Random boring anomalies from Sunderland games..



Stopping a premier league game to lick the arse of one of the opposing team.
And what makes it particularly anomalous and even more shameful was that almost exactly a year earlier we had cheered as the horrible **** was sent off at SOL for what we all thought was his final premier league game.
 
Cup replay against Carlisle ?
Yes I think so. We were cup holders and Carlisle knocked us out. However it is the midweek afternoon cup replay against Cardiff two years previously that I recall best. A huge seasons best crowd of almost 40000 as against an average of 16000 with Bobby Kerr taking the game into extra time with a last minute goal. Alas with the prize for the victors a home tie with Leeds we lost the second replay at Maine Road. The Roker roar during extra time would have given the noise from the famous City night in 73 a run for the money. The Cardiff keeper had a blinder. It was a brilliant sunlit February afternoon and Roker looked magnificent
 
In the early 70s beautiful April sunshine all around but the match against Watford is postponed because the ground is fogbound. You could not see the goals from the halfway line. Norman Burtenshaw was the referee. The crowd was waiting outside - the gates were never opened.
 
Was it not because they played in all white and confusion with a white ball blending with their socks?

People thinking Big Sam "saved us from relegation" when he was actually in charge for 8 months of a 10 month season and we finished lower than where we were when he took the job.

We were 19th with 3 points when Dick Advocaat left, Sam kept us up in 17th and from Feb onwards we were playing like at least a mid table team.
 
We once played a cup match away at Tranmere (I think) where they had a man sent off, and at the same time their manager substituted him, so they still had 11 on the pitch. The player who came on I think went on to score, or at least have some significant impact in the game before it was realised.

I remember listening to it on the radio and the two presenters arguing over what had happened
 
Liverpool being awarded a penalty for a foul on the half way line.
Also Liverpool being awarded a goal for stealing our free kick.
Also Liverpool being allowed to play on for a foul for well over a minute before blasting it over the bar and then getting it pulled back for a free kick.
I remember for about 5 years in a row stuff happening against Liverpool and they always argued it was justice for the beach ball
 
In the early 70s beautiful April sunshine all around but the match against Watford is postponed because the ground is fogbound. You could not see the goals from the halfway line. Norman Burtenshaw was the referee. The crowd was waiting outside - the gates were never opened.
I remember that. March 72 I think. We stood outside the Roker End waiting an announcement. On the way to the match approaching Boldon I could see a distant sea fret. The previous Saturday the feature match on Match of the Day was Sunderland drawing at Norwich who were I think top. Martin Harvey sustained his career ending injury. Ironically I missed the rearranged game with Watford which we won 5 nil. By then promotion was gone and Alan Brown threw a load of kids in. Had the game been played that Saturday with the momentum with us we could quite easily have gone up. But then the following season we would not have won the cup.
 
I thought Martin Harvey was am exceptional player. With the greatest respect to Bobby Kerr if Martin had not been injured I am confident he would have captained at Wembley.
 
Hit the wall at work so my mate sends me some train spotter random facts involving SAFC games.
1. 73 Cup final yellow ball.. why?
2. QPR home game 1979 when they ran out in our blue away strip
3.Leeds at home 1980 4-1 when all the printed numbers were peeling off the players shirts like a pub team kit!
Sad as fuck I know but anyone got anymore?....
Quality

I remember the peeling off

Grimsby 1993 wearing their salmon Ribero shirt cos our stripes clashed with theirs.

Moran being told to change his shirt at the beginning of the 2nd half as he was also wearing a No7 shirt the same as Keegan. Keegan then launching the ball to his keeper so they were not disadvantaged.

Andy Dibble stripping off after Stoke City 1986.
 

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