My Boy Harry
Striker
1898/99
The season kicked off with a friendly game at Newcastle United, the same day that the "A" team were opening their campaign against the Sunderland Nomads at the blue house Ground, Hendon.
The next game was at Deepdale and a brilliant 3 v 2 victory over Preston north end paved the way for the first game at Roker Park.
10 September 1898 was d-day and what a glorious day it was too. Bright sunshine and a record crowd for a game in the North, witnessed the Marquis of Londonderry formally open the new stadium. Funnily enough it wasnt the first time Roker Park had been used. The 12 august had seen the Olympic Games and band contest staged.
The ground had taken just over 4 months to "build" and the pitch was like a billiard table. The turf was specially imported from Ireland, and was lush. It would retain that true bounce until its dying day and rarely looked in poor shape.
Tier, after tier of freshly painted stands, flags and banners, bands played. It was a great day and it was generally acknowledged that if there was a finer venue in the fooballing world then those present hadnt seen it. Roker Park was beautiful...
The opening had been the talk of the Town for weeks. All classes, rich and poor started arriving at 1pm, fully 2 and a half hours before kick off. Special trains deposited supporters at both the Central and monkwearmouth stations. Roker avenue was a mass of humanity, and ferry boats had brought people from Hendon and the East districts.
At 2.30pm the spectacle was striking. The groudn was full with over 30,000 people, teh air of expectancy could almost be touched. To entertain the good natured crowd Dr guthries troupe of pipers and dancers had come down from Edinburgh, marching through the centre of the town and onto the playing field.
At 3.10pm the music was stilled.
The opening ceremony was brief and shortly after 3.15pm Lord Londonderry, accompanied by JP Henderson walked across the pitch. Using a gold key handed to him the Lord unlocked the gate that led to the field and the changing rooms. There was a brief speech in which the Henderson brothers were thanked for giving the Town such a splendid field.
Roker Park was now open for business.
To much cheering the sunderland team took teh field resplendid in white shorts and white shirts. Liverpool then entered the arena, and were warmly welcomed, in their familair red shirts.
Sunderland, Hugh wilson won the toss and Sunderland kicked off attacking the Roker (north) End.
The teams lined up as follows:
Sunderland: Doig, Bach, McNeill, Ferguson, McAllister, Wilson, Crawford, Leslie, Morgan, Chalmers and Saxton
Liverpool: Storrer, A Goldie, dunlop, Howell, Raisbeck, W goldie, Cox, Walker, allan, Morgan, Robertson
Sunderland defeated Liverpool that day 1 v 0, the opening goal at the new stadium scored by Jimmy Leslie at the Fulwell/Hampden Road end.
The goal was not however without controversy. Liverpool complained that Saxton was offside. After consulting with his linesman the referee, S fox of sheffield, signalled a goal.
The season kicked off with a friendly game at Newcastle United, the same day that the "A" team were opening their campaign against the Sunderland Nomads at the blue house Ground, Hendon.
The next game was at Deepdale and a brilliant 3 v 2 victory over Preston north end paved the way for the first game at Roker Park.
10 September 1898 was d-day and what a glorious day it was too. Bright sunshine and a record crowd for a game in the North, witnessed the Marquis of Londonderry formally open the new stadium. Funnily enough it wasnt the first time Roker Park had been used. The 12 august had seen the Olympic Games and band contest staged.
The ground had taken just over 4 months to "build" and the pitch was like a billiard table. The turf was specially imported from Ireland, and was lush. It would retain that true bounce until its dying day and rarely looked in poor shape.
Tier, after tier of freshly painted stands, flags and banners, bands played. It was a great day and it was generally acknowledged that if there was a finer venue in the fooballing world then those present hadnt seen it. Roker Park was beautiful...
The opening had been the talk of the Town for weeks. All classes, rich and poor started arriving at 1pm, fully 2 and a half hours before kick off. Special trains deposited supporters at both the Central and monkwearmouth stations. Roker avenue was a mass of humanity, and ferry boats had brought people from Hendon and the East districts.
At 2.30pm the spectacle was striking. The groudn was full with over 30,000 people, teh air of expectancy could almost be touched. To entertain the good natured crowd Dr guthries troupe of pipers and dancers had come down from Edinburgh, marching through the centre of the town and onto the playing field.
At 3.10pm the music was stilled.
The opening ceremony was brief and shortly after 3.15pm Lord Londonderry, accompanied by JP Henderson walked across the pitch. Using a gold key handed to him the Lord unlocked the gate that led to the field and the changing rooms. There was a brief speech in which the Henderson brothers were thanked for giving the Town such a splendid field.
Roker Park was now open for business.
To much cheering the sunderland team took teh field resplendid in white shorts and white shirts. Liverpool then entered the arena, and were warmly welcomed, in their familair red shirts.
Sunderland, Hugh wilson won the toss and Sunderland kicked off attacking the Roker (north) End.
The teams lined up as follows:
Sunderland: Doig, Bach, McNeill, Ferguson, McAllister, Wilson, Crawford, Leslie, Morgan, Chalmers and Saxton
Liverpool: Storrer, A Goldie, dunlop, Howell, Raisbeck, W goldie, Cox, Walker, allan, Morgan, Robertson
Sunderland defeated Liverpool that day 1 v 0, the opening goal at the new stadium scored by Jimmy Leslie at the Fulwell/Hampden Road end.
The goal was not however without controversy. Liverpool complained that Saxton was offside. After consulting with his linesman the referee, S fox of sheffield, signalled a goal.
