Gary Rowell: Fans bonded with players in face of Man Utd defeat
Sunderland can take so many positives into Saturday's crunch game against Hull from their performance against Manchester United.
The players stood up to be counted – something that was missing in the second-half at West Ham the previous week, when we really needed it to happen.
But against United we showed great spirit, which helped drag us back into the game.
When we conceded in the 18th minute to Paul Scholes, I probably felt the same as most Sunderland fans in fearing a repetition of the 4-0 defeat we suffered in the same fixture last season.
But instead we raised our game, showed some spirit as a side and made sure we didn't go to pieces.
We got a good equaliser against one of the best teams in the world and might have got something out of the game. United's winner owed much to good fortune,
So we could be happy with the attitude and application and, at the final whistle, we could be happy with the response from the fans.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the game was the way that Sunderland fans cheered their players off the pitch.
I wasn't too surprised because all the fans ask is that their players come off the pitch at the final whistle dripping with sweat having given everything, and Ricky Sbragia's men certainly did that.
I've got to say you can't underestimate what an uplifting effect that sort of applause has on players.
If you've given everything and lost as a player then you're naturally gutted as you head towards the tunnel but hearing that sort of applause from your fans as you're on your way off, gives you a lift and it will have put pride and confidence back into Sunderland's players.
They will know that if they do the same again this weekend, they will have the fans getting right behind them again.
These sort of things have knock-on effects and just as things can easily spiral downwards, they can just as easily spiral upwards.
Sunderland's fans and players found some momentum at the weekend and we have to take that into the Hull game because that sort of bond of togetherness is exactly what is needed to get everyone focused.
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Weather for Sunderland
Friday 10 February 2012
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