A first game against Sunderland since our promotion season on Saturday as we make our longest away journey of the season. The Wearsiders were relegated that season and spent longer than they would have expected in League One. However, having been promoted via the Play Offs last season, they’ve made a decent start which suggests that they’ll be able to survive this season pretty comfortably – last night’s win at Huddersfield brought an end to a winless run which had seen them dropping down the table.
Another defeat for City will leave them too close to the bottom of the table for comfort and I’ve a bad feeling about this game I’m afraid – maybe if we can keep ten players on the pitch, we could get a point out of it?
Here’s seven questions on Sunderland dating back to the sixties.
60s. Capped eleven times by his country, this midfielder started off as a non conformist gypsy. Sunderland were his third club and he began by scoring on his home debut against Chelsea. In all he played more than one hundred and fifty league games for Sunderland in his six years at the club and when he moved it was not too far to a ground which shares it’s name with a Queen. Next, he played for Hibs and Celtic (he later managed both clubs). He played for five more clubs (he made mule mule noises at one of them) after that and I’ve never heard of another footballer with his first name (or his nickname) in my life besides him – who is he?
70s. Former City full back Tim Gilbert was in a Sunderland side beaten at Ninian Park during this decade. Gilbert died very early at the age of just thirty six, but one of his team mates that day was dead three years later at the age of just twenty six, can you name him?
80s. Honest, but dull?
90s. Wages for event lost in muddle – midfielder to the rescue? (5,5)
00s. Religious man’s imperfection?
10s. Which player, who was identified by a two letter name, played for Sunderland at Cardiff City Stadium during this decade?
20s. Swansea suit?
Answers:
60s. Amby (Ambrose) Fogarty began his career with Bohemians (the Gypsies) and moved to Sunderland in 1957. Hartlepool were his next club and then he moved back to Ireland to play for, and later manage, Cork Hibs and Cork Celtic – one of his other clubs was Bray Wanderers.
70s. Mel Holden was in the Sunderland side beaten 5-2 at Ninian Park in January 1978. Tragically, he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease not too long afterwards and he passed away in January 1981 at the age of just twenty six.
80s. Frank Gray.
90s. Steve Agnew.
00s. Dean Whitehead.
10s. Ki (Sung-Yeung) was on loan from Swansea for the 13/14 season and played against us in the 2-2 draw at Cardiff City Stadium in December 2013.
20s. Jack Diamond.