This week’s Echo column comes from Stephen Goldsmith.

THERE were all sorts of strange and polarising emotions running through my head by five o’clock on Saturday evening.

Before the game at Stoke, I was sick of having to talk myself into thinking Hull, QPR and Burnley would fare worse than Sunderland in the relegation run-in; so much so that I decided I just didn’t care anymore.

We constantly say it’s the hope that both keeps you going and kills you, and I decided to accept that, realistically, there’s just no way that this group of players can replicate the form from their great escape from last year.

They have been woeful, weak, ponderous and pathetic all season.

You can read the rest here.