Tyne v Wear - 1965/66
Summary
United rejoined Sunderland in the top flight in 1965/66; but it was to be a season of struggle for both sides.
In the end they both survived but only just. A United victory over Leeds in their last match saw them leapfrog their rivals into 15th; Sunderland under the control of new manager Ian McColl finished 19th.
| 1965/66 | 3rd Jan | Div 1 | Sunderland [A] | Lost | 0-2 [0-0] | 54,668 |
- Marshall
- Craig
- Burton
- Moncur
- McGrath
- Iley
- Napier
- Bennett
- Thompson
- Hilley
- Robson
- Montgomery
- Parke
- Ashurst
- Harvey
- Hurley [s]
- Baxter
- Herd [1]
- Elliot
- O'Hare [1]
- Moore
- Mulhall
- Hellawell [s 5]
At the turn of the year both teams were in relegation trouble and both had hit a bad run of form.
Sunderland (16th) hadn't won for six games, including three home defeats in which they had conceded twelve goals.
Newcastle (19th) had lost five of their last six and had lost six in a row away from home conceding fifteen goals in the last four.
Before the match some United supporters broke into Roker Park and used black paint to apply some stripes to the goalposts causing a last minute paint job by the Sunderland ground staff.
On a treacherous surface United decided to adopt an ultra defensive approach and in the first half our negative tactics seemed to be paying off with Sunderland struggling to create any clear cut openings despite dominating.
However four minutes after the break Herd finally broke through. Just after the hour O'Hare blasted in the second with a 30 yard shot which deflected off McGrath.
United were lucky not to concede more and the 2-0 scoreline flattered them.
| 1965/66 | 5th Mar | D1 | Sunderland [H] | Won | 2-0 [1-0] | 52,051 |
- Marshall
- Craig
- Clark
- Thompson
- McGrath
- Iley
- Bennett
- Hilley
- Burton [s]
- Kettleborough
- Suddick [2]
- Noble [s9]
- Montgomery
- Parke
- Ashurst
- Harvey
- Hurley
- Elliot
- Gauden
- Martin
- Sharkey
- Baxter
- Mulhall
After the defeat at Roker Park Harvey bought Keith Kettleborough and re-instated Alan Suddick. The two of them inspired a turnaround in fortunes that brought United four wins out of six games and saw United climb to 16th.
In contrast Sunderland (17th) had only won one in eight since the Roker derby and now trailed United on goal difference.
It was a poor game in which both sides were below par. Sunday Sun reporter Charles Close was not impressed with the players of either side. "As footballers I reckon the majority of this lot were no more with it than a class of old time dancers"
He was especially critical of the Rokerites "disgraceful is the only appropriate objective with which to describe the Sunderland performance".
Alan Suddick was the main difference between the two sides and it was he who scored both goals. The first just after the half hour a twenty yard rocket; the second eight minutes from time a left foot strike following a prolonged interchange of passes with Hilley.
Sunderland's Baxter came in for a lot of abuse including a rousing rendition of "Hoy him in the Tyne" (sung to the tune of "She'll be Coming Round the Mountain").
Hurley also received a lot of stick after his hefty challenge led to Ollie Burton (playing as an emergency centre forward) being carried off.