Stan Anderson

My granddad used to take me, from age 9, to Roker Park for the home games. He was connected to the club so I got into the director’s box, which was awesome for a young un. Anyway, I got to see games like the local derby on Xmas morning when there was snow on the pitch (1950?). I only remember the two Robledo brothers, exotics from Chile, or so it seemed. Maybe it was a draw. Passions against the neighbours didn’t run so high then, but then it was Xmas. When did the hate really kick in? Anyone got a year? Serious question. I also saw the game against Arsenal when Shack dribbled round George Swindin in the Arsenal goal and stood on the goal line, foot on ball, wagging his finger in a taunting fashion while Swindin scrambled desperately towards him through the mud almost reaching the ball, at which point Shack tapped home. But Shack and the rest of the Bank of England mob were coming to the end and the player who really interested me was Stan Anderson, then 20 or so but already an England Under-23 player, although he got sent off early on for them, which may have blighted his later England prospects, sending off being such a heinous crime then. I don’t recall Stan as a dirty player, though.

Stan was right half in that halfback line of Anderson-Aitken-McNab (hard man, George Aitken and Jimmy was no soft touch), later Anderson-Hurley-McNab. He was never the quickest but boy did he have an eye for goal. He must have scored more from right half than any comparable player of the time – including, I imagine, SBR, who was later to deprive Stan of his England spot (1961, I think, after Stan had played against Scotland). It didn’t much matter. Both were too old for the ’66 World Cup and although they didn’t know it they were only keeping the place warm for Nobby Stiles (!!). Stan, though, was such a goal-scorer that they moved him to inside right (to accommodate Martin Harvey, I seem to recall - he was a good player although no Stan), and Stan kept on scoring. Was his high point the two goals he scored against Arsenal in the Cup in 1961 to take us through? That was some giant-killing. Pity we couldn’t repeat the feat against Spurs – the greatest ever Spurs – in the sixth round.

I suppose Stan is famous (infamous?) for joining all three Northeast clubs – in quick time, too. Is he unique in that? He left us to join NUFC – amid some acrimony – in 1964 just after he had played a big part in clinching promotion and then went on immediately to help them get promotion. Then he went on to manage the smoggies for a few years without doing anything, before Big Jack was put in charge.

I have been thinking of Stan while the furore around SBR has been raging. Stan is more or less an exact contemporary of Sir Booby, both born in 1933, and while Stan has slid into oblivion and SBR has – well, choose your own words - I would like to pay tribute to Stan’s talent as a player. For me, he lit up Roker Park in the years 1954 to 1964 even though there was a relegation in that time. He played cricket, too, as they used to in those days - in the DSL, for Horden, his home village.

Charley has become the idol, and I loved Charley too. But let’s remember Stan, the best of the local talent who made it. Someone like Barry Venison doesn’t come close. All respect, to one of the great ones.

[Blep]

Nice post.

Who was the guy that had connections to the club then?

[Danson Queen]

I remember the Arsenal cup tie. One of the great games at Roker Park. Sunderland of the 2nd division against 1st division Arsenal. Sunderland 0-1 down at half time won 2-1.

I was a young lad somewhere in the Fulwell end, but I am pretty sure all of the goals were at the Roker end.

As an aside, I was driving in deepest Bucks yesterday & went past a place called Fulwell.

[WoB]

I love to hear first hand stories from you older SAFC supporters (not being funny ). My Dad has told me a few over the years - a lot about Shack as he was his boyhood hero and they tend to stay in your thoughts more. Something I forgot to post a few weeks back and this reminiscing has reminded me of... I was down the Cemetry at Washington Village looking at the gravestones. I'm not weird really - for a family tree thing. OK, some people would say that is weird! :D Anyway, I stumbled across the gravestone of John Mapson who I presume to be 'Johnny' the legendary SAFC keeper from the great pre-war years. I felt very moved standing there beside it. All these great players that come and go - and should not be forgotten...

[rainbow]

One of the great sights at Roker Park in the '50's was Stan Anderson winning fierce tackles in his own penalty box then tearing down the right-hand side of the pitch and bursting into the opposing penalty area and finishing with a thundering shot. He was an inspiration to all around him, worked tirelessly in defence and still found time to set up many attacks. One of the best, and certainly one of the most popular players ever for Sunderland - but somehow he never quite got the recognition that Shack, Charlie, Cloughie, etc achieved. Often wondered why.

One point though, can't remember Aitken playing centre-half - normally left-half with a half-back line of Stan Anderson/Fred Hall/ George Aitken or sometimes Stan Anderson/Fred Hall/Arthur Wright. Fred Hall and George Aitken were two of the hardest men I ever saw whilst Arthur Wright was a stylist - pure class to watch with his wonderful pin-point passes from deep in his own left half of the field to Tommy Wright on the right wing.

It's a hell of a long time ago but you never forget them!

When you think of what the current team really needs, then you are thinking of Stan Anderson. An inspirational captain who drove his players to give of their best. He was slowing down by the early sixties, and his lack of pace was cruelly demonstrated in a 3-3 home draw against Cardiff, when Ivor Allchurch scored a hat trick against Stan. I believe that was his final game. At the time a very good right half called Martin Harvey was pushing him hard for the no. 4 shirt. So it made sense for Stan to go. At that time the rivalry between us and Newcastle was nothing like today's - I often went to derbies at St. James with their supporters and stood with them through the game, without any bother.

Stan was a true Roker legend, who simply grew old. It happens to us all.

I think you are right about George Aitken, Rainbow. He was a left half. Good topical point, Andy, to stress Stan's captaincy qualities. He really was a driver. I mentioned the cricket. Last piece of news I ever recall reading about Stan was, when manager of Doncaster (must have been the mid-seventies), busting a gut to make sure that Chris Balderstone, the last of the cricketer-footballers, could play in an evening game, having presumably played cricket earlier that day.

[Vegas]

Quality thread.
Always very interesting to read and hear of the greats of SAFC and the game.

Cheers.

I also loved the side that Stan Anderson played in.......but of the 61-63 era.

I was a boy of eight and we were in the second division, but what a team. Monty was just replacing Wakeham in goal, we had the ever reliable but really not very good Cec Irwin and Len Ashurst at full back.

Stan was at right half with Jimmy McNab on the left and Charlie in the middle. Solid and creative.

It was up front that we had real class. There was a combination of Clough, Herd, Mulhall, Crossan, Hooper and Usher. Quality all of them.

The 61-62 season saw us in a topsy-turvy battle with Liverpool for the championship but we gave away several points over Easter. That meant we needed to win at Swansea on the last day. We drew. I remember listening to it on a "new" transistor radio at my nanas. Leyton Orient went up instead.

In 62-63 we needed a point at home to Chelsea in the last game. I was thrown over everyone's head in the Roker end, down to the front. I was 10 yards from Tommy Harmer when the ball cannoned off him for their goal 0-1, we stayed down.

Memories.

Brussels

[CalAl]

My memories about Stan Anderson match those already expressed. Except I would pull back a bit on the goal scoring. He scored all right, but his contribution was as captain and right half general, running the show. His sending off for England, as stated, plus playing for us in Div 2 (old) rather than for a bigger club stymied his International career. I would add one item and expand on another.

He was brilliant with the long diagonal ball, from right-half position to the foot of the left winger, who was always well forward and hugging the line - the target being George Mulhall (worthy of another thread) in my day. When Varga had his wonder debut, he did this a few times, and I made the comparison to Anderson then, as I will now.

The captain bit was definitely a big issue for SAFC. He not only acted the part, he looked it too, sort of classy, always well groomed, neat and tidy, I would even call him that out of use term - a gentleman. The reason this carried so much weight then, I think, was the presence of Charlie Hurley alongside him. Hurley did not neeed to be captain to have a huge influence on the rest of the team, and having a genuine captain like Anderson there as well had a large effect on the rest of the team. No place to hide. Compare with last two years.