Maximus
Striker
Bastard phone
Vasas Budepest and Sporting Lisbon away in '73
- Thread starter HarrogateMackem
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My Dad went to Budapest, he says that Sunderland were the 2nd of two games to be played on the day.
Think he also went to Lisbon!
Think he also went to Lisbon!
safctommie
Winger
We've lost fewer European games than the mags
Budapest Red and White
Central Defender
I think you saw the Ferencvaros ground, on the road to the airport, no? A fancy arena place. Rebuilt and opened last year.
Vasas' ground is in the NE end of the city. I don't think it's been renewed. I don't follow Magyar footie, but I don't think Vasas have been a force for many a year. And you have to seek out their ground to see it.
Was the Vasas v SAFC game not played Vasas' ground (Fay utca) - but in the Nep Stadion (Peoples' Stadium, all concrete, built c 1950s) - the huge place - then? I suspect the latter, from the way you say there were two games there on the same day.
I confess I have never been to Fay utca, but from 200 yards away it looks as if it would make Roker Park in its last days look like the San Siro.
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Hard for the young 'uns to realise what a big thing "foreign travel" was in those days. Hungary was behind the Iron Curtain and Portugal still had a fascist government from the 1930s. These were extremely strange places to us. I went to both home legs (notwithstanding the shenanigans with the pricing) but the away legs weren't the vaguest of possibilities for me.
Maximus
Striker
That's right mate. My dad also told me the first game was gornik zabrze v Ferencváros - he also said a few of the Sunderland were cracking on with the Poles as both Hungarian clubs shared the Népstadion, or as it is now called the Ferenc Puskas stadium.
A mate of mine also had his dad travel on the other plane and never got out of Mewcastle (all black cats that day) as had a heart attack before boarding!! - he recovered but didn't go.
That's what Sunderland in Europe does to you!
Budapest Red and White
Central Defender
Did you go to Portugal in those days (not necessarily for the game)? I did, every year from 1971-74, and no, not in the holiday areas.
I was photographing, mainly in the north, around Braga, Povoa de Varzim, Porto and the Douro Valley. These may be tourist areas now, but then they were well off the beaten track at that time. Even Porto didn't see that many tourists.
Portugal was a dictatorship, but mention the 30s, and you make it sound like Blackshirts were on every other street corner. It was hardly in the same league as Spain, and certainly not Hungary, in 1973. Of course, visiting and living there are different things - but there were no special police on the streets and all that stuff. I never felt any political tension, and nobody talked to me about it, as they did in Spain and Czecho (I only came to Hungary first in 82). I am sure that for politically active dissidents life was not easy, but for most people, it was just home. Sorry ... going OT. I did see Benfica versus MU in the 1968 European Cup final !
D
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Maximus
Striker
Actually, the plot thickens. Apparently there were 2 planes as mentioned, but the one my da was on flew from Teesside and not Ponteland!!
He also informed me that there were only 40 visas issued for their plane and one of the lads, a polis from Sunderland, was not granted a visa for iron curtain Hungary!
Apparently the Teesside trip came back at 3am and must have been the budget choice, whereas the northern one included an overnight stay. Even then there was scratters and corporate
riffraff
Striker
I was ower there for a week a few years back. Spent far too much time raking around flea markets on the off chance that one of these may be waiting for me. Loadsa Puskas badges and biogs but nowt 73 related.
Although around that time I did buy a mini Vasas pennant and pin badge on ebay from a girl in Consett/Stanley/Anfield Plain (somewhere out there anyway) who said her dad brought them back from the ECWC game. She said hed be ower the moon theyd gone to a SAFC fan even if he was down south!!!!!
Maximus
Striker
Think a few of them got them. Was it 4S travel who did the pennant? - think they were the company.
Edit haway someone hoy a pic up
riffraff
Striker
Naaah its a local Hungarian Vasas pennent and badge, nee mention of SAFC at all.
andysfootball
Winger
probably went together but we couldn't get the time off school for the away games!
jet1
Midfield
I went to both home games ...although European football wasn't really considered important then (a bit like the Europa League now) None my mates who went with me even considered the away game (I was earning about £5 a week at the time) I do remember being so disappointed when Sporting scored their goal late on as we knew what an away goal might do to our chances. ....I have no memory of the increased prices even though I was 18 at the time!
Jose Sandshoe
Full Back
I know there was a few Sacriston lads, at the time and way before mine, who went on their winnings after backing us to in The Cup from the start. They used to do it every year and it paid dividends in '73. Done it myself since told the tale what they done with their winnings but to no avail. Had bleedin 70/1 this year on Betfair anarl and thowt it was our year the way the results were gannin. Always worth doing to pay for the first one in cos it'll happen one day.
Budapest Red and White
Central Defender
Another aspect, just thought about. Was Vic Halom still with the team in the 73-74 season? Cos he had Hungarian roots. That would certainly have made the news in Budapest. Just wonder if he had relations in Bp or roundabout - might have been mentioned in Sunderland.
By coincidence, of course, had we beaten Milwall in 2003 ? and got to the FA Cup Final, we'd have gone to Budapest again, this time to play Ferencvaros in the Eufa cup.
By coincidence, of course, had we beaten Milwall in 2003 ? and got to the FA Cup Final, we'd have gone to Budapest again, this time to play Ferencvaros in the Eufa cup.
T
The Omega Man
Guest
Both games were played in the nep stadion.
Haloms auntie or grandma, can't remember which was pictured with him the day of the game. Did the rounds in the local/national media at the time.
Very rare. Worth a bit of money ie over £100.
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Budapest Red and White
Central Defender
Thanks. BTW, I read somewhere yesterday that Vasas are now in the Magyar Division 2, which means they would probably struggle against the Heed or Pools.
I wrote to the club a couple of years back suggesting they do a pre-Season trip to Hungary, partly to build upon the memory of the 73 games. I got a reply which did not match the suggestion.
T
The Omega Man
Guest
There will be no money in such a game and it wont allow us to network with the rich and famous.
Vasas Budapest 0 v 2 Sunderland
19 September 1973, Nep Stadium, Budapest, European Cup Winners Cup
Attendance: 35,000 Referee: S Gonelle, Italy
Sunderland’s first foray into UEFA organised European competition ended in triumph as they overcame Vasas in the huge bowl of the Nep Stadium in Budapest. The game was a double header as first up was the UEFA Cup tie between Ferencvaros and Gwardia Warsaw in a game won by the Polish side.
It was estimated that approaching 500 Sunderland fans made the trip into Continental Europe, some by train.
Sunderland started the match brightly and once again Bob Stokoe weaved his cup magic.
For Dennis Tueart it would be a night to remember. In the final minute of what The Daily Mirror” described as an “exciting tie” Tueart picked the ball up inside his own half and carved open the home midfield and defence, as he took on all comers to slot the ball home past Meszaros off a post.
This was no more than Sunderland deserved following on from a Billy Hughes opener after 68 minutes as he leapt high to meet a Dick Malone cross to head powerfully home.
It was an explosive start to life in European competition from Sunderland as they made short work of Vasas. As a result of the 2 v 0 win the Hungarian team knew that they needed a miracle at Roker Park, for them to progress. They wouldn’t get it.
Sunderland won the return game at Roker Park a fortnight later 1 v 0 to progress into the next round where they would meet and be knocked out by Sporting Lisbon.
To date this is Sunderland’s only competitive season in European football which is a sobering thought.
Vasas: Meszaros, Torok, Fabian, Kantor, Lakinger (Gass), Vidats, Muller, Toth, Varardi, Kovac, Sipocz
Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Guthrie, Horswill, Watson, Pitt, Kerr, Hughes, Halom (Young), Porterfield, Tueart
Elsewhere in Europe that night Leeds United were held to a 1 v 1 draw by Norwegian side Stroemgodset. At Portman Road, Ipswich Town took on the mighty Real Madrid and won the game 1 v 0 with an own goal. However the talking point was of the Polish referee Stanislaw Eksztajn who was struck by a missile thrown from the crowd. The Old Firm had little problems in their games as Glasgow Celtic crushed the Finnish team TPR Turku 6 v 1, whilst Rangers, now out of their European ban, overcame Ankaragucu 2 v 0 in Turkey.
Spurs went goal crazy as they beat Grasshoppers of Zurich 5 v 1 at the Sportsplatz Hardturm. Ironically Pat Jennings was adjudged the man of the match with a string of world class saves.
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