Not much to toast after punch-drunk effort

IT PROMISED to be a great weekend.

Last season we twice frustrated City, at home we were only beaten by a dire referee and a dodgy penalty, at Eastlands we were a messy goal away from a deserved draw. This time round with our new squad, things promised to be even tighter. Even the sun was making a rare summer appearance as I walked up to the Stadium of Light.

By 4.45pm there were dark skies ahead and this seemed to be mirrored by events on the pitch as we sunk to a depressing 3-0 defeat. To make matters worse, I had to spend most of the game alone after my mate was thrown into the Stadium of Light’s cells for the afternoon, meaning it was a sobering day watching us being picked apart by Mark Hughes’ men.