|
SUNDERLAND v MIDDLESBROUGH BLAST FROM THE PAST II
Lillibet M assesses the end of one campaign where both the Boro and Sunderland were competing for the same goal...
The final day of our promotion season, 03/05/1998
After having to live with the dichotomy of the crippling body-blow of losing two cup finals and getting relegated, coupled with it being our most successful season ever, the spell in Division One should have been the chance to prove that it was only external circumstances that contributed to our downfall and that we were a force to be reckoned with in the Premiership.
Funny I don't remember it being like that. It was a bit of a fight all along I recall.
Anyway, typical Boro, leaving it till the last minute yet again to decide the table and keeping our nerves on edge. That particular year, having lived in football exile for a while - I was working Saturdays in the local bistro which was good, as not only was it a source of extra cash but most of us were football fans. Although I was the only Boro fan (for a change!). It was unfortunate for the customers who wanted to eat around 5pm though cos we'd all be clustered in the back room around the radio or hosing down the unfortunate loser of the day... anyway...
Yes - that season the final matches were on a Sunday and I was doing an extra shift. I was working in the bar and had decided to sneak the radio in as it was such a special occasion and was following Boro's progress as the final league table was far from certain. Boro and Sunderland were both chasing the second automatic promotion spot, even though we were far and away the most likely to get it - they could only be promoted if they won AND we lost.
We had a birthday party in that lunchtime and a couple of family members came in wearing Sunderland shirts. Professional as ever I decided not to hold that against them and made all sorts of encouraging noises and said if I heard any scores I would let them know and didn't let on my vested interest in clocking their progress.
We were playing Oxford who were not the best team in the league, but we are Boro and we have never made it easy on ourselves. Sunderland had gone 2-0 up by half time and I managed to impart that news with the best fake sincere smile I could muster, whilst shaking inwardly as we had only achieved a scrappy 0-0. We had a really busy spell after that and I didn't get a chance to hear what had happened until a couple of minutes from full time. I heard that we were 4-1 up and quickly clocked the scores from everywhere else. After a few seconds the news sank in that we had actually achieved promotion and I started jumping around the bar giving it a bit of "YES! YES! GET IN! TAKE THAT YOU MACKEM BASTARDS!!!.... silence... shiiiittt... whoops..."
No tips from the birthday party... and their misery was prolonged after losing to Charlton on penalties in the superbly exciting play-off final. I always did feel a bit guilty as they were nice people but then I always start laughing to myself, as we went up and Sunderland stayed down. Does that make me a bad person?
The Oort Cloud
Middlesbrough 1-0 Sunderland, 07/02/1981
The 7th of February is the birthday of such luminaries as Charles Dickens, Buster Crabbe, Hattie Jacques, Eddie Izzard and Chris Rock.
7th February 1981 was also the day we beat Sunderland at home 1-0 in the First Division. This was before the creation of the many headed faecal eating monster that is now known as "The Premiership", or "Division Zero", or "The League of Mercenaries". Or even worse "EPL", which I think stands for something to do with people being able to see what knickers you are wearing through your trousers.
Graham Hedley scored. Now the thing I remember most about him was he used to balance the ball on his forehead during warm ups, which was something I had never seen before. Many fans said this proved he was a most skilful player, but in reality, he rarely demonstrated that in actual matches but he put the Mackems to the sword that day and that's good enough for me.
Harry Haverton's links between Sunderland and the Boro
There's quite a few players who have played for more than one
north-east
club but the best and the biggest of the lot was the late and very
great
Brian Clough.
Cloughie's story has been well documented over the decades and both of
his
autobiographies contain candid accounts of his early years at
Middlesbrough
where he notched up 204 goals in 222 appearances. What price Cloughie
in
today's transfer market?
He left the Boro, due to the ability of our defence to concede as many
as he
scored and moved to Sunderland where he bagged 63 in 74 before injury
cut
short a brilliant playing career.
Another player who wore both shirts is Gary Rowell who was something of
a
sensation for Sunderland in the early 80's before moving to Boro via
Norwich. He never really cut the mustard at Ayresome Park and was
shipped
out when it became clear that he was not going to recapture his Roker
Park
form.
And in more recent times, wonder winger Stewart Downing spent some time
on
loan at Sunderland just two seasons ago and turned out some very
impressive
displays. It's always good for an up and coming youngster to get first
team
experience at a lesser club and let's just hope that he gives them a
solid
reminder of how good he is tonight.
BACK TO SUNDERLAND MATCH PROGRAMME INDEX
|
|
|
|
