This is where Pete Sixsmith records his instant verdict, in seven words, on each Sunderland game. Today’s is a rather special edition of the Sevens since it recalls a match played eight days short of 40 years ago on Sunderland’s march to Wembley and glory. Salut! Sunderland will have plenty to say about the anniversary but first let’s hear from Sixer, who was there in 1973 just as he was at the replay (3-1 to the Lads after Malcolm Allison had bragged ‘Sunderland have no chance – we’ll murder them’) and the rest of the run to the winning final against then-mighty Leeds United – and at the SoL in 2013 when MoN’s team tumbled headlong out of the cup in a replay against none-too-mighty Bolton Wanderers. And he’ll be back on these pages soon with a Soapbox from Maine Road, the occasion remembered as vividly as if it did indeed happen today …
The teams lined up like this, with R Tinkler (Boston) as referee and 54,478 watching:
Manchester City: Corrigan, Book, Donachie, Doyle (Mellor), Booth, Jeffries, Summerbee, Bell, Marsh, Lee Towers
Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Guthrie, Horswill, Pitt, Halom, Hughes, Kerr, Watson, Porterfield, Tueart Sub: Chambers
Scorers: Horswill, Hughes for SAFC, Towers (later sent off) and Summerbee (or did it go down as a Montgomery og?) for City.
Feb 24 1973 FA Cup 5th round Manchester City 2 (1) SAFC 2 (1) Magnificent performance that belies our lowly status
Feb 9 2013 SAFC 0 (0) Arsenal 1 (1) *Second half fightback fails to earn point
Feb 2 2013 Reading 2 (1) SAFC 1 (1) *More points thrown away by shoddy defending
Jan 29 2013 SAFC 0(0) Swansea City 0(0) Be thankful Swansea don’t have a Fletcher
Jan 19 2013 Wigan Athletic (1) 2 SAFC (3) 3 Important win but nerves shredded at end
Jan 15 2013 FA Cup Third Round replay: SAFC (0) 0 Bolton Wanderers (0) 2 What a difference three days make: awful
Jan 12 2013 SAFC (1) 3 West Ham United (0) 0 Great show by Vaughan inspired comfortable win
Jan 5 2013 FA Cup Third Round: Bolton Wanderers (1) 0 SAFC (0) 2 *A Gardner wonder strike saves the day
Jan 2 2013 Liverpool (2) 3 SAFC (0) 0 Our heads went down second half – worrying
Dec 29 2012 SAFC (1) 1 Tottenham Hotspur (0) 2 Nearly a draw but not quite there
Dec 26 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Manchester City (0) 0 What a wonderful way to spend Boxing Day
Dec 23 2012 Southampton (0) 0 SAFC (1) 1 Jingle bells, jingle bells, Sunderland win away <
Dec 16 2012 Manchester United (2) 3 SAFC (0) 1 Dismal first half defending cost us dear
Dec 11 2012 SAFC (2) 3 Reading (0) 0 Just a comfortable win against poor oppositon
Dec 8 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Chelsea (2) 3 Far better performance than the scoreline suggests
Dec 2 2012 Norwich City (2) 2 SAFC (1) 1 Took too long to get into game.
And read Monsieur Salut at ESPN: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/sunderland/id/710?cc=5739
Nov 27 2012 SAFC (0) 0 Queens Park Rangers (0) 0 Won’t see a poorer game all season
Nov 23 2012 SAFC (0) 2 West Bromwich Albion (2) 4 Ridiculous scoreline but too many basic errors
Nov 18 2012 Fulham 1 (0) SAFC 3 (0) Good goals, better performance, 3 important points
Nov 10 2012 Everton (0) 2 SAFC (1) 1 Chances created, which is progress. Much better
Nov 3 2012 SAFC 0 (0) Aston Villa 1 (0) Another abject performance. A long winter looms
Oct 30 2012 Capital One Cup Fourth Round: SAFC 0 (0) Middlesbrough 1 (1) Plan B even worse than plan A
Oct 27 2012 Stoke City (0) 0 SAFC (0) 0 Don’t bother with MoTD: a real stinker
Oct 21 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Newcastle United (1) 1 Got out of jail. Just about deserved
Oct 6 2012 Manchester City (1) 3 SAFC (0) 0 Never gave up but City simply better.
Sept 29 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Wigan Athletic (0) 0 Scrappy performance but a win’s a win
Sept 25 2012 Capital One Cup 3rd Round: MK Dons (0) 0 SAFC (0) 2 Second goal settles nerves for comfortable win
Sept 22 2012 West Ham United (0) 1 SAFC (1) 1 Need to be more positive when ahead
Sept 15 2012 SAFC (1) Liverpool (0) 1 More than happy to take a point
Sept 1 2012 Swansea City (1) 2 SAFC (2) 2 *Lack of ambition against 10 cost points
Aug 28 2012 Capital One Cup Round 2: SAFC (1) 2 Morecambe (0) 0 Shrimps potted as we stroll to victory
Aug 18 2012 Arsenal (0) 0 SAFC (0) 0 Gritty, determined and a well earned point
To see Sixer’s Sevens in full, click here.
Join the Salut! Sunderland Facebook group – click anywhere along this line
And follow us on Twitter: @salutsunderland … click along this line
Anyone straying on this posting should also see https://safc.blog/2013/02/maine-road-mania-as-city-steal-a-draw/
I went to the City game had got married the previous sept, i had taken my Wife Jenny to the lake district for a short holiday and we went to the game on our way back we lived at Stratford Upon Avon at the time. The game and atmosphere were just brilliant when i got home i went to Fred Stock a local bookie and put £1 on the Lads to win the cup – need i say more – Ha’way the lads
What odds did you get?
It was 100/1 and thats true.
I remember the replay so well. After the game we dashed back to a house to watch it on telly. The Tyne Tees cameras were so poor they had to show it in black and white! I also seem to remember Gerald Sinstadt (who worked for Granada at the time), commentating and trying to fight the tears back as City were torn apart by Vic Halom and Billy Hughes.
Happy days!
We weren’t even off the supportetrs bus when we were attacked by Citeh fans and yes I remember the crush outside the ground before kick-off.
All was worth it and to win so comprehensively in the replay meant justice was done, they were the electric nights at Roker Park, what an atmosphere it had when full for games like this.
I remember they didn’t open the turnstiles until very late and the fans at the back were pushing forward to get in before the game started unaware that the gates weren’t open. The crush was terrible – a mounted policeman was grabbing young kids and hauling them out of danger. Pretty frightening, totally irresponsible by Man City, but soon forgotten!
No. It was “Oh, Rodney, Rodney, Rodney Rodney, Rodney, RodneyS***house Marsh”.
I was there as a City fan and you totally outplayed us. We pushed hard for a second half equaliser but never really looked like getting one until one of our players (Bell?) jumped for the ball /into your goalie and the ball went into the net. Evan a biased young lad like myself was surpirsed a foul wasn’t called – I was near the front looking side on and had a great view, but that’s how it ended.
I wasn’t confident of the replay after watching the match, and justice was eventually done. It was a really good Sunderland team, with some great players. We were impressed enough to subsequently sign big Dave Watson, Tueart and Horswill (a ginger who never looked like he could take the step up tbh) after you went on to glory.
The football in those days was much more fun for some reason.
Was it not Rodney Marsh who fouled Monty?
I think it was.