This, on a day when there seems a lull in the frantic transfer process, is priceless.
To agree with that assessment, you need only to enjoy football history, relish a rare opportunity to see Sunderland beat Everton with ease or hanker for days when commentary came in clipped military tones, boys were passed over the heads of spectators to be nearer the front and what seems like straw was thrown in the air in goal celebration.
The date was February 15 1964, the occasion SAFC’s fifth-round FA Cup tie at home to Everton. We had already beaten Northampton Town 2-0 and Bristol City 6-1 in the earlier rounds, each game drawing 40-000+ crowds to Roker Park. It was also a thrilling promotion season in which Dorty Leeds bullied and bustled their way to top spot, two points ahead of us.
Not far short of 63,000 turned up to see Everton, reigning English champions. They were no match for Alan Brown’s rampant team, which roared to a 3-0 half-time lead with goals from Jimmy McNab, Charlie Hurley and, into his own net, Mick Meagan. A consolation goal for Everton in the second half was not enough to stop Sunderland marching on to the remarkable series of three game in the Sixth round against Manchester United.
Moral victors twice, 3-3 at Old Trafford and 2-2 in the first replay, on both occasions deserving better, our knackered heroes had a tough derby, vs Boro, to contend with (0-0) before the second replay brought a 5-1 thrashing at Huddersfield.
I know I was there for the first replay but not at Old Trafford or Huddersfield. Despite seeing a lot of the team that season, I simply have no recollection of the other rounds. Pete Sixsmith will know, of course …
Here is how British Pathe recorded the Everton win:
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/sunderland-beat-everton/query/sunderland+v+everton
And this is the end of the run:
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/manchester-sunderland-marathon
You may be able to navigate the site and find other gems, from that season and others. Thanks Jake for alerting me to this, at the Salut! Sunderland Facebook group.
Join the Salut! Sunderland Facebook group – click anywhere along this line
And follow us on Twitter: @salutsunderland … click along this line
Thank goodness for that first goal. I was stuck in the Fulwell end with hands in me pockets,coudn’t get them out because of the crush. Everybody moved forward when Jimmy McNab scored, thank the Lord.
I recall the Everton lass with the wickerwork basket walking around the ground throwing free toffees to the crowd.
I can’t recall if Johnny Morrissey was playing for the blues that day but I do recall him “doing” Cec Irwin the next season. Broke both tibia and fibia if my memory serves me right.
In the Clock Stand for the Man Utd game (someone else must have paid!!).
M.Salut and his young sidekick did get to the Everton game. My father (a man whose dislike for football was only matched by his dislike of Tetley’s Bitter) got us two tickets from the owner of Scarlet Band Motor Services at West Cornforth.
We went fom Doggy to Roker on the SB bus (named after Sid Blenkinsopp, the proprietor- a man so wealthy that he had two tv sets in his living room so that he could watch both channels at the same time) and threw straw at each other in the Clock Stand Paddock and whooped and cheered as only boys can when the goals went in.
Neither of us went to Old Trafford but we made it to the replay on a United bus that went from Peter Dowson’s paper shop in Main Street.
Those were the days – you didn’t need names on the backs of the shirts to identify the players in 1964. I often wonder what Alan Brown and Matt Busby would make of the modern game.
As a 13 yr old I remember queuing for hours outside Roker Park for tickets. Come the morning of the match I was running a temperature with flu like symptoms. I was immediately packed off to bed for the weekend by a mother who unfortunately had no concept of what football meant to me. I also managed to get into Roker Park for the Man Utd replay, but finances (or lack of) and school attendance meant I did not take my place on Tennick’s charabanc for the game at Leeds Rd.