Updated

I have added significantly to this earlier entry.

Shack's Back

Here are links to snippets from six football matches involving Sunderland in 1955-6, during the days of the great Len Shackleton. I missed them all, due to the fact that I was undertaking my National Service in Iraq. But now after 55 years I get to see them, including the famous 6th Round FA Cup tie between Newcastle and Sunderland. Everything comes to he who waits. As Len Shackleton said "I'm not biased when it comes to Newcastle, I'm not bothered who beats them!" - especially when it is Sunderland. Here you can hear him being interviewed.

The Newcastle Police Suspect The Culprits Are Sunderland Fans

SEE HERE

Excuse the triumphalism. I am a Sunderland Fan and I am obviously greatly relieved that Newcastle United and Middlesborough have just been relegated from the Premier League rather than the Mackems.

But unlike many Sunderland Fans I am not massively opposed to our team's fellow North East rivals. I would be over the moon if Middlesborough were Premiership runners up and the Black and Whites finished third, as long as Sunderland took the title.

When I was 15 I had a very happy Easter watching Sunderland defeat Huddersfield Town 7-1 at Roker Park on the Good Friday, Newcastle defeat Man City 1-0 at St James' Park the following day and Middlesborough defeat Newcastle 2-1 at Ayresome Park on the Easter Monday. That seemed to me to be the natural order of things.

Mind you Len Shackleton played for Sunderland in those days and is the footballer I have seen play more games than any other. Having played for both the Black and Whites and their Red and White striped rivals, his take on the rivalry was "I'm not biased when it comes to Newcastle, I'm not bothered who beats them!". Not even Aston Villa, I assume.

In A Fog

Following an 8 week spell in which I hadn't attended a football match, I turned up yesterday for the 5th time in 11 days at Sheffield FC's ground.

The freezing fog of the morning had burnt away and the sun was shining although it was still bitter cold. A hundred or so boys and girls in football kit and sportswear provided a guard of honour as the teams ran onto the pitch and later engaged in a half-time penalty contest. This is a great form of community involvement. It also boosts the size of the crowd as parents also turn up. I suspect that they are allowed in free, but it is likely to have a future spin-off at the turn-styles.

The game against Lincoln United was going well. There was some good play, except that both sides were given to hoofing the ball in the air. At half-time Sheffield FC had the edge due to a goal by Goddard.

The fog was rolling back in by half-time as Martin and I made our way to the Coach and Horses pub. It got worse as we looked at the half-time League score on their telly - but as luck had it, it hadn't got into the pub! We returned to the ground to find out that the match was abandoned.

Sheffield FC are now into a bit of chaos over their league fixtures. Although that are level pegging in the league with 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats; they are third from bottom in the league with 6 games in hand of the team above them and between 3 and 9 games in hand of everyone else.

The main problem has been cup runs. We have played 14 cup games, 10 league games plus yesterday's abandoned match. Yet our cup runs have mainly come to nought. We have been in 5 competitions and have been knocked out of 4 of these. We remain in the Unibond League Cup and had a worthwhile and lucrative run in the FA Cup, just failing to make it to the first round proper.

When I made it back home, I picked up on the news from the Premiership. My team Sunderland lost 4-1 at home to Bolton. Our half-time fog had been in the wrong place.

A Twist From Chimbonda

Here is a another picture of Pascal Chimbonda in Sunderland's change strip. He will be found seated on the hallowed turf of local Sheffield FC's ground. The incident occurred yesterday evening when he did one of his trade mark 180 degree turns and twisted his ankle.

He hobbled on for a period and seemingly recovered, but he was subsituted after 60 minutes. I'm not sure whether he was being rested for a place in Sunderland's first team on Saturday or whether he is now on the injured list.

He was playing in central defence in a cup game between Sheffield United Reserves and Sunderland Reserves. The Blades are currently playing their 2nd XI home games on Sheffield FC's ground.

Although Chimbonda played well, I am not sure why Roy Keane (who was at the match) was trying him out in central defence - where his qualities are known. I would have liked to see how he can play in the midfield. For when he plays at right-back, his strength is coming forward into attack rather than blocking opponents.

Chimbonda was a regular in Sunderland's first team at the start of the season, but for some unknown reason he has recently been dropped entirely from the first team squad.

In yesterday's game, Sunderland Reserves dominated the proceedings and won 3-0. From a Sunderland perspective (which I share) there is a fine report here.

I agree entirely with the writer (whom I chatted to twice at the match) that El-Hadji Diouf and Daryl Murphy had poor games. Yet they both came on as substitutes in Sunderland's last premiership game. I had finally come to the conclusion that they should both be substituted this time, when Keane did exactly that. I just hope that his motive was the same as mine and that he wasn't saving them for the next Premiership game.

Due praise is given to numbers of Sunderland's regular reserves in the report I have linked to above. I would, however, also add left-back Nathan Luscombe to the list. He was particularly creative in the second half.

For a Sunderland supporter it was a good night out. Especially as I used my free bus pass to travel the short distance too and from the ground and then only paid a £1 concessionary entrance fee. It wouldn't even pay for the time it took Chimbonda to twist his ankle.

Watch Your Back, John

At long last I made it to a football match at Sheffield FC's ground. This was on Tuesday evening and it was 8 weeks since I had attended. On the surface it looked as if we were in for a drubbing.

It was the second round of the Unibond League Cup. Our opponents, Durham City play in a parallel league. Although they are in fifth position, they are unbeaten and have sufficient games in hand of the teams above them to readily take over the top spot.

In contrast, Sheffield FC have a middling league record and have suffered so many injuries that when the teams ran out onto the pitch I only recognised five of our players - two of whom used to occupy the substitutes bench.

But my fears were soon put to rest. After 13 minutes we had established a two goal lead and were pouring on the pressure. We were three up after 63 minutes and seemed to be coasting it.

Jez Mitchell, a new signing had provided the assist for Mick Goddard's opening goal and added the two other goals. In the first half he had three carefully placed shots which just crept past the Durham post. Then a Durham defender made a dramatic save by blasting the ball against his own post.

Next to me Dave was busy on his mobile, letting the absent Martin know when each goal whizzed in. Near the end, however, the tide turned with Adam Johnson (73 Minutes) and Tommy English (83 Minutes) putting Durham back in the game. But it was only just that we held on for a 3-2 victory as we had dominated most of the game.

Events were enlivened when the Sheffield FC supporters heard the referee regularly shout out to the Durham captain Stephen Harrison, calling him "Steve". A series of wisecracks came from the terraces on the assumption that Steve was the ref's son. If we hadn't gone on to win, I think that there would have been calls for a steward's enquiry.

When Dave, Janet and I settled into the Coach and Horses pub after the match, it was time for chats with the visitors. I originate from Easington which is just eight miles east of Durham, so I was keen to find out what gossip I could.

I came across two Durham supporters. One was from Shiney Row and the other was from Murton Colliery. John Cummings (photo above) whom I know well, is the MP for the Easington Constituency and he worked at the pit at Murton. When I mentioned this the reply came back "why I, I used to wash his back for him at the pithead baths".

I next talked to the Durham City goalkeeper Craig Turns, as the programme said that he was born at Easington. It turned out that he had been born at the maternity hospital at Littlethorpe, Easington Village and that he really originated from nearby Seaham. But that was fine as our son was born in the same "baby farm" and the first job I ever had as a railway clerk was at Seaham.

The programme notes also said that Tommy English a Durham goalscorer was born at Easington. But he had left the crowded pub before I could discover whether he was another product of the baby farm. I had shouted at him from the touch line about his Easington connection, but I didn't hear what he shouted back. Perhaps I incensed him that much that he ran up the field and scored!

Four of the Durham team had been on Sunderland's books at some time (including "Steve" and Craig the goalkeeper), whilst two others were born in Sunderland. But although (like John above) I am a Sunderland supporter, this did not undermine my support for Sheffield FC. My chance to support Sunderland from the terraces will come on 26 November when Sheffield FC host a match between Sheffield United Reserves and Sunderland Reserves. There is only once that I ever supported a team playing against Sunderland Reserves and that was when they played Easington Colliery Welfare. I am hardly going to desert the lads to support a bunch from Bramall Lane.

Acts Of Unjust Justice

Sheffield FC's Goalkeeper To the Rescue (Photo From Dave Hill)

After three games, Sheffield FC are top of their League, leading goalscorers, top crowd pullers and are playing a settled team.

I have already reported on how pleased we were to grab a 2-2 draw in our last game, but it had nothing on yesterday's events.

Our opponents were Quorn from Leicestershire, who must feel robbed to have ended up in the League's relegation zone. They stormed all over us in the first half. Thankfully our goalkeeper, Leigh Walker was on top form. The photo above shows him pouncing to smother one of the Quorn's attacks.

Justice was done for Quorn in the 21st Minute when they took their lead in a totally unjust fashion. The Quorn striker, Justin Jenkins was clearly offside when he ran onto a through pass with only our goalkeeper to beat. That his goal was offside is confirmed by Dave, Martin, Mark and myself and all the other Sheffield FC fans situated in line with the linesman. What further independent evidence is needed !

We all breathed a sigh of relief when we rushed for a half-time pint at the Club's pub. The score had not progressed beyond 1-0 and the second half might be different.

Football is of course a game of two halves - except for the Sunderland v Derby County game in September 1894 which was covered in our match programme. It had three halves, for reason's that can best be explained in a pub quiz. But we were limited to the normal two halves and Sheffield FC turned the game on its head in the second half.

Sean Bowles in the Quorn goal now matched and surpassed our own goalkeeper's first half performance. Especially as he was allowed to get away with enough time-wasting to have accommodated for a third-half. Scott Partridge was a constant danger in our attack and was denied what should have been a penalty in the 70th Minute (well that was the consensus around me).

But the minutes passed and Quorn were headed for victory, until in the 85th Matt Roney our substitute did his Rooney act. He beat three defenders cutting in from the left wing and hit the back of the net with a fierce ground shot from more than 20 yards.

As the 90th Minute approached, Scott Partridge got his revenge for being denied a justified penalty 20 minutes earlier. He now engineered a penalty. Paul Smith (Smudge) is the master of dead ball kicks and even the mighty Quorn keeper had no chance with his penalty shot.

Now well into added time Roney/Rooney struck again. Cutting into the box from the left-wing he hit another firm ground shot into the back of the net.

3-1 was a flattering score, although each of our goals was a form of gem. It allowed us to end up with 7 points out of our first 9, when we might have had to settle for a total of only 3 points. It has been late twists in our last two games which have saved us.

Sheffield FC have now attracted the three largest attendances in the League for the games they have played in - 408 yesterday. The games have all been pulsating in their different ways. So we may hold on to some of the new fans. Martin's mate Mark was a first time attender and is an obvious convert.

Even if things go wrong, we have our goalkeeper to entertain us. He is liable to walk towards the half-way line when we are on the attack and he continually shouts instructions to the rest of the team - even to our captain. Well it is fun until it goes wrong.

His volatile behaviour is countered by our new player-manager, Chris Dolby. To start with he won't play himself and stays on the bench. Then he sticks with the same (non-losing team) when he can. There have only been two forced changes in the initial line-up. Steve Hawes (midfield) is an holiday, whilst from our mid-week game Vill Powell (striker) has a hair line fracture of the tibia which will keep him out of the team for 6 to 8 weeks.

Perhaps Chris is wise not change a non-losing team. But I have two suggestions for a modest reshuffle. In the absence of Vill, why not move Gary Townsend up into his old position as striker where he was highly effective on his initial arrival at the Club? Then he has a returning Steve Hawes or even himself to put into Gary's current mid-field position. If Chris doesn't then like how he is playing, he can always substitute himself.

For an alternative report of the match and photos see here.

Super Sunday At Sunderland

I saw Sunderland lose 1-0 at home to the Arsenal on Sunday. The last time I saw the equivalent was at the start of the 1957-58 season when Len Shackleton (left)
played his last game for Sunderland in another 1-0 defeat by the Arsenal. I hold a signed copy of the first edition of his autbiography "Clown Prince of Soccer" with its famous chapter entitled "The Average Director's Knowledge Of Football" which he left blank. The cover of the book shown here is from a similarly titled biography of Shackleton by Colin Malam.


All Roads Lead To The Modern Roker Park

With nothing at stake, Sunderland had their largest home crowd of the season for its final game on Sunday against the Arsenal. The turnout of 47,802 was only 553 short of the record for the Stadium of Light. It is a pity the Arsenal hadn't sold all its quota of tickets.

The Sunderland supporters had turned up to celebrate the fact that their team had already established their survival in the Premiership. It was great for them to go to a game where they did not need to bite their fingernails. The only downside was that we lost 1-0, but then they always were "lucky Arsenal".

Annual Pilgrimage

My son, Stephen and I were also making our first and only visit of the season. He travelled up via a direct train from Kings Cross, whilst I was obliged to change at both Doncaster and Newcastle for the shorter journey from Sheffield.

Remarkably, as I made my way along the platform Stephen's train arrived on the next line. I was now very much on home territory as I once worked as a railway clerk at Sunderland station. It was when standing outside the parcels office that I first caught a glimpse of Ann, whom I went on the marry.

First Stop, The Pub

Stephen (who is Steve to everyone but his parents) and I next walked a short distance along Fawcett Street to Yates' for meals and a shared taste in Guinness. Unfortunately, the forecast of sunshine and warm weather hadn't taken account of the mist rolling in from the North Sea. I was a fool for not anticipating this as I lived just down the coast at Easington Colliey for a quarter of a century. Mists were standard there, whilst the sun shone brightly a short distance inland at Easington Village.

Luckily I had a Sunderland scarf and cap in my bag and the protection these provided were more than adequate.

Mackem The Most Of It

After watching some of the Watford-Hull play off on the big screen, we undertook a classical walk. Back down Fawcett Street (I pretended that the town planners had not mucked it up in the 1970s), past where the late and great Len Shackleton ran a modest tobacconist when he packed up football (see above)and then onto the Wear Bridge. Crossing the bridge is still magic. It had to be crossed in the old days to get to Sunderland's former ground at Roker Park. Nowadays it is packed with Mackem's in Red and White striped shirts crossing the the River Wear. It is this which gives Sunderland its name as it is the land which is cut asunder by the river.

It was then off to the Stadium of Light which is just on the other bank, passing the end of the street where Ann once worked for what is now the huge firm of Edward Thompson. Yet she was its first ever full-time secretarial worker.

Into The Light

After a quick pint at the ground, Stephen and I made our way to near the back of the main stand, almost directly overlooking the half-way line. We had a great view. It was,however, somewhat disconcerting when wisps of cloud and seagulls floated past below us. Yet it all added to the atmosphere for "this is Sunderland, this is Sunderland".

At half time we discovered a supporter behind us from Chesterfield whom we had last met at Old Trafford when Sunderland typically lost to Millwall in an FA Cup Semi-Final.

All I will say about the game is that Sunderland played their reserve goalkeeper and dropped Kieran Richardson for bad time-keeping. I suppose that Keane wanted to see if he needed to keep Marton Fulop as cover for keeper Craig Gordon. Along with Jonny Evans the on-loan central defender whom the whole of Sunderland are desperate should be signed from Manchester United, Fulop was a man of the match. A full report for Sunderland fans is given here.

Time To Reflect

When the game was over I dashed as fast as my walking stick would take me for the Metro to start my journey home via Newcastle, where the Arsenal fans would speculate on what a local Derby with the Geordie's must be like. Like nothing on earth!

I left Stephen heading for the Club shop as he had time to spare before returning home, non-stop to Kings Cross. Luckily for me, I had a copy of the fine fanzine "A Love Supreme" to read on the Newcastle to Doncaster leg of my return home. I particularly enjoyed the "Review of the Season", then a well assessed section on who should stay at the club and who should go, plus a piece stressing the need to find a top line and authoritative club captain - a Keane on the park. I hope that the Keane on the touch-line takes these items to heart.

Keen On Keane

I then moved on to study the 80 page Sunderland programme and was soon into calculating. In the first half of the season we gained only 14 points from 19 games. The equivalent in the second half of the season gave us 25 points. The first half of the season spelt early relegation. The second half of the season spelt solid mid-table. A main difference was the arrivals of Phil Bardsley, Andy Reid and on-loan Jonny Evans.

There is another astonishing statistic. We lost all ten games against the top five teams in the League, scoring only 3 goals against them and conceding 25. Only Derby County equalled this miserable record. But it means that against the remaining 14 teams we held our own - winning 11, drawing 6 and losing 11; with 33 goals in our favour and 34 against.

Our problem against the top teams is that we have invariably played against them with a loan striker, hence our only goals in these games have been one in a 7-1 drubbing by Everton and two in a unique second half revival at the Arsenal when we lost 3-2. Perhaps there is a further tactical lesson here for Keane.

But we dare not complain too much in case he takes the huff and leaves us. For he has filled the ground again with an average Premiership crowd of 43,344 (the 4th highest) compared to 33,904 (10th) in our previous Premiership season of 2005-6. Although some of us see facilitator Neil Quinn as the quiet power behind the throne - as they say "Quinness Is Good For You".

Roll on next season's pilgrimage.

Bob Pele

Here is a reply to this comment from Bob Piper. On the left is the model for the "Bob Piper T-shirt". The source is that fine fanzine "A Love Supreme"

Bewitched By Nantwich

This is the Weaver Stadium, home of Nantwich Town FC.


Sheffield Of Derbyshire

On Saturday I had a fine day at Nantwich near Crewe. Although I was with fellow Labour Party activists Janet and Dave, we did not go to canvas for the Bye-election which has arisen because of the sad death of Gwyneth Dunwoody. We went to a football match instead. Our local team is the "Derbyshire-based, Sheffield FC", who were in a play-off with Nantwich Town to see who would be promoted to the Unibond Premier League.

Non-League Millionaires

Nantwich have an impressive new ground, which they moved to at the start of the season. It cost £4 million. They were assisted by a grant of over a million from the Football Foundation and sold their old ground for a housing development. I assume that Barratt's were the purchasers as they now sponsor Nantwich Town.

The ground is fronted by a huge car park, has a stand which seats some 400 and has all sorts of impressive mod-cons. The crowd of 1,342 was a record for the season. Although their post-war record is 1,536 last season when they were visited by the well-supported FC United of Manchester.

After travelling to Nantwich on a pleasant sunny day through captivating Derbyshire and Cheshire countryside, we had a pleasant pub-lunch and saw a chunk of the Manchester United - West Ham game on a large screen.

A One-Sided Draw

At the Nantwich ground in the blazing sun and with a refreshing breeze, we found a vantage point opposite one of the penalty spots. Unfortunately, much of the game was dominated by the home team. I gave my excuses to the locals. This was our 20th game in 8 weeks and some of our key players were out through injury. So it was no surprise when Nantwich took the lead just after the half-hour. Yet when we moved into first-half added time, Smudge (Paul Smith) produced one of his magical free-kicks to put us on level-terms. A pile of home supporters had by then made it into the club-bar, ensuring that the rest of us would be left outside. So Smudges curler was poetic justice.

Nantwich's continued domination put them back in the lead after 71 Minutes. But thanks to heroic work by both our goalkeeper (Jamie Holmshaw) and the woodwork, our hopes were still alive when 5 minutes added-time was announced after the 90 Minutes. Robert Ward our normal striker, had been drafted into central defence due to our injury crisis. He had played a solid game. But with the announcement that the game was approaching closure, he threw caution to the wind and rushed up the field and headed an equaliser. That put us into extra-time.

Paying The Penalty

Nantwich's spirits at last dipped and Sheffield did more attacking in extra-time than in the rest of the game put together. But an unlikely victory wasn't to be ours. It was 2-2 after extra-time and we were into the penalty shoot out, which occurred from the penalty spot opposite us. Yet the result had an inevitability about it. In cup games this season Nantwich had already won 3 penalty shoot outs. They now added their fourth, winning 4-1 from the spot.

So whilst the home supporters stayed behind to celebrate, we made an early break for the car-park. All the apprehension had been thirsty work so we stopped off for a pub-break. Now we watched most of the second-half of Bolton against my team Sunderland on the big screen, with the Mackem's losing 2-0.

Things Can Only Get Better

But the beauty of football is that it can always be better next time. So I am lined up for a visit to Hillsborough on Thursday when Sheffield FC play Worksop Town in a cup final. Then its on to the Stadium of Light next Sunday to see Sunderland change its fate against a top team. So far this season we have lost all the 9 games we have played against the top 5 teams. The 10th match is against the Arsenal. Smudge, Ward, Holmshaw and the woodwork have shown that anything is possible outside of a penalty shoot-out.

Added Here is a link to a report with photos. If you then click onto the photo of the penalty to bring up its large version and trawl to the right, then from right to left the last three people are Janet, Dave and me - honest.

Long Time - No Sheffield FC

Never mind all that hype over whether Manchester United or Chelsea will win the Premiership, below you will find the final league table for the UniBond First Division South.

Unfortunately, the runaway Champions Retford Town will not obtain promotion to the Unibond Premier League because their ground does not match up to the grading conditions. As a consequence the second team Cammell Laird have been given the automatic promotion place, leaving the teams between the 3rd and 6th positions to compete for a second promotion place via play offs. This means that tomorrow 3rd placed Nantwich Town will play at home to 6th placed Grantham Town, whilst my locals' Sheffield FC play at home to Stockbridge Park Steels. The winners of these games then play each other on the home ground of whichever of them finished highest in the league. So if Sheffield get to the final play off, I will be hoping that Grantham defeat Nantwich so that the final ends up a 15 minute walk from my home.

Each team played 42 games. These are the League placings and the points. For full details see here and trawl down.

1...Retford United 99
2...Cammell Laird 86
3...Nantwich Town 79
4...Sheffield FC 76
5...Stocksbridge Park Steels 72
6...Grantham Town 70
7...Colwyn Bay 65
8...Belper Town 64
9...Goole AFC 64
10..Carlton Town 59
11..Gresley Rovers 59
12..Quorn 53
13..Warrington Town 47
14..Alsager Town 43
15..Shepshed Dynamo 38
16..Brigg Town 36
17..Kidsgrove Athletic 31
18..Spalding United 19

With 17 teams to play, you might have expected each team to play a total of 34 games. But that would have left us with a thin season on the terraces, so each team played 42 games meeting 8 of their opponents on 3 occasions.

Due to a series of postponements and having to fit in a run of cup games and all those celebratory games in connection with our 150th birthday celebrations, Sheffield FC were pushed to complete their programme in time for the Saturday dead-line. It meant that (with the extra commitment of a Cup Semi-Final Game), they had to complete 5 games within 8 days. Furthermore one of the home games scheduled for last Thursday evening was itself postponed and had to be played on the Friday. But they finished the rush of games in fine form, with 3 wins and 2 draws.

Unfortunately, I missed the lot due to a severe cold. But I intend to make tomorrow's play-off semi-final - except that it has been raining heavily, so we could be in for a further postponement.

Then there is the final of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup (founded in 1876) to look forward to at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsbrough on 8 May against Worksop Town who finished in the middle of the league which we are seeking promotion to. We won this Cup in 2004/5 and 2005/6. Whilst Worksop have won it a record 11 times.

It could yet be a great season, with Sunderland also having avoided relegation. I am due to make my annual pilgrimage to the Stadium of Light for our final game of the season against Arsenal. In the meantime, I should finally make it back to both Sheffield FC's Stadium of Bright and to that game at Hillsbrough - it will be my first visit to the latter since 1992 when Sunderland defeated Norwich City in the Semi-Final of the FA Cup.

Sponsorship And Support

Sheffield FC at Step 4 of the Non-League Pyramid have just announced a sponsorship deal with Pirelli. Well it is one up on Newcastle United who are still playing with "Northern Rock" on the front of their shirts. Yet as a Socialist, I will have to become pro Northern Rock if it is nationalised. But as I am also a Sunderland supporter, I can hardly become pro the Magpies as well.

6-5, Then And Now

I regret not making Sheffield FC's cup game at home to Gresley Rovers on Tuesday evening. It was a 5-5 draw at full time and Sheffield went on to grab the winner in extra time. Here is a report of what I missed.

When I was a youngster of 14 I remember being in the lengthy queue at a shop at Easington Colliery waiting for copies of the Football Echo to arrive by van from Sunderland to read about Sunderland's 6-5 defeat at Derby County. I remember someone moaning about the result as it meant we had fallen to 19th in the old First Division, which contained 22 teams in those days. Yet I thought that scoring 5 in a match could not all be bad.

The report said that Dicky Davis was unlucky not to get a late equaliser which would have given him a hat-trick. Besides we were handicapped, Shackleton wasn't in our team due to injury.

Things picked up as the season progressed. Sunderland got to the quarter finals of the FA Cup, losing in a reply at Wolves. In a cup game against Norwich, the great Willie Watson scored the best goal I ever saw at Sunderland's old ground at Roker Park. We also rose to end up 13th in League.

So even though I missed out on Tuesday, the result still revived memories from 57 years ago - with the help of a notebook I used to keep on our games. Unfortunately, it was probably these experiences of Saturday's game which deterred me from seeing Tuesday night's football feast.

Remembering Ian

I was saddened to hear of the death of Ian Porterfield. Although a lifelong Sunderland supporter, I did not obtain a ticket for the 1973 FA Cup Final when he scored the only goal in Sunderland's dramatic 1-0 defeat of the then mighty Leeds United. It can be accessed here.

But I did see the first game he ever played for Sunderland on 30 December, 1967. It was a dramatic 3-3 draw at home to local rivals Newcastle United.

I also took my son Stephen as a four year old to his very first football match when Porterfield was playing for Sunderland in an away game at Huddersfield Town. It was on 23 September 1972. Porterfield scored the equaliser in a 1-1 draw. It was the very season in which Sunderland went on to win the FA Cup, via that other famous Porterfield goal.

Throughout his football and coaching careers, Porterfield was always well respected. He was a skilled and cultured player. My son and I will have our own special reasons to reflect on his sad departure.

Iraqi For Sunderland?

Today's "Daily Telegraph" claims that Sunderland's Manager "Roy Keane has held talks with Iraq international Nashat Akram. The midfielder, who plays for Saudi Arabia side Al-Shabab is presently on duty at the AFC Asian Cup". Here is where the report seemingly comes from.

Iraq's activities in the AFC Asian Cup are covered here. Iraq having just completed its own football season as recently as last Friday - here are the final Iraqi football results.

For more on Iraqi Football see here.

It's Poom, It's Poom .....

As England succumbed to a last minute equaliser against Brazil last Friday, they had better watch out that this isn't repeated or capped by Estonia tonight.

In particular they need to watch out for a tactic of the Estonian goalkeeper Poom, which can be accessed here.

Poom was in goal for Sunderland at the ground of his former club, Derby. Sunderland went down 1-0 towards the close of the game and against the run of play, then obtained a corner in the dying seconds. Poom rushed up the field and headed a dramatic equaliser.

I was with the Sunderland supporters, waiving my walking stick in the air in delight. We all went crazy, singing-

It's Poom, its Poom,
It's Marty, Marty Poom,
He got the ball.
He scored the goal,
It's Marty, Marty Poom"

Watch out for the Estonian version. On his day, Poom is also capable of keeping a clean sheet. His last minute header could be the winner this time. McClaren, you have been warned.

Doing Your Stuff For The Planet

This is from the web site of "A Love Supreme" which is the independent and prize winning fanzine of the Sunderland Football Team. It refers to Roy Keane who is Sunderland's Manager.

Eco Warrior - Keano Keen On Planet

The gaffer has spoken out about the planet. Yes honest. He's not only a mint manager, he's politically correct too and he loves Bob Dylan. I think I'll invite him round for tea. The boss man said "I like to cycle round and walk as much as I can. I'm all for saving the planet. You have to do all of that stuff. I'm constantly walking round the house turning lights off, although sometimes the kids are still doing their homework and they complain about that. But I am into all that. We recycle our papers, whatever we can do. Maybe a few years ago I wasn't but as you get older and more mature, maybe you think you've got to do your bit for the planet, because if everyone does their bit, it makes a hell of a difference."

Philosophical Backing

As the philosopher Sidney Hook said in "Moral Freedom in a Determined World" (Commentary 1958) -

"what we can make different, we are responsible for".

Those Were The Days

"A Love Supreme" is the award winning Sunderland Football Fanzine. In its current issue (No. 152) it has re-printed a slightly edited version of my earlier blog item which I had called
"From Beano To Keano."

It is beautifully presented, using the general title of this blog. "Three Score Years and Ten".

First, as part 1 there is a double page spread covering my first visit to Sunderland's former ground at Roker Park in 1946, headed "The Beano Years". It includes a photo of Len Shackleton, the front page of a Beano and a picture of the ground. It is given the appearance of a past old black and white film.

The part 2 double pager bursts into technicolour, with a set of equivalent photos for "The Keano Years." It centres upon my 60th anniversary visit to Sunderland's modern ground at the Stadium of Light.

My thanks go to Martyn McFadden, the editor, and his team. If my memory serves me correctly, nearly 20 years ago I addressed a meeting in Birkenhead against the Poll Tax which Martyn's father organised. So it is all power to the McFaddens.

I have had another thought about my 60th anniversary visit to see Sunderland play. If at my very first visit in 1946, a 70 year old man (the equivalent of me today) had been next to me and it was his 60th anniversary visit, then he would first have seen Sunderland play on its Newcastle Road ground in the first ever season they wore red and white stripes. The match would have been in pre-League days and would have been an FA Cup first qualifying round game against Morpeth Harriers. We were 2-0 down at half-time, but went on to win 7-2.

Those were the days.

From Beano to Keano

Part 1 : Beano Time

I don’t know when I first graduated from reading the Beano and Dandy to the Wizard and the Hotspur. The latter were for older boys (I never saw a girl reading them) and they were dominated by stories instead of cartoons. So it is possible that I was still a Beano reader around the time I first saw a League Football match.

It is sixty years now since my father first took me to see Sunderland play at Roker Park. We travelled to Sunderland by bus from Easington Colliery and walked down to the ground.. On the way he showed me the terraced house he had been born in. It was a couple of doors away from a pawnbrokers which had the typical sign outside.

I was ten years old and I was sat upon a concrete barrier at the Roker end, having an excellent view in a crowd of 42,750. Nearly everyone stood in those days.

It was in the 1946-47 season, the first season after the Second World War and was an old Division 1 clash. Sunderland having played in no other Division than the top one. A proud record which only finally bit the dust on the last day of the 1957-58 season.

The match I saw was against Grimsby Town. Up to then Sunderland had won all their first four home games of the season, including a 4-1 defeat of Everton the previous week. In all Sunderland had had a good start to the season; with 6 wins, 2 draws and only 2 defeats.

Grimsby ended up at the bottom of the League and had lost all their away games up to then. Everything seemed set for a Sunderland victory.

We even had a new star signed from Sheffield Wednesday in Jackie Robinson, who had been bought to replace Raich Carter who had been transferred to Derby County for the start of the season.

But I was soon taught to be philosophical about my team. We went two down and a man in front of me turned to his mate to say the obvious - “we need THREE now to win!”. Only one of these was forthcoming . We lost 2-1.

Jackie Robinson got the consolation goal and was therefore always one of my heroes. The war had ruined what would have been the peak of his career. The crowd got on his back until he scored, shouting for Stan Lloyd (who I never saw play) to be returned.

Despite the defeat, I was now hooked. The team that day included three heroes from the 1937 FA Cup winning team. Mapson in goal, with the skills of Duns and Burbanks on the wings. Johnny Mapson went on to play for Sunderland until the 1952-3 season, when he was finally replaced by Threadgold, who the crowd knew as “threadbare”. No-one ever criticised Mapson, who I looked upon as a god when I later saw him sitting opposite our family when we were out having a meal at Jopling’s Restaurant in Sunderland.

The picture in my mind which I always have of Mapson is of him standing on the line in the middle of his goal with his feet together and his two hands stretched above his head to safely catch the ball. It always seemed to happen, as if he hypnotised those shooting at goal or crossing the ball.

Willie Watson, who went on play both cricket and football for England played at what in those days was called the “inside left” position, to Robinson’s “inside right”- seen nowadays as attacking mid-fielders. It was a position Watson occupied until the legendary Len Shackleton arrived on the scene. Watson was then moved to a deeper mid-field role at “right-half” and won his England football caps in that position. His gentlemanly and highly skilled performances led him to be my favourite Sunderland player, even above the great Len Shackleton.

Jackie Stelling was a tough right-back, with a sliding tackle which always disposed
the opposing winger. He became a great penalty-taker, hitting an unstoppable rocket of a shot just above the ground and inside the goalkeeper’s right hand post. Until , that is, Bert Trautman came to Roker Park in goal for Manchester City. After Stelling had beaten him with one penalty, he worked out what to do with the second one. He made an incredible save just inside the post, but was judged by the referee to have moved on the line before the ball was kicked (which in those days was an offence). Trautman threw the ball into the crowd in disgust, before going on to save the re-taken rocket.

The match against Man City was the Grimsby match written large. It was in 1950.
Sunderland were undefeated in 18 home games up to then, and Man City were bottom of the League without an away win. Of course, we lost again 2-1. If we had gained the points for a win, we would have won the League that year. Instead we finished third.
It is still our greatest achievement in the top flight in my 60 years as a supporter and I saw all of our home games that season.

I only saw four games in all over the first two season’s after the war, as I normally went to watch my father play in goal for a local team. Four of those who played against Grimsby were gradually replaced before I began to watch Sunderland play on a regular basis. They had all played war-time football with Sunderland - Jones, Willingham, Housman and Whitelum.

The remaining player was Fred Hall, the centre half. Teams didn’t use two central defenders then, and Fred was a no-sense stopper who cleared his lines. If the ball came back to him, he would again belt it up field. No wonder I have always had sympathy for route one soccer.

The game against Grimsby took place on 19 October, 1946. The nearest home match to the 60th anniversary of the first game I saw was on 21 October, 2006. The venue was now the Stadium of Light, with Sunderland under the management of Roy Keane.

Part 2 : Keano Therapy

My 60th Anniversary game was the one against Barnsley. It was appropriate that I should sit in the concessionary seats which were full of fellow oldies and young children. The lad sat next to me was 12 and had been attending since he was 6. So he will reach his 60th Anniversary game in the year 2060. I hope we win the Premiership by then.

My getting to the match at all was something of a pilgrimage. I was in Exeter the night before addressing a meeting. Even if I caught the first train on the Saturday morning to the North East, I couldn’t arrive in time for the kick-off. So I had to swallow my principles and add to the pollution of the atmosphere by joining a flight to Newcastle. The excellent Metro then took me to the land that is cut asunder by the Wear.

After soaking up the atmosphere and some Guinness at Yates, I walked to the ground past the railway station, where I had at one time worked as a clerk and where I had first caught sight of Ann whom I went on to marry. Then on approaching the ground, I walked past the end of the street where Edward Thompson’s works is. Ann became their first full time secretarial worker in the days when they started out as printers of bingo tickets.

I stopped off to purchase a football shirt produced by the “A Love Supreme” fanzine fanatics. It is the one that is half red and white stripes and the other half green . The latter showing Sunderland’s Irish connections with Roy Keane, Niall Quinn and the Irish firm who now own the Club. Once in the ground I popped into a toilet cubicle to slip into my new purchase.

“A Love Supreme” also had the wit to call Keane “Keano”. When Sunderland head for a win the fans shout this out. But they blame the players for a defeat. It is all built upon hopes and encouragements for the future.

The stage was now set for me . The Stadium of Light is even built upon the pit where my great-grandfather was killed. So that huge Miner’s lamp outside the ground means a great deal to me. Which is added to by the fact that my father and father-in-law were Sunderland supporters and coal miners.

Given that I started out watching us lose to a lowly team, it did not even matter if we lost. But glory be, we won 2-0. The icing on the cake was that Chris Brown of all people scored the second goal.

In explaining the importance of this to me, I draw completely on memory and have no record books to check. And I realise that memory is fallible. But if I am wrong on any points, then I hope that no-one will disillusion me.

Chris’s father Alan Brown also played for Sunderland. I first saw Alan play when he was a schoolboy, at Easington Colliery’s ground. I believe that it was a key cup game involving the Secondary School team from Easington and the School Team from Dronfield in Derbyshire where I now live and where our son and daughter went to school. My son Stephen was with me at the match and Alan Brown scored a hat-trick.

Not only that but Chris’s grandfather was in my class at the Infant School at Easington. There were two Brown’s : Dennis and Derrick. So I hope I am, not mixed up.

I believe that Chris’s grandfather was Derrick. Our families lived opposite each other,
separated by lengthy back gardens which tended to cut us of into different mixtures of streets. We lived in Harrison Terrace and the Brown’s were in Moncreiff Terrace. So I knew of Chris’s great grandparents. Consequently ,Chris’s goal against Barnsley is as important to me as Jackie Robinson’s against Grimsby in 1946.

My father’s support for Sunderland went back to his first visit to Roker Park when he was 11. Establishing a tradition, he was taken to his first match by his own father, my grandfather. It was a Cup Tie against Burnley in February 1920 in front of a then record crowd of 49,618. Sunderland won 2-0. From my Father’s story, on the way to the ground they crossed the Wear by an oar driven boat which almost capsized. One of Sunderland’s goals was scored by none other than Charlie Buchan.(whose “Football Monthly” I later devoured.)

I then took my son to his first game to see Sunderland play on Huddersfield’s old ground. Stephen was only four at the time, but he saw Porterfield score the equaliser in a 1-1 draw in the season in which Porterfield went on to get the winner against Leeds in the FA Cup final.

I then took my daughter Joanne with us for her first match at Notts County when she was eight. Stan Cummins got the winner in our 1-0 victory and we went on to gain promotion that season. Then Stephen and I witnessed another great 1-0 winner from Stan the following season (1980-81) at Liverpool on the last day to avoid relegation. The chant by the Sunderland’s ecstatic supporters as they left the ground was “pissed tonight, pissed tonight”.

When we take my young grandson Joseph to see his first game, we might need to put our hands over his ears. It is only my wife in this family (with her solid Sunderland links) who has never been to see them play. The worst of it is that she has seen Chesterfield play three times with me, twice in play-offs at Wembley.

My daughter-in-law Rebecca is from Tasmania and she has chalked up a respectable number of Sunderland home and away games, although living in London.

When I was an M.P. I had a question and answer session at a local infant school. A lad at the back asked who I supported. I explained that people support whoever their dad (normally) first took them to see play. I then asked who he supported. He and a pile of his mates at the back of the room shouted out “Manchester United”, whom they had never seen play. It seems that the old world is breaking up somewhat and Sky TV is taking over. But not for the 12 year old I sat next to at the Stadium of
Light.

I hope some of the old traditions live on, for it has been gripping being a Sunderland supporter. The defeat by Grimsby in 1946, followed by a 4-1 defeat by Liverpool on my next visit helped me prepare for the disasters we have seen over the past few seasons. But when we triumph it is magnificent.

Dreams live on. I am sure that I have seen those midfield qualities of Dwight Yorke somewhere before. Oh yes, it was Willie Watson. All we now need is a Len Shackleton and we are on our way. And who knows, given the magic of Keano Therapy.

A Sport Infested Week

In writing about my sport infested week, I won’t concentrate upon match reports. Instead I will seek to reflect upon the events’ atmospheres and implications. But first I need to give a brief synopsis of what I have been absorbed in.

On Saturday, 26 August I went to the Rugby League Cup Final at Twickenham.
On the following Bank Holiday Monday I sat and watched my soccer team on TV, finally winning a game. I support Sunderland. That evening, Roy Keane signed as our Manager and in the next 24 hours I read his recent biography by Frank Worrell. By that time Keane was left with only two days to sign up fresh players before the transfer dead line. He achieved the signings of a six pack in a last minute rush.

Finally, on Saturday 2 September I went to see my local team, Sheffield FC slog out a goalless draw in an FA Cup Preliminary Round Tie against fellow Northern Counties East Team; Retford United.

Twickenham

It was a great day out at the Rugby League Cup Final. We went to a pub initially to soak up some atmosphere and beer. Outside there was a mass overflow of a friendly gathering of the tribes. Those wearing the shirts of the finalists were outnumbered by groups from far and wide. We had Hull FC mothers and sisters, Wigan home and away strips and soccer shirts, including those from Huddersfield Town whose Rugby League equivalents were one of the contestants.

Others clans were dressed as little Green Giants, Zapata Mexicans and Tyrolean Dancers. My contribution was limited to purchasing a Huddersfield Giants cap, although I had never seen them play before. But they were the underdogs and were to be beaten 42-12.

It is my son, Stephen (the inventor of this blog) who organises me to see occasional Rugby games. This is the fourth ground that I have visited. First, we went to Brentford to see London Bronchos play. When the club was transformed into Harlequins RL, I was then taken to see them play on the ground that is still dominated by the Rugby Union team who originally owned that sole identification. We have also watched Great Britain get slaughtered by New Zealand at QPR’s ground.

Rebecca, my daughter in law often manages to make these trips as my wife (and this time my daughter Joanne) baby sit with young Joseph. . Steve, my son’s friend from Holland came over to see his team, Huddersfield Giants.

In spite of a crowd of 65,000, Steve and I bumped into Barry Sherman who is Huddersfield’s M.P. and a former colleague of mine. Stephen had gone for the beers and Rebecca for some food. There was only one political matter which arose. I am soon to visit Ruskin College to meet fellow ex-students and the Principal. As Barry is Chair of the Commons Select Committee on Education, I will keep him informed about the funding problems they face.

A civilised feature of Rugby is that you can take your pint with you whilst watching the match. We were sat near the back of the middle level of seats, opposite the 30 yards line and had a fine view - even of the replays on the large TV screen. Huddersfield set off in great style and took a well deserved early lead. They did not fall behind until a few minutes before half-time, but in the second half St Helens took over.

There is a bigger tendency in Rugby than in soccer for a dominant team to crash home its advantage. When England defeated Albania 5-0 they had 80% of the possession and their goalkeeper only touched the ball once. St Helen’s, however, had as big a margin scoring 7 tries to Huddersfield’s 2; but in terms of territory it was something of a 60-40 game. It is just that an attacking side has a significantly longer scoring line to raid..

The festive nature of the day was illustrated by the “neutral” who sat near me. She shouted for whoever was attacking , starting out with Huddersfield and ending up with St. Helens.

Sunderland Irish

Out shopping before the Sunderland v West Brom match was shown on the telly, I picked up a cheap copy of “Roy Keane: Red Man Walking” (Mainstream Publishing, 2006) by Frank Worrell. Its published price is £11.99, but the stickers showed it had gone down to £6.99 then to the £4.99 I paid. Why such a fall in value for a new book?

Well, apart from the fact that it is padded out with drab match reporting, it had fallen between two markets.

Keane’s career at Manchester United ended in November 2005 and he then signed for Celtic. The book was, therefore, targeted in part at a Glasgow market. So the blurb says “Will the relationship (with Gordon Strachen, the Celtic Manager) end in tears…?”

Just after the book appeared, Keane’s short lived Celtic career ended in injury and he had disappeared from the radar screen. But whilst I was reading the book, he was back as Sunderland’s Manager. A new blurb can now say “Will the relationship (with Neill Quinn, Sunderland’s Chairman ) end in tears…?” For in “Neill Quinn: The Autobiography” (Headline 2002) Quinn’s bitter conclusion about Roy Keane leaving the Irish Squad in the 2002 World Cup is “We all talk about how we’d do anything to play for our country, for the honour, the privilege and the glory, we’d die for the green jersey. Well, we wouldn’t, not all of us. We know that now.” (p.175.)

Here is a writer who certainly knows how to meet a deadline. Keane appears on over 50 of the 300 pages of Quinn’s book, just after that world cup fraca . Then he pulls Keane out of his hat when all seemed lost at Sunderland and suddenly they are getting more publicity than Chelsea and Rooney rolled into one. Both Quinn and Keane know that there is no such thing as bad publicity for the beautiful game.

Keane’s signing of six players in a day are all of people he has worked with at Manchester United, Celtic and Ireland. So he hasn’t put the frighteners on everyone!

We beat West Brom 2-0 with most of the old guard and played well. But Keane and the long suffering Sunderland supporters know that one swallow doesn’t make a summer. But we are now dreaming that our new Irish Eyes (and ownership) will soon be smiling.

From the Sublime…

Twickenham and Sunderland meant that I missed two homes games at Sheffield FC and my season ticket went to waste. The game I saw them play was a cup tie, so it was pay time at the gate. I was wearing my Huddersfield Giants hat and my Sheffield FC shirt, plus my red and black striped Sheffield tie which makes me look like Dennis the Menace.

The crowd looked to be the biggest of the season, but did not match the number that was outside that pub at Twickenham. Yet at my local “Stadium of Bright”, numbers could have been deceptive as it was raining strongly throughout the match and we were crammed into the limited covered areas.

It was a grim 0-0 draw with numbers of near misses, but few shots on target. It was a contrast to my earlier fun.

Worse still, the pub owned by the Club hasn’t yet installed the promised Guinness tap. How can we drink to Sunderland Irish without it? For we Black Cats are also now looking for some wonderful drab goalless draws to show that our long run of defeats are finally over.

Howay the lads; be they Huddersfield Giants, Sheffield FC or Sunderland Irish.