Source: TheGuardian
Sunderland v Charlton Athletic: League One opener – live!
League One updates from the 12.30pm BST kick-offRoss keen to write thrilling new chapter in Sunderland historyAnd feel free to email Scott with any thoughts 11.50am BST It’s a new-look Sunderland, with Luke O’Nein, Alim Ozturk, Glenn Loovens, Jon McLaughlin and Chris Maguire all making their debut. Though there’s even bigger news: a place in the midfield for 16-year-old Bali Mumba, who has seriously impressed the new boss Jack Ross in pre-season. It’ll be Mumba’s second appearance for the club: he made his first-team debut in the final game of last season against Wolverhampton Wanderers, coming on as a late sub. Former Wimbledon striker Lyle Taylor makes his debut for Charlton Athletic, having turned down the chance of a move to the Stadium of Light in the summer. Darren Pratley also debuts. Lee Bowyer has named only five subs, a shot across the bow of the board whichever way you look at it. 11.45am BST Sunderland: McLaughlin, Love, Loovens, Ozturk, Matthews, O’Nein, Mumba, Honeyman, Gooch, Maguire, Maja.Subs: Ruiter, Baldwin, Oviedo, Embleton, Sinclair, Hume, Molyneux.Charlton Athletic: Phillips, Page, Bauer, Pearce, Marshall, Taylor, Pratley, Aribo, Grant, Solly, Lapslie.Subs: Maynard-Brewer, Sarr, Maloney, Ajose, Hackett-Fairchild. 10.57am BST Sunderland’s fall has been vertiginous. They were playing Premier League football less than 15 months ago; now the six-time champions of England are about to begin only their second-ever season in the third tier.But this need not become a disheartening experience. Because their 1987-88 season was F.U.N.! Sunderland bounced back at the first attempt under Denis Smith, topping the old Third Division in a high-scoring frenzy, Marco Gabbiadini and Eric Gates sharing 40 goals between them, defender John MacPhail chipping in with a penalty-assisted 16. Continue reading......read full article
