I couldn’t help but look back to another season when Black Cats fans were in dreamland, in 1973.
Bob Stokoe’s team had won the FA Cup and beaten Vasas Budapest in the first round of the European Cup Winners Cup.
Next up were Portugese giants Sporting Lisbon and the visitors mixed with locals while they stayed at a hotel in Peterlee, before taking in Sunderland in a pulsating tie at Roker Park this time 52 years ago.
Relive the occasion in these Sunderland Echo photo memories.
13. Goalmouth action
Sunderland go close to scoring in these goalmouth scene from Roker Park. | se
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