Sunderland Throwback – QPR defeat leaves Sunderland staring down the barrel of relegation

801 episodes on, we go back to the game where it all started for Wise Men Say

Traditionally, in these throwback pieces we look back on a corresponding fixture against the upcoming opponents.

However, as The Wise Men Say Podcast recorded its 800th episode on Monday, we thought we’d bend the rules on this occasion and look back at an away game with Queens Park Rangers.

Back in 2013, as was customary during that era in Sunderland’s recent history the lads found themselves sleepwalking towards a relegation battle.

Going into the trip to Loftus Road we were without a win in five games, but a battling draw against Fulham after going 2-0 down had given us a little bit of hope that a win was just around the corner.

Also in 2013, your favourite SAFC related podcast was launched as founding fathers Stephen Goldsmith and Gareth Barker had a 45-minute discussion to preview the QPR game.

The show contained no intro or outro music, and Stephen said it was ‘the dummy runs of all dummy runs’ but it did feature our first ever opposition guest, Steve Colwell, who definitely wasn’t one of Goldy’s mates putting on a London accent named after Steve Caldwell’s Pro Evo name.

Whoever he was, he unfortunately predicted the correct score at the West Londoners’ ran out 3-1 winners.

Stephendgoldsmith · Salut! Sunderland Podcast

Sunderland took the lead through Steven Fletcher, but Loic Remy equalised for QPR with their first home goal since Boxing Day 2012 and Andros Townsend put the hosts ahead with around 20 minutes to go.

The Mag heavy influence continued to haunt the lads as Jermain Jenas rounded off the scoring for Queens Park Rangers to score his first goal of the 2010s.

A few days later, Gareth and Stephen gathered again to discuss the fall out from the game and were this time joined by some chap called Richard Mason for his Wise Men Say debut.

The episode opened with a catchy new jingle and Stephen declaring ‘panic on Wearside,’ if being six points above the drop zone in the Premier League was the cause of a city-wide panic, then it is perhaps fitting that a global pandemic broke out less than two years after relegation to League One.

More than nine years and 801 episodes on, The Wise Men Say Podcast is still here, Sunderland have experienced two relegations, a promotion, play off heart ache, a EFL Trophy final defeat and 12 different managers.

Things are never dull on Wearside but let’s hope that Saturday’s visit of QPR brings us much brighter discussion points on our forthcoming podcasts than back in 2013.

Thank you to all those who have stuck with us through all the highs and lows over the years.

Ha’way The Lads!