Officials for Norwich, Walsall matches announced
Details have been released of the officials for our forthcoming matches against Norwich City and Walsall:
SAFC v Norwich City: Sunderland Stadium of Light, Saturday 28 February
REFEREE: David Pugh (Merseyside)
ASSISTANTS: Bob Lockhart (Tyne & Wear), Mark Tilling (Cleveland)
Mr Pugh has reffed 15 matches so far this season (13 league, 1 FAC, 1 LC); he has given 45 yellow cards and 2 red cards. The most yellow cards he's given out in one match was six, at Barnsley v Chesterfield in December. He's reffed only one Division 1 match this season, when Millwall beat Cardiff 3-1 at Ninian Park just before Christmas when he gave out three yellow cards - all to Millwall players.
Walsall v SAFC: The Bescot Stadium, Tuesday 2nd March
REFEREE: Alan Kaye (West Yorkshire)
ASSISTANTS: Nigel Murphy (Nottinghamshire), Geoff Russell (Buckinghamshire)
Mr Kaye has reffed 23 matches so far this season (19 league, 2 FAC, 1 LC, 11 LDV); he has given 74 yellow cards and 2 red cards. The most yellow cards he's given out in one match was seven, at both Carlisle v Swansea in September and Telford v Brentford in december. He's already been referee for one of our matches this season - when we drew 1-1 with Burnley at home at the end of November. On that occasion he booked Arca and Williams, and Burnley's Richard Chaplow.
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HACKWATCH: Brum 0, Lads 2
OPPO: Birmingham City
VENUE: St Andrews Stadium
RESULT: Birmingham 0 Sunderland 2
TEAM: Poom, Breen, Babb, McCartney, Wright, Oster (Thornton 104), Arca, Thirlwell, Whitley, Stewart (Smith 62), Kyle
SUBS NOT USED:.Ingham, Cooper, Williams
BACK IN BLACK: Mike Dean (Wirral)
ATTENDANCE: 25,645
MCCARTHY’S COMMENTS
"It was a well earned and deserved victory over both games. I think the lads have shown to everybody that they’ve got plenty of character.
"When I took Stewie off he was having a whinge, said he was full of running – but he perhaps should have scored with a chance he had – the header just before I took him off. After the game he came and patted me on the back, said “great substitution gaffer!”
"Stewie’s done well but it’s one of those things – I’ll keep mixing and matching my centre forwards and see if we can get a formula that wins us games."
SAFC OFFICIAL SITE
…a performance full of graft and craft.
Jeff Whitley's performance against Robbie Savage was a cornerstone of Sunderland's success in the first game and the Black Cats midfielder was again on song against his former schoolmate, putting in a man of the match performance.
The only thing lacking from Sunderland's play in the first half was a good final ball; as they looked comfortable at the back, especially Breen, and kept possession well.
Sunderland were comfortably the best side in the first half.
Sunderland succeeded in frustrating the home fans who started to get on the backs of the Blues players.
Birmingham struggled to cope with Sunderland's clever attacking play.
Kyle's presence was always a problem for Purse and Cunningham.
Birmingham upped the tempo after going behind but in Breen and Babb, Sunderland formed a solid wall in front of Poom.
BIMINGHAM CITY FC OFFICIAL SITE
Steve Bruce’s team looked jaded throughout the game and put in what must be regarded as one of their poorest displays of the season against a team which obviously wanted the victory more.
The Blues can have no complaint about the result.
Following Dunn’s untimely removal Sunderland began to take control of the midfield.
Sunderland pressed on and sloppy defending exposed Maik Taylor.
In the 89th minute the impressive Oster exposed Jeff Kenna with his pace.
The visitors deservedly took the lead in the first period of extra time.
DAILY MIRROR
Birmingham committed FA Cup suicide with a dismal performance.
Sunderland came away with a deserved win.
The home side's flailing and floundering came back to haunt them.
Scottish striker Kyle was causing problems for the Birmingham defence with his height and strength.
Mikael Forssell, so inspired of late, was uncharacteristically quiet in the first half, kept under control by Gary Breen and Phil Babb.
THE SUN
TOMMY SMITH’S love affair with the FA Cup captured thousands of new hearts last night.
Sunderland picked up where they left off in the first match.
A sterile replay in a muted atmosphere handed the edge to the Black Cats.
Steve Bruce’s damning condemnation (of his side) told the whole story as Sunderland picked up where they left off in the first match.
Sun MOTM: Tommy Smith
Sun Player ratings: Poom 6, Wright 6, Babb 6, Breen 6, McCartney 7, Oster 7 (Thornton 6), Thirlwell 6, Whitley 7, Arca 6, Kyle 6, Stewart 6 (Smith 8).
THE INDEPENDENT
…a deserved victory over Birmingham in last night's fifth-round replay.
Smith left the Premiership defence trailing before finishing with aplomb.
No one came closer to preventing the additional half-hour than Sunderland's John Oster.
Birmingham, the more enterprising side in the first half, could not have complained had their First Division opponents gained the reward their second-half dominance merited.
Oster was a particular threat to Birmingham's jaded-looking defenders with his running on the ball.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Sunderland, who last reached the quarter-finals in 1992, thoroughly deserved their win after the initial draw at the Stadium of Light on St Valentine's Day
The game was little more than two minutes old when Sunderland made the first impression, with Kyle's cross offering Stewart a chance he squandered.
It was Sunderland who appeared the more confident in the early stages.
Birmingham were labouring in attack and when they did approach Sunderland's goal, their finishing was disappointing.
THE TIMES
Tommy Smith denied Sunderland an FA Cup quarter-final place last season when playing for Watford so last night he did the decent thing by guiding the Wearsiders through to the same stage.
Birmingham City had spoken so presumptiously about an easy quarter-final awaiting them that they had all but printed the tickets for the tie.
Birmingham barely left their own half after the break as Sunderland poured forward.
Birmingham reached extra time accompanied by a chorus of boos but it only got worse.
Smith capitalised on a demoralised home defence with an unchallenged, arrow-like run capped by a gentle chip over Taylor.
BBC NEWS ONLINE
Sunderland had the first real chance in the second minute when Kyle found Stewart in space eight yards out but he failed to make full contact and his left-foot effort was saved.
Mart Poom then caught an 18-yard effort from Morrison and he also thwarted Bryan Hughes from a similar distance.
Stewart was caught offside on a few occasions in the first half and both sets of fans voiced their displeasure at a number of such decisions.
SAFC V SUFC (ticket news & rant)
FIRST THE RANT ...
Why oh why are people on the Internet moaning about alleged part timers turning up in their thousands to boost the attendance above a so called poor 25,000 against BCFC.
Why oh why are we making such statements, we are so fickle, we are really showing ourselves up with all this in-fighting, all this I'm a better fan than you, I've been to all the Cup games, you haven't so piss off attitudes.
The fans WILL turn out in force and we all need to welcome them with open arms for they are SAFC supporters, wanting to help shout their team to victory and into the semi-finals.
All football teams, all supporters will act like this given the same amount of shit we've all gone through over the recent past.
Surely it's time to stop the in-fan-moaning and concentrate on the pitch not the terraces.
LATEST SAFC TICKET INFORMATION...
FA Cup 6th Round
Sunderland AFC v Sheffield United
Sunday 7th March 2004
Kick Off 4.05pm
TICKETS ON SALE FROM 10AM TODAY
Season Ticket Holders & Black Cat Members:
Season ticket holders/Black Cat members have until 5.30pm Tuesday 2nd
March 2004 to purchase their seat, which can be obtained by:
* Cup Payment Scheme - if you enrolled on this scheme at the beginning of this season you need do nothing. Your ticket will be dispatched automatically.
* By telephone -due to their only being a short amount of time available before this game supporters are advised to use this method of purchase:
EXTENDED Opening times for this service:
Mon - Fri 8.30am to 19.30pm
Saturday 09.00am to 15.00pm
Sunday 10.00am -14.00pm
Call 087-00-11-22-66. Supporters are reminded that they should have their membership number and credit/debit card details available as the transaction cannot be processed without this information. Tickets will be dispatched to the current address on the customer file.
* By post - to FA6. PO Box 165, Sunderland, SR5 1WF
enclosing Voucher 53, credit/debit card details or cheque made payable to Sunderland AFC and a stamped addressed envelope.
* In person - at the Stadium of Light Ticket Office using voucher 53 from your season ticket book.
GENERAL SALE
General sale will commence Thursday 26th February for all seats not reserved for season ticket holders.
Any unsold season ticket seats will be released for general sale at 10.00am Wednesday 3rd March.
Ticket can be obtained by: * Telephone - calling 0191-551-5151 or 08705-862-015 (24 hours) * By post to FA6. PO Box 165, Sunderland, SR5 1WF or at the Stadium of Light Ticket Office.
PRICES
For all areas of the stadium are Adults £17 and Juniors (U16's) & OAP's £8.Black Cats Bar pass and padded seat (none member price) £25. Depending on the demand for tickets from Sheffield United, it is possible that some season ticket holders in the South East Corner and East Stand may not be able to sit in their season ticket seats. If this is the case they will be advised at point of sale and offered an alternative seat in the centre of the East Stand.
Mick - "we got what we deserved"
Mick McCarthy heaped praise on his team tonight after they dumped Premiership side Birmingham City out of the FA Cup against bookies' predictions.
Speaking to Metro FM's Bill Mantle, McCarthy said "Birmingham are a good solid Premier League outfit and it happens – we’ve upset the applecart.
"Even Steve Bruce admitted we should’ve won it in 90 minutes, and I thought we were the better side."
Asked if he thought Sunderland had got the result they deserved, McCarthy said "We did - it was a well earned and deserved victory over both games. I think the lads have shown to everybody that they’ve got plenty of character.
"The work ethic IS there, it wasn’t missing on Saturday (at Cardiff City), sometimes we play badly. We’ve all of us been thrown together and we’re all prepared to graft and work – so I’m delighted for those guys, it’s brilliant."
Speaking about his decision to substitute Marcus Stewart with Tommy Smith, who scored both goals, the gaffer revealed, "When I took Stewie off he was having a whinge, said he was full of running – but he perhaps should have scored with a chance he had – the header just before I took him off. After the game he came and patted me on the back, said “great substitution gaffer!”
"Stewie’s done well but it’s one of those things – I’ll keep mixing and matching my centre forwards and see if we can get a formula that wins us games.
Jason McAteer missed tonight's match with an ear infection and hamstring problem, and was replaced by Paul Thirlwell. McCarthy said "I know all about how good Paul Thirlwell is, and Jeff Whitley was back on form today – I thought he was brilliant, and I’d had a whinge at him on Saturday! I don’t know what he’s done but if that’s him putting two fingers up at me then that’s great, I thought he was brilliant!"
Sunderland come back down to earth with a bump now and must face promotion rivals Norwich in a televised match at the Stadium of Light on Saturday lunchtime, and McCarthy is anxious to make sure his players are in the best shape possible for this crucial game.
"We’ve got a big game on Saturday and this has taken a lot out of us.
"We’re staying down here and we’ll be in the pool tomorrow trying to recover some of the energy we’ve used tonight."
