do the glazing of the monastery of St Peter’s in Monkwearmouth. In the 1970s hundreds of pieces of coloured glass and lead, dating back to the 7th century, were discovered there and at St Paul’s in Jarrow. St Peter’s was built a decade before St Paul’s, so it is thought that Sunderland was presumably first. The city’s glass making heritage is now celebrated at the National Glass Centre, just a stone’s throw from St Peter’s Church in Monkwearmouth.

Sunderland was one of Britain’s most heavily bombed places in World War Two. The Germans were well aware of the astonishing shipbuilding capacity on the River Wear and the town was made a target because of that. In Easington 36 died in air raids. In Seaham it was 51 - 36 of them in a single raid in 1943

Sunderland’s shipyards produced a quarter of Britain’s tonnage of ships during the war, as shipyard girls stepped in to keep production going as the male workforce fought in the war.

A total of 267 people were killed in Sunderland by the Luftwaffe, and 90% of the town’s houses were damaged by bombs, 1,000 of which were totally destroyed.

Sunderland had a ‘mobile’ lighthouse. The Roker lighthouse is a well known symbol of the city, but before the current lighthouse was built in 1903, a lot of effort had gone into preserving the previous building. Sadly no photographs exist of the older lighthouse and pier, which were replaced by the current models in 1903

In 1841 the working, 300-tonne, 24m high stone Roker lighthouse was moved on wheels 145m – uphill - then put back again after a new north pier was built.

It sounds like a Monty Python job, but it really happened and is the oldest documented example of such a feat. The know-how was provided by Scottish civil engineer John Murray. Sadly no photographs exist of the older lighthouse and pier, which were replaced by the current models in 1903.

The Beatles played in Sunderland three times. Everyone knows that The Beatles played at the Empire at the height of Beatlemania in November 1963, and many people know the legend about the group sliding down the pole in the fire station next door to escape hysterical fans.

But most people don’t know that the biggest act in the history of popular music gave three performances on Wearside, firstly as bottom of the bill to Helen Shapiro on February 9, 1963 at the Empire Theatre before they played the Rink Ballroom in Park Lane three months later just before the superstardom began.

The FA Cup was invented by a Mackem. Charles W Alcock was born in Norfolk Street in 1842, the second of nine children. The family made their money in shipping, which meant that Charles could be sent to mega-posh public school Harrow. As a player he played centre-forward for Wanderers and captained England, but he is best remembered for founding the world’s first national football tournament, the FA Cup, which was first played in 1871. The Alcocks were quite the footballing family and Charles’ older brother, John F Alcock, was a founder of the Football Association in 1863.

The hand grenade was patented by a Mackem. Keeping on the theme of Mackem inventions, a Sunderland man invented the hand grenade. The “Mills bomb” was invented by William Mills, born in 1856 in Wear Street in Southwick, where the Times Inn pub stands. There were hand grenades before Mills, but the most recognisable was his “pineapple” design, first used in 1915 at the height of World War One and which changed trench warfare. It was safer than its predecessors (at least for the user) and around 75 million would be manufactured. Less controversially, Mills also patented aluminium golf clubs. He died in Somerset in 1932.

The first UK cases of cholera were in Sunderland. The deadly disease first spread to Europe in 1827, and despite best efforts to keep the illness away from British shores, cases were quickly recorded in Sunderland. The symptoms were horrific and included profuse diarrhoea, vomiting and sweating and death would often occur within hours of the first symptoms.

The disease’s mortality rate was high as doctors were baffled by how to stop the spread of the illness. Suspected cases of cholera began to be reported in Sunderland from late summer 1831 and despite quarantine attempts soon spread across the region and then the rest of the country. Across Britain, 32,000 people died of cholera in 1831 and 1832.

Alien 3 was filmed in Seaham. Okay, so I’ve  now strayed a little way outside Sunderland, but worth a mention is Blast Beach. The dark and desolate area was also used as the backdrop of the final scenes in Get Carter with Michael Caine. The Dawdon beach plays a starring role as alien planet, Fiorina 161 in the 1992 Alien 3 film starring Sigourney Weaver. At the time the beach was polluted by years of coal mining and the sand covered in black soot leading the director David Fincher to decide it looked sufficiently like somewhere not quite of planet Earth. It’s much nicer these days after a major clean up operation which cost £10 million.

Pubs

Sunderland's supporter liaison officer has highlighted the following as being the best for away fans:

Greens: Dating from 1901, this city centre pub is within the Bishopwearmouth Conservation Area. Located in a pedestrianised area close to the Sunderland Empire There are several large screen TV's including one that faces out to the small outside drinking area at the front of the pub. Note the copper domes at the top of the frontage of this grade ii listed building

Street Bar: https://www.streetbar.uk

Victors: https://www.useyourlocal.com/pubs/victors-sunderland-88448/

Fire Station: https://www.thefirestation.org.uk

The Peacock: https://www.facebook.com/ThePeacockSun/

For those looking for something closer to the Stadium of Light, the Colliery Tavern (see below) and the Hilton Hotel (see below) also accept away fans.

The Harbour View, 1 Benedict Road, Sunderland, SR6 0NU. A modern local pub opposite Roker Harbour and not far from Roker Beach. It was converted from a hotel and restaurant into a pub. Six hand pulls are changed regularly. Boards behind the bar display the Brewer, name of ale and ABV. Every Thursday evening from 8.pm there is a popular Speakeasy. A wide range of popular music can be heard as background music at other times. If real ale is for you, then you have found home. There is outside seating for those who enjoy sitting in the sun and a Function Room is available upstairs.

The Albion, Victor Street, Sunderland, SR6 0EN. Suburban pub not far from Roker Sea Front. Dates from 1861. Also known as the Albion Hotel.

Joseph's, 29 Holmeside, Sunderland, SR1 3JE

Wetherspoons, the William Jameson, 32 Fawcett Street, Sunderland, SR1 1RH. https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/tyne-and-wear/the-william-jameson-sunderland

The Colliery Tavern, 12 Southwick Road, Sunderland, SR5 1EQ. Brightly coloured pub (in red and white) opposite Stadium of Light. Dates from the 1870's

The Wheatsheaf, 207 Roker Avenue, Sunderland, SR6 0BN. Large three story grade 2 listed building dating back to the end of the 1890's. The name means : - meeting place for shearers engaged by farmers for cutting grain. On a busy junction. Bus stops outside the door and about half a mile to Stadium of Light Metro.

Further afield (a 7 minute drive from the ground) try the Ivy House, Worcester Terrace, Sunderland, Tyne And Wear, SR2 7AW, https://www.facebook.com/TheIvyHousePubSunderland/

Friendly Victorian corner pub off the beaten track; five well kept changing ales from interesting brewers such as Cullercoats, Torrside and Two by Two, plus a real cider, interesting bottled beers and good range of spirits, popular reasonably priced food from open kitchen including own-made burgers and pizzas; background and live music, quiz, sports TV; children and dogs welcome, special (non-alcoholic) beer for dogs; open (and food) all day.

To all the traveling fans have a great day and be loud and proud - reckon if we score first it could get ugly with their fans. 

Plymouth fans of a certain age will always associate this fixture with Argyle beating us 4-0 at Home Park to secure promotion from the old third division in 1986. Attendance was officially announced at 19,900 reflecting the safety certificate in place at the time, which was half the actual capacity (when the ground was 90 per cent terracing), but the ground was packed. Easily 30,000 plus in attendance for a third tier fixture in the 1980s which must have been very rare. https://youtu.be/K8FmDpNTBwI

Under the lights, at Ashton Gate, back in September we won 4-1, highlights: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/city-men-news/extended-highlights-bristol-city-4-1-plymouth-argyle/

We have sold our maximum allocation of 1,739 tickets for the trip to Home Park, so it could be quite a noisy affair.

Like many of today’s modern sides, Argyle started out in a small way and in fact were an off-shoot of an amateur set-up known as Argyle Athletic Club. Various versions have been told of their origin, but the most feasible is that in 1886 a few keen former college pupils and public school boys met at the Borough Arms to discuss the formation of an athletic club in the Mutley area of Plymouth. Soccer was to be part of the activities from the start in those days when rugby was the main sport in the “Three Towns”, which consisted of Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse.

The name ‘Argyle’ is unusual to say the least, so controversy surrounds how the name was adopted. One school of thought says that it derived from a local street named Argyle Terrace where the club’s committee used to meet in The Argyle Hotel. Another says that the club was named Argyle in honour of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders who were stationed at the time in Plymouth and whose football skills were much admired. Or was it that  ‘Argyll’ and ‘Argyle’ were fashionable names at the time due to Queen Victoria’s’ fascination with all things Scottish?

Plymouth Argyle have embraced two different badges through their history. One is in fact the shield in the arms of the city and county borough’s council, on record at the Heralds’ College. It shows the saltire of St Andrew, to whom the mother church of Plymouth is dedicated. The four towers represent fortifications.

The more familiar badge is the one that depicts the Mayflower which sailed from Plymouth to America in 1620, carrying the early settling Pilgrims to the New World, and also giving rise to the illustrious nickname.

Onto more recent times. They signed Spanish defender Julio Pleguezuelo. The 26-year-old agreed a two-year deal after leaving Dutch top-flight side FC Twente and is the first Spanish player to ever join the Pilgrims, https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65978721

In January they added Tottenham defender Ashley Phillips on loan until the end of the season. They also signed Leeds United midfielder Darko Gyabi on loan until the end of the season. The 19-year-old worked with new Argyle head coach Ian Foster when he was in charge of the England Under-20s side. He has played five times for Leeds since moving to the club from Manchester City in the summer of 2022. He is however set to miss the rest of the season with a groin injury and has returned to parent club Leeds United. He made 10 appearances for the Championship strugglers after joining on loan in January.

Also signed Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Alfie Devine on loan until the end of the season. The 19-year-old spent the first half of the campaign at Port Vale where he scored three goals in 26 appearances. They also signed Lino Sousa on loan after the England Under-19s left-back joined Aston Villa from Arsenal.

In December they lost their gaffer Steven Schumacher to Stoke City, https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67753445, they named former England Under-20 manager Ian Foster as their new head coach, in January. The ex-Liverpool academy player, 47, was working as Steven Gerrard's number two at Al-Ettifaq, in Saudi Arabia.

Head-to-head record:

Won: 27

Lost: 23

Drawn: 13

Sports Mole preview: https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/plymouth-argyle/preview/preview-plymouth-vs-bristol-city-prediction-team-news-lineups_540101.html?cQx=NN&newsnow

On Good Friday they lost 2-1 away at Norwich, with both the Canaries goals coming from corners. They currently occupy 20th  place with 41 points.

Referee is Keith Stroud. He will be assisted by Matthew Smith and Robert Hyde; David Rock is the fourth official.

Played for both teams:

Kieran Agard, Paul Anderson, Ian Baird, Tyreeq Bakinson, Andre Blackman, Yannick Bolasie, Joe Bryan, Richard Davis, Keith Fear, Arnold Garita, Rene Gilmartin, Trevor Jacobs, Joe Lennox, Guy Madjo, Sean McCarthy, Alan Miller, Kevin Nugent, Karleigh Osborne, Scott Partridge, Forbes Phillipson-Masters, Bobby Reid, Gary Sawyer, Steven Sessegnon, Enoch Showunmi, Phil Starbuck, Ryan Taylor, Robbie Turner, Zak Vyner and David Burnside.

Well known fans include:

• Michael Foot - Former politician.
• Josh Widdicombe - Comedian.
• Jeff Brazier - TV presenter.
• Evander Holyfield - Heavyweight boxing legend.

In April Argyle’s return to the second tier for the first time since 2010 was confirmed, https://youtu.be/jybZxpN06gE

They were crowned League One champions after coming from behind to win at Port Vale on the final day of the season.

Guide to Home Park: https://footballgroundguide.com/leagues/england/league-one/home-park-plymouth-argyle.html

We last faced them in the league in 2010 when they beat us 3-2 with a 90th minute winner, we have played them twice in the League Cup since.

Our 2010 team was:

Dean Gerken

Louis Carey

Jamie McAllister

Liam Fontaine

Bradley Orr

Jamal Campbell-Ryce

Marvin Elliott

Cole Skuse

Ivan Sproule

Stefan Maierhofer

Nicky Maynard

Our bench:

Stephen Henderson

Christian Ribeiro

Lewin Nyatanga

Paul Hartley

Lee Johnson

David Clarkson

Danny Haynes

We played them in a pre-season friendly in July 2022. A late goal from Nahki Wells was enough for us claim victory on a day of sizzling sunshine at Home Park: https://youtu.be/PZfqdGnsvPI?si=ytJoeoZcDYQtLm59

Plymouth facts

Unbelievably, 50 years ago the Pilgrims managed to beat Pele and his Santos side. March 14, 1973, saw almost 40,000 fans crowd both inside and outside of Home Park to watch the spectacle between Plymouth Argyle and Santos FC - who were taking part in a European tour that brought them down to the South West. The friendly match resulted in a 3-2 win to Argyle, the three goals by the home side being scored by Derek Rickard, Mike Dowling and Jimmy Hinch. While Pele and Edu clawed back two, it wasn’t enough to avoid defeat.

Plymouth has always caught the attention of prominent Naval powers, but in 1815 it was a Naval power that caught the attention of Plymouth. After Napoleon Bonaparte’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, he surrendered himself and was held on the HMS Bellerophon. After nine days of sailing, the boat arrived first in Brixham but then moved to Plymouth Sound where he was temporarily held. The news spread and for 10 days the Sound became an absolute hotbed, attracting tourists not just from the South West but all across the country. In one day, 8000 people took to the water in small boats hoping to get a better look at this notorious enemy.

The bakery that supplied the Pilgrims is still open. Jacka Bakery and Delicatessen on the Barbican is Britain's oldest commercially working bakery, dating all the way back to 1597. In the over 400 years it has seen 20 reigning monarchs and is said to have supplied the Pilgrim Fathers with biscuits on their maiden Mayflower voyage of discovery.

On the topic of old buildings, Plymouth’s Orthodox Jewish Synagogue dates back to 1762. It holds the European record for over 250 years of uninterrupted use. The history behind the building is incredible, having survived not only a hostile religious climate against Jews, but also being one of just two buildings that survived the German bombing on Catherine Street. It also narrowly escaped being literally wiped off the map by Patrick Abercrombie, a town planner who was responsible for rebuilding demolished post-war buildings. The humble building still operates today and is open to pre-booked visitors practising and not.

The local coastline has attracted some interesting aquatic animals. One of the most popular was Snorkel the Loggerhead turtle, which washed up on a Cornish Shore in 1990. Snorkel lived in the National Marine Aquarium for 15 years and reached her late 20s until she died as a result of health complications. Mad Jack’ is one of the city’s slightly less well known aquatic characters. The lobster was caught by a Plymouth fishing crew back in 2008 and weighed in at 12lb 9oz (5.7kg), this monster was thought to be somewhere between 50 and 100 years old and also became a resident at the Aquarium. But perhaps the most daunting is the barrel jellyfish that washed up on the Turnchapel Wharf slipway. These are the UK’s largest species of jellyfish, weighing up to 35kg (a staggering 5.5 stone) - thankfully their size is the only terrifying thing about them, as their stings are relatively harmless to humans.

The original fort of the Citadel was built in the 1590s under Sir Francis Drake’s advice, allowing for the strategic defence of the city’s waters. But years later, the civil war which drove Parliament into a brutal battle against the monarchy put the city in the bad books of King Charles II as we, unfortunately, picked the losing side. The Royal Citadel was then built by Bernard De Gomme under the King’s directions, but its strange design incorporated the ability for the guns to turn on Plymouth folk if they ever made the choice to revolt against the monarchy again.

Plymouth Gin is arguably some of the finest in the country, although the locals love of it may very well be to their detriment judging by how the Barbican looks on a Saturday night. Plymouth Gin is distilled in Plymouth’s Black Friars Distillery, which is the oldest working gin distillery in England - operating since 1793. Not only this, but the building was originally a monastery built in 1431 which housed some of the Pilgrim Fathers on their final night in England.

Plymouth Tea opened Devon’s first tea plantation, on the banks of the River Tavy. It’s only the second plantation in England. Also, somehow, Plymouth managed to nab the title of oldest pasty recipe from their pasty-loving neighbours. Discovered within one of the Plymouth Borough account books, the nation’s oldest pasty recipe dating way back to 1510.

Plymouth sweets are a global phenomenon too, gum made in Plymouth’s Wrigley factory is enjoyed in over 180 countries globally. The factory produces a jaw-dropping three million packets of gum per day.

Janner was originally an 18th and early 19th century seafarer's term of contempt for non-nautical people who lived in ports (literally "Johns"). In other places this has died out, but in Plymouth it's still used and adopted as a badge of pride.

Although the club nickname themselves "the Pilgrims" no Pilgrim, or any other passenger on the Mayflower, came from Plymouth. One, Francis Eaton, did come from Bristol however. 

Pubs

James Street Vaults, 24 James Street, Plymouth, PL4 6EQ, https://www.jsvplymouth.co.uk Almost engulfed by the ever expanding university campus, this is a predominantly student pub. Up to four ales can be available, with Dartmoor Jail Ale and Legend, and St Austell Proper Job supplementing the Tribute. Butcombe Bitter, Brains SA Gold and Caledonia Golden XPA also feature occasionally.

Britannia – a Wetherspoons outlet around 10 minutes from the ground by foot – welcomes travelling supporters.

Cherry Tree pub on Ham Drive, PL2 3NH, https://www.craftunionpubs.com/cherry-tree-pub-pennycross?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=homepage

Hyde Park Social Club, 5 St Gabriel’s Avenue, PL3 4JQ is also 10 to 15 minutes from the stadium (but in the opposite direction) also welcomes away fans. https://www.hpscplymouth.co.uk

Further away from the ground try one of these three: https://thegoodpubguide.co.uk/?s=&gpg=Plymouth&pub_category=2-worth-a-visit

Let’s be loud and proud and make it a six point Easter at the Theatre of Greens.