This is just a brief introduction to what you can expect from my column in the future, I thought I'd take the opportunity to introduce myself and give you all some background in order to explain my views and opinions.
I'm 19 going on 20 and I have been a Sunderland fan since the tender age of seven, resisting pressures from other family members to support the scum. My first match was in 1994 when Sunderland played Wolves at Roker Park, needless to say we won, 1-0 but I'm unsure if it was Phil Gray or Don Goodman who scored. I've been there during the ups and the downs; my first season ticket year was the tremendous '19 point' season! I have helped convert my little cousin to be a fan and I'm currently working on my new 4-month-old nephew, honing him to be a future Mackem.
I don't tend to go to many matches these days due to me being in Preston, I try to go to all of the away matches around Lancashire like Preston and Burnley or Man City and Blackburn last season.
There is a small gathering of Mackems down in Preston spreading the word and we travel up to a few matches, most recently vs Palace. I do take a lot of stick for my allegiances but I do live with a Bradford fan, a Leeds fan and a Forest fan, so the insults just tend to bounce off.
I would like to think that I know a lot about football and that I'm fairly well informed, and I hope to enlighten you all with my views and opinions.