First game..(does what it says on the tin)

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My dad used to take me ( I was born in 65 ) from the late 60s to late 70s. Too young to remember first ever game, but my first game "on my own" was Watford 8-0 away. I was in the Royal Artillery in Woolwich, & a few of us went. Still see 1 of the lads now & then at home games.
 
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Sunderland v Nottingham Forest, 16 February 1991
Score 1-0 to Sunderland
Competition League Division One
Venue Roker Park
Attendance 20,394

Marco scored a diving header at the roker end
 
First game was a friendly against Benfica..where Nicky Sharkey outshone the great Eusabio that night..but not sure that counts as official.

So Southampton at home about mid-November 1963. One of the very few we lost in that great season. 1-2. Johnny Crossan for us.
 
First one I can remember is v Bolton 1976. Swing seat under the number 9 in the Roker End. But I feel like I'd been there before..
 
This is the product of my own memory in conjunction with the Statcat.

1967, the Fulham game early that season was my first game, 3 v 0 followed by Everton, 1 v 0, two home wins, a great start for me (I think my Dad got two season tickets off a friend, Clock Stand, Fulwell wing)

We played WHU a few weeks later at home scored first I think and lost 1 v 5 and I definitely remember that one, looking on from the Roker End.

We then go and beat Man U away last day of the season, that's Sunderland for you.
 
9th October 1993 v Birmingham City at home. We won 1-0 and Lee Howey scored the winner.

This was the game when John Kay rowed off the pitch on a stretcher after breaking his leg.
 
I lived in Edinburgh from 1964 to 1974 and my first professional football, match was Hibs v Aberdeen in February 1967. Easter Road was about 250 yards from our house in Restelrig/Leith.

However my grandfather had watched SAFC since 1921 and my father since the late 1940's so on trips back to the NE they used to take me to English matches. Saw my first SAFC match in October 1971 v Luton Town. Came back to the NE in 1974 (I was born in Durham in 1961) and went ever since then.
 
toosb said:
Easter 1972 we beat Burnley 4-3 at Roker. Think we were 1-3 down at one stage too.
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Think that is the one where billy Hughes scored 3 goals in 4 minutes, that game? They cracked Monty first half as well.

My first was 1970 against west ham, pretty much with all of their England World Cup winning players in, they won 1 - 0
 
toosb said:
Easter 1972 we beat Burnley 4-3 at Roker. Think we were 1-3 down at one stage too.
Click to expand...
1971/72

Football League Division 2

Sunderland 4 v 3 Burnley

3 April 1972

After defensive errors had plunged them into seemingly a hopeless position of being 1 v 3 down with only 15 minutes to play Sunderland staged their biggest comeback of the season at Roker Park. Then a burst of 3 goals in four minutes carried them to a 4 v 3 win. The 4 minute burst which rescued them from the gloom of a self inflicted defeat never lost its momentum and with the crowd stirred to fever pitch there could well have been another 2 or 3 goals to mark the measure of Sunderland’s command over Burnley’s defence.

It was an astonishing game in many respects for although Burnley commanded a measure of skill to go with their tough, physical approach Sunderland were more adept at carving out the scoring chances. They were also more committed to attacking play from every position. Malone’s contribution made him a candidate for man of the match. It was surprising that the referee waited until the 25 minute mark before booking Docherty, a decision that seemed to be against the whole side rather than the individual.

Most of the action in the first half was on the approached to the Burnley goal with Sunderland failing in the final third. When they eventually took the lead in the 38th minute it seemed that the goal rush had really started. It was a fine goal too; Kerr’s right wing corner reached Tueart outside the far post and when he lobbed it back in McGiven headed down for Watson to drive it home. But the one way traffic halted and the home defence took a real pounding as Burnley scored 3 goals in 16 minutes to take charge of the proceedings.

The first came on 41 minutes when Montgomery failed to gather an Ingram cross, which Fletcher tapped into the middle for Probert to score. A fierce Pitt drive was fisted away by Stevenson before Burnley hit back to take the lead in the 45th minute. Following a throw on the right Bellamy centred and Montgomery caught off his line was stranded as Dobson popped a lazy header over the keeper’s head and into the net.

The luck that Sunderland had cursed with those two goals was just the tonic that Burnley needed and they showed better control against the wind in the second half to create several anxious moments for the home defence. Their third goal was a gift. A badly placed throw in by Chambers eluded Pitt as he hurried back from a sortee up field and Casper was left to lob the ball over the head of Montgomery as he advanced.

The quality of Burnley’s play in the early stages of the second half looked good enough for them to seal the points but Sunderland were sparked into life when Billy Hughes came on for John Lathan in the 66th minute. Hughes first touch of the ball was a header which brought a fine save from Stevenson. Then a Tueart drive was headed out from under the bar by Watson. After both Hughes and Watson had shot wide from good positions the stage was set for Sunderland to take command of the game.

Hughes started the comeback in the 75th minute with a strong run on the right, where his forward pass was touched into the middle where Watson promptly slammed the ball past Stevenson. Watson and Tueart kept the attacks going with powerful challenges in the next few minutes and when Hughes clipped the ball forward to Chambers he headed the equaliser, his first league goal for Sunderland. Burnley took a pounding in the next few minutes before Malone surged forward in another exciting burst. He was fouled on the edge of the penalty area and from the resulting free kick Stevenson was favourite to take the ball easily. However the outstretched foot of Hughes connected first and he guided the ball into the net.

The last 10 minutes was punctuated by a series of free kicks given a way by a desperate Burnley defence with chances falling to Watson, Hughes and Tueart. Two more excellent breaks by Malone resulted in the Scotsman having one shot superbly saved by Stevenson and the other blocked.

Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Coleman, Chambers, Pitt, Porterfield, McGiven, Kerr, Watson, Lathan (Hughes), Tueart

Burnley: Stevenson, Docherty, Wilson, Bellamy, Waldron, Dobson, Ingram, Casper, Fletcher, Probert, Thompson Sub: West

Referee: K Styles
 
No idea, asked my Dad but he says he can't remember last week never mind 40 year ago. He says I was about 4 and we went in the Roker End in Blind Corner. So it'll have been 78/79 season.
 
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