1972-73 A Season to Remember
Sunderland shooting towards top with exciting football
SUNDERLAND, sharp and decisive, had Millwall reeling under pressure in a great, all-action display at The Den on Saturday, building well on an opening burst which could well have produced two or three goals. In the end they had to be content with a modest 1-0 margin, but the player who had the big say in this was Millwall goalkeeper Bryan King, who played the game of a life-time in making a string of magnificent saves.
Argus Talking Sport: Sunderland tackle pace-makers with an unchanged side
SUNDERLAND will be relying upon an unchanged side to meet the challenge of promotion pace-makers Sheffield Wednesday at Roker Park on Saturday afternoon.
Roker Reflections: Public opinion swings slowly behind team
SLOWLY but surely public opinion is swinging round to the view that Sunderland are on their way back to the First Division and there seems to be only a minor difference of opinion on how soon – or how long – it may be.
Millwall 0 Sunderland 1
SUNDERLAND introduced one of their rising stars Jackie Ashurst at centre half for their visit to Millwall at The Den this afternoon. Ashurst a 17-year-old Scot whose only senior outing was against Atalanta in Italy in the Anglo-Italian club tournament last season, has missed only one youth and reserve team game this season and at 17 was given the task of taking over from Richie Pitt, who has been having a disappointing time.
Sunderland call up Ashurst
MANAGER Alan Brown provided himself with scope for making changes in the Sunderland defence for Saturday’s game against Milwall at The Den by instructing 18-year-old Jackie Ashurst to join the 13-strong party which travelled for last night’s League Cup defeat against Stoke City.
SLIDESHOW – Sunderland AFC 1973 celebration pictures video
In this slideshow we have a look back at some pictures from Sunderland AFC’s 1973 FA Cup win and supporters celebrating in the streets.
Ashurst makes debut
SUNDERLAND’s Jackie Ashurst, the keen-tackling Scot who was third in line for the sweeper role which Martin Harvey had to vacate through injury in the closing stages of last season makes his League debut at centre half in the team to meet Millwall at The Den tomorrow.
Stoke City 3 Sunderland 0
THERE could be no doubting that Stoke City, keen to defend the first major trophy they have ever won, were entitled to make progress against Sunderland in the Football League Cup (second round) at the Victoria Ground last night. The winning margin was better than their play warranted, for they had struggled for over an hour to add to an eighth minute goal and were allowed to break for the 72nd minute goal at a time when Sunderland were attacking with greater promise and spirit than they had done at any other stage of the game.
SLIDESHOW – Sunderland AFC 1973 homecoming video
In this slideshow we have a look back at some pictures from Sunderland AFC’s 1973 FA Cup win and supporters making their way to and from Wembley.
Argus Talking Sport: Sunderland expect to do well against League Cup holders
SUNDERLAND step out of the promotion battle to tackle an even tougher task tomorrow night, when they will press their challenge for progress in the Football League Cup by visiting the holders, Stoke City, at the Victoria Ground.
Sunderland 3 Swindon Town 2
RAY TREACY, Swindon Town’s close season signing, may not score a better goal all season than the one he volleyed past Jimmy Montgomery to give his side a 1–0 lead over Sunderland in 51 minutes at Roker Park on Saturday. But he could not have known that his super goal was going to have such dire consequences, spurring Sunderland to furious effort and a brilliant half hour which had them storming into a 3-1 lead. There was still a “gift” goal to come for Swindon, but Sunderland had firmly and deservedly staked their claim to both points.
SLIDESHOW – Sunderland AFC 1973 homecoming video
In this slideshow we have a look back at some pictures from Sunderland AFC’s 1973 FA Cup winning homecoming.
Roker Reflections: Sunderland have made an encouraging start
MAYBE Sunderland could have wished for a less demanding start to the season than a programme which lines them up for visits to their leading promotion rivals in the first few weeks. Four away games out of the first six carried the threat of a moderate start and build up of pressure.
Sunderland chairman promises progress
CHAIRMAN Keith Collings assured shareholders at the annual meting of Sunderland AFC at Roker park last night that moves to correct a situation which had resulted in a loss of £103,000 last season were already in progress.
Sunderland 3 Swindon Town 2
SUNDERLAND and Swindon Town, both well pleased with recent performances, relied upon unchanged sides for their game at Roker Park this afternoon. Sunderland had on duty the team which claimed draws at Brighton and Blackpool last week-end though they changed their substitute by naming Jimmy Hamilton in place of Billy Hughes. Swindon, who were turning out the same side for the fourth successive game, had taken all their points so far from home games.
Blackpool 0 Sunderland 0
KEEN promotion rivals Sunderland and Blackpool finished with honours even at Bloomfield Road last night in a rousing battle which produced everything except goals. But for once in a while, here was a game which lost none of its quality or entertainment value through the absence of goals. It was a cracker from start to finish between sides which could well prove to be the best in the Second Division.
Sunderland defence rocked by Brighton’s fighting come-back
SUNDERLAND gave themselves a great start to the first game in a five-match sequence which allows them only one appearance at Roker Park when they played brilliant attacking football to take what appeared to be a decisive 2–0 lead in the first half against Brighton at the Goldstone Road ground on Saturday. Two goals, capably snatched by John Lathan were a modest reward from the chances created, still looked good enough to keep them in a command position.
Roker promotion fighters have earned warm welcome home
HAVING made a fine start to their tough opening programme, which gave them only one home game out of the first four, Sunderland will be all out to convince supporters that they are live promotion candidates when they take on Swindon Town at Roker Park on Saturday afternoon.
Brighton 2 Sunderland 2
KEITH COLEMAN, who is open for transfer at his own request, stepped back into the Sunderland team for this afternoon’s game against Brighton at the Goldstone Road ground. He was recalled because Joe Bolton, injured last week, failed a fitness test yesterday.
Bolton fails fitness test, so Coleman plays at Brighton
FOLLOWING late fitness tests at Washington New Town today, manager Alan Brown has had to make one change for the game against Brighton at the Goldstone Road ground tomorrow afternoon. The knee and thigh injuries which Joe Bolton received last week against Orient are still giving trouble, so he stays behind to continue treatment.
Roker Reflections: Dave Watson still a target in vital role
MANAGER Alan Brown and his players are confident that they can press a winning challenge for promotion this season and are determined that no effort will be spared towards that end. It has all been said before, of course, and in any case it is the standard frame of mind in which to approach a new season.
All-clear on fitness as Sunderland start tough sequence
SUNDERLAND launch themselves into one of their toughest sequences of the season on Saturday, when they are due to meet Brighton at Goldstone Road in the first of five games which include only one appearance at Roker Park.
Sunderland confident of full-strength line-up at Brighton
SUNDERLAND’S injury hangover from their 1-0 win against Orient on Saturday is clearing steadily. Dave Watson was able to resume training yesterday and Richie Pitt was back to full training today. Still to come are clearances on Mick McGiven, who has slight groin strain and Joe Bolton, who is receiving attention for kicks on knee and thigh.
SLIDESHOW – Sunderland AFC’s 40th year anniversary video
In this slideshow, we look back at Sunderland’s 1973 F.A. Cup win and celebration pictures.
Sunderland 1 Orient 0
FOR their first game of the season at Roker Park this afternoon, Sunderland made two positional changes from the side beaten by Middlesbrough last week, but the important change was that centre forward Dave Watson was able to resume after being kept out of the Ayresome Park game with an ankle injury. Jimmy Hamilton was pulled out to the stand-by position of substitute, and John Lathan was switched to No. 10.
Tueart match-winner was due reward for Sunderland’s effort
SUNDERLAND’S 1-0 triumph over Orient at Roker Park on Saturday may not take high rating on entertainment value, but from their point of view it was a valuable exercise with, perhaps lasting benefits. This was the sharpest reminder of how tough and relentless the negative away-from-home team can be in the Second Division and they adjusted so capably that after the first quarter they were in a commanding position.
Roker Reflections: League Cup draw part of the uphill pattern
SUNDERLAND have been fighting an uphill battle ever since they won promotion in 1964. They have been charging along a course liberally spaced with obstacles, many of them self-constructed... and just as many concocted by the trick of fate which decrees that the struggling club cannot hope for lucky breaks.
Sunderland’s early promise faded in a disappointing ‘derby’
SUNDERLAND wanted nothing more than to start the new season on Saturday with a win ... and a “derby” win over Middlesbrough at that. But they let themselves down badly by falling away from a level of form which had earlier demonstrated that they were good enough to win. In the end the Ayresome crowd cheered a 2–1 victory for Boro and there could be no denying that it was well-deserved, because they ran Sunderland off their feet in the last half hour.
Views divided on Sunderland AFC’s new badge
THE decision of Sunderland AFC to have new badge designed for copyright reason has raised a few eyebrows among supporters – because the traditional black cat emblem of the club has been dropped.
Watson to lead the big drive
SUNDERLAND’S prospects of resuming the form which landed them among the leading goal-scorers in the Second Division last season boomed today with confirmation that their talented striker, Dave Watson, has been declared fit to take over the leading role against Orient at Roker Park tomorrow afternoon (3.0)
Sunderland drawn away to Stoke in League Cup
SUNDERLAND were due for a better break in the Football League Cup this season, but their hopes were dashed when the second round pairings were made today, for they are set the toughest task of all – a visit to the Cup-holders, Stoke City, who took the trophy on merit last season after a fantastic display of skill and endurance. This is the fourth time in the last five seasons that Sunderland have had to travel in their first tie.
Argus Talking Sport: Watson’s return can turn on full promotion power
IT now seems certain that Sunderland will be turning on their full promotion power for the first home game of the season against Orient at Roker Park on Saturday (3.00).
Roker accounts show trading loss of £103,080
SHAREHOLDERS of Sunderland A.F.C. have been well prepared for the bad news which will be presented to them at the annual meeting on September 1, when the statement of accounts will show a loss for the year ending May 31 of £103,080.
Roker Reflections: Sunderland need division one urgently, desperately
THE message from last season was that Sunderland are booked for an early return to the First Division and they will go into the new campaign confident in the knowledge that continued improvement could bring the coveted prize well within reach this season.
Middlesbrough 2 Sunderland 1
THERE was a shock for Sunderland supporters when it was announced that Dave Watson would not be leading the Sunderland attack for their opening game of the season in the “derby” against Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park this afternoon. Presumably there had been too much optimism about the rate of recovery from the ankle injury which he received at Berwick a fortnight ago.
Sunderland all set for a bright start
SUNDERLAND had on show all their available talent for their final work-out of the season at Roker Park on Saturday afternoon. Not surprisingly, this domestic operation did not prove to be a crowd-puller and only 883 paying customers went along to check on the current form.
Youngsters show their paces in lively Roker Park work-out
FOR the first time in ten years, Sunderland dropped the idea of staging a pre-season friendly match for their final public outing before the start of a new season. Instead, at Roker Park this afternoon, they staged a full-scale practice match pitting all available playing staff against the first choice side.
- Boss Di Canio wants six new men for Sunderland
- Bus crashes into Sunderland JobCentre
- Pool pervert used shoe mirror to spy on woman changing in Sunderland Aquatic Centre
- Survival assured, Sunderland boss can plan future
- ‘You can’t live a lie and spend your life feeling sad’ – transgender modelling competition finalist tells all
- DOBSON MARKS START OF HEALTH C
- Di Canio: Sunderland players will get a shorter summer break if they don’t perform well at Tottenham
- Last post is 6.30pm (but get here by 5.30pm)
- TV chef Martin Blunos takes over the kitchen at Seaham Hall
- ‘You can’t live a lie and spend your life feeling sad’ – transgender modelling competition finalist tells all
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Weather for Sunderland
Sunday 19 May 2013
Today
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Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
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