When Sunderland played WBA and Kevin Ball was blamed for a broken trophy

A story I hadn’t heard before. Bears repeating, from Dave Hewitt’s answers in the West Bromwich Albion “Who are You?” ahead of tomorrow’s game at the Hawthorns. Dave is a retired teacher and sports photographer …

Dave, lifelong Baggie though he is, has lived for many years in South Shields – very close to Sunderland for the benefit of any geographically challenged West Brom supporters – which explains the question:

Salut! Sunderland: Do you have any strong memories – good, bad, funny – of seeing Sunderland in action, whether or not against WBA?

I remember going to see the two teams in the final of the Youth Cup in the late 1960s. We won 3-0 in the first leg and lost 6-0 in the second. That wasn’t good. At Roker Park with Kevin Ball as captain last match of the season when you were promoted as champions. There was a presentation ceremony after the game and I was a photographer that day. The trophy had been placed on a table on the pitch with an Endsleigh league sign behind it. Before the presentations began a gust of wind blew down the sign which in turn knocked over the trophy. When the trophy was put into Kevin Ball’s hands and he lifted it up to the crowd, the figure that was on the top of the trophy was missing. Knocked off by the sign. Talking to Kevin years later he said he always had been blamed for the damage. I gave him a picture of the sign knocking off the trophy. I believe he has it in his office now.

See the full interview at this link: https://safc.blog/2012/02/30569/