Each matchday, Pete Sixsmith – or a supersub in his absence – summarises the outcome and/or performance with a seven-word verdict, invariably followed by his considered Soapboax report. Today, May 5, though not literally, he’s been up to London to see the … Team of All The Talents, Bob Stokoe’s valiant men in red and white stripes who defied logic and hierarchical wisdom to beat all-conquering Leeds United to the FA Cup. Savour the moment as, on another May 5 four decades ago, Pete did …
Pete Sixsmith***** was there. Monsieur Salut was not, having been repeatedly promised a ticket by a drunken colleague whose work gave him close contact with Wembley. The promises continued right up to May 4 but the ticket did not materialise.. A fabulous day all the same, even if you had to watch it in an upstairs company flat in Uxbridge (upstairs of said colleague who was nowhere to be found) before heading off to sink pints with the Co Durham lads who always ended SAFC awaydays at the Wealdstone ex-Service club. Pete describes the day, as I could describe that night, as if writing for this site on May 6 1973 …
Memories keep flooding back. If you’re old enough, they are your own, If not, you’ve had them handed down. Even Sunderland supporters well under 40 have a clear notion of what is must have been like – what it was like – 40 years ago today, Ken Gambles, from the first category, offers his own recollections …
Continuing our series of reminiscences of May 5 1973, Salut! Sunderland talks – thanks to the excellent Jeanette Sutton (nee Coyle) – to Jimmy Montgomery.
Check out the generic link – https://safc.blog/category/fa-cup/may-5-1973 – for commemorative items you may have missed. Monty was not alone; there were 10 other heroes that day against Leeds united – Dick Malone, Ron Guthrie, Richie Pitt, Dave Watson, Mick Horswill, Ian Porterfield, Bobby Kerr, Dennis Tueart, Billy Hughes and Vic Halom – plus the unused substitute David Young. But Monty was an obvious choice to speak to …
It was not, in Jimmy Montgomery’s view or mine, the best game he ever played.
But in the few seconds it took him to make his extraordinary double save from Trevor Cherry and Peter Lorimer, Monty ensured his place in the imaginary goalkeepers’ hall of fame that inhabits the minds of countless fans of every club in most countries where footballs are kicked.
I feel we’re on a roll and shouldn’t stop spinning. Maybe it has something to do with not wanting to think too hard about next Monday night. Maybe it’s whatever I’m taking. But the 40th anniversary of Sunderland 1 Leeds United 0 is a powerful reason for going over the top. So as well as producing fresh material – Malcolm Dawson’s wonderful conversations with Jeanette Sutton over the past day or so; Monty, John McCormick, Ken Gambles, Bill Taylor and Pete Sixsmith to come – I am dipping into the archive. This appeared here in December 2009 to coincide with publication of Lance Hardy’s book about that great cup run and Wembley triumph. I have corrected typos but all else is how it appeared, so specific references (such as Lance’s then BBC job) may be out of date …
The mauling at Villa Park has cast a black cloud over what should be a great week of remembrance. But we need to forget it if we can, at least until Monday night. For now that we have reached May 2013, it is time for Salut! Sunderland to join the extended SAFC family and diaspora in commemorating a remarkable event in the club’s mighty history. Mighty as it is, 1973 did not begin as a year of glory. On May 5, exactly 40 years ago this coming Sunday, it became one when Bob Stokoe led his second-tier team to Wembley and came away with the FA Cup after humbling top-drawer Leeds United.
There will be plenty of articles to read, memories to relive, glories (for younger readers) to imagine. But let us start with this …
Back in 1973, Jeanette Coyle was a Sunderland-mad teenager with a part-time job at Roker Park. Her father Bill was a well known and respected local footballer either side of the Second World War, having played for Darlington and West Auckland as well as a host of other Northern League clubs as a guest during the years of conflict.
Jeanette became friends with many of the Sunderland squad and has her own special memories of May 5th 1973. Here in conversation with deputy editor Malcolm Dawson, she talks about the build up to the great day. Her experience of Cup Final day itself will follow shortly, in the second of this two part reminiscence …
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 …
This is a posting that could not decide whether to be one of those occasional Salut! Sunderland reviews of the week just gone, a simple Guess the Score competition or a second bite at the “Who are You?” cherry.
Monsieur Salut thought of rolling them all into one but finally accepted the rebuke of Terry McLoughlin who, while boldly offering a scoreline forecast of Liverpool 1 SAFC 2, questioned the device of mixing up Guess the Score and further debate on the Tottenham Hotspur post-Olympics diving squad. “Too much talk, too few predictions,” Terry thundered.
The new Sunderland strips are out and we’ve got off lightly again. As Jeremy Robson put it yesterday, at least we still look like us It wasn’t always thus, but the abomination of the early 80s toothpaste tops is still insignificant compared to what Cardiff City fans have been asked to endure. Jeremy’s look at club tradition also recalls the dramatic makeover that once befell Leeds United …
Ken Gambles gets around. Sunderland support has taken him all over the country. Worst ground, offering grounds for divorce after a lifelong love affair with football? The old Den probably took the biscuit for Monsieur Salut – a demoralising experience that had you questioning your own sanity for being there – and if we are honest, some opposing fans will point fingers at Roker Park or the SoL. But Ken has a negative batch of medals to award to three other stadiums …