1973 FA Cup Run
1973 fa cup run
Introduction
"I should pack it all in. there'll never be  another moment like it".
All of Wearside agreed with the above sentiments of  Bob Stokoe as Sunderland took on the best teams England had to offer and  deservedly beat them all to lift the FA Cup. After 36 long years the most  prestigious domestic knockout club trophy in football travelled to Roker Park.
To place the triumph into perspective it is apt to  return to the beginning and the arrival of a man who would be hailed as "the Messiah".
Bob Stokoe swept into Roker Park as a man on a mission.  After managerial spells at Charlton Athletic, Rochdale, Bury, Carlisle United and  Blackpool, whom incidentally he had  led to victory in the Anglo Italian tournament, the ex Magpie succumbed to  initial defeat at the hands of Burnley.
Sunderland then embarked on a run of  32 games, with only 5 defeats, culminating in a day that Wearside will never  forget. Not bad for a side that started in the doldrums, defeated by Stoke in  the first League cup hurdle, and searching for only its 5th win in 18 league  attempts, on his arrival. From 4rth bottom they would end the season 6th,  although at first an outbreak of flu threatened to scupper the season  altogether. It is also pertinent to note that on Stokoe's arrival Sunderland hadn’t bought a player for  over 2 years.
__________________________
Notts County 1 v 1 Sunderland
13 January 1973, Meadow Lane, Nottingham
Attendance –  15,142
In the run up to the 3rd round game Sunderland made a double signing in  the shape of Ron Guthrie and David Young however both were ineligible for the Meadow Lane encounter. Bobby Kerr was  struggling to be fit with a troublesome back and Denis Tueart had to have 2  stitches inserted in an eye wound sustained in the league match the previous  Saturday. Joe Bolton spent 3 days with the England Youth squad but made the  trip to Nottingham.
Ironically Sunderland met Notts County midweek prior to the game  in a North Midlands League encounter.
At Meadow Lane Sunderland suffered a first half  pounding and were lucky to be just 1 goal down at the interval. Les Bradd  scored for Notts County after 29 minutes and  County held the lead for 50 minutes.
Montgomery made a fine save - a crucial one, Bobby  Kerr said later, and then Watson headed in a cross from Tueart after 79 minutes  play, having out jumped Needham to score a magnificent goal. Billy Elliott had  restored Watson to his old place of centre back, but twenty minutes from the  end at Meadow Lane, Bob Stokoe switched him  to the attack.
Sunderland were backed by upwards of  2,000 fans in Nottingham with a fleet of 40 coaches  taking supporters from the North East.
After the game bob Stokoe announced, amongst other  things, that Derek Forster, Ritchie Pitt, Brian Chambers, Keith Coleman and  John Lathan were available for transfer.
Notts County: Brown, Brindley, Worthington, Masson, Needham, Stubbs, Nixon, Randall,  Bradd, Mann, Carter
Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Bolton, Horswill, Watson, Tones,  Kerr, Ashurst (McGiven), Hughes Porterfield, Tueart
__________________________
FA Cup Round  3 – replay
Sunderland 2 v 0 Notts County
16 January 1973, Roker Park, Sunderland
Attendance –  30,033             Receipts - £13,280
Ron Guthrie and David Young took over from youngsters  Joe Bolton and John Tones as a fast and furious cup tie saw Sunderland prevail at Roker Park.
However similar to the Meadow Lane encounter Notts  County were at their best in the first half primarily through the use of a man  for man marking system and a twin attack of Randall and Bradd that caused the  home side substantial problems on the night.
In the 54rth minute Sunderland had the lead. Porterfield  won the ball in midfield and pushed it through to Kerr who allowed the ball to  run onto Watson. Watson took on the defence raced to the edge of the penalty  area and slammed a right foot shot across Brown inside the far post.
The game was still on a  knife edge but the matter was sealed just  seconds from time when Kerr played the ball through the middle and with Needham  hesitant after intercepting, Tueart stormed into the box to whisk the ball past  Brown and in off the foot of a post.
Manager Bob Stokoe was delighted with the  performance of his side and the tremendous atmosphere created by the Roker  Roar; “this was a great night for the lads and for the fans. Again we did not  do too well in the first half, but the second half always matters most and we  solved it all then”.
Sunderland now had to wait for the  outcome of the Doncaster Rovers v Reading cup tie, postponed from  the previous Saturday, to find out their 4rth round opponents.
Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Bolton, Horswill (Lathan), Watson, Tones, Kerr, McGiven,  Hughes Porterfield, Tueart
Notts County: Brown, Brindley, Worthington, Masson, Needham, Stubbs, Nixon, Randall,  Bradd, Mann, Carter
Referee: J Rice, Preston
Sunderland 1 v 1 Reading
3 February 1973, Roker Park, Sunderland
Attendance:  33,913               Receipts: £13,650 (Roker Park Ground Record)
Nearly 34,000 welcomed a smiling Charlie Hurley and  Reading for the Fourth Round tie. Bob  Stokoe predictably made only one change from the previous week’s side that  defeated Millwall, bringing in Lathan at number 9 to replace the injured john  Hughes.
Hulme won the toss for Reading and decided to open the  match attacking the Roker End.
From the outset it was evident that the visiting  keeper Steve Death was in inspired form. Reading took the lead after just  13 minutes when an in-swinging Cumming corner was back headed at the near post  by Chappell the ball looping over Montgomery.
Sunderland drew level just 7 minutes  before the interval. Lathan having won the ball from Hulme sent in a strong  centre that was pulled down by Tueart. The winger squeezed the ball through the  narrowest of gaps to finally beat Death.
With only seconds of the match remaining Sunderland once more had the ball in  the net. However this time Lathan was in an offside position and the strike was  chalked off.
In advance of the game at Elm Park Sunderland found  out that they would, if successful, face either Liverpool or Manchester City away from home in the 5th  round. The master of understatement Bob Stokoe was quoted as saying “it’s not  the sort of game I would have picked”; although history would be with Sunderland whoever they faced as they  had defeated City on their last visit to Maine Road and had also dumped Liverpool out of the FA Cup at  Anfield in 1960.
Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Guthrie, Horswill, Watson, Young, Hughes, Kerr (Ashurst),  Lathan, Porterfield, Tueart
Reading: Death, Dixon, Youlden, T Wagstaff (Butler), Hulme, B Wagstaff,  Cumming, Chappell, Bell, Hunt, Habben
Referee: J Jolly, Manchester
FA Cup Round  4 – Replay
Reading 1 v 3 Sunderland
7 February 1973, Elm Park, Reading
Attendance:  19,793
In the build up to the Reading game Sunderland asked Preston North End  manager Alan Ball for permission to approach their trainer-coach, Arthur Cox,  with a view to offering him a permanent place at Roker Park.
Conversely Arsenal Manager Bertie Mee had asked  Stokoe for permission to take the transfer listed Pitt and Coleman on loan to  Highbury. It was planned to leave the duo down South after the game at Elm Park.
Bobby Kerr, Dick Malone and Dave Watson all  received treatment for knocks sustained in Saturday’s drawn cup tie, however  they all travelled South as Sunderland left the North East with a party of 15  players at mid day on Tuesday 6 February.
John Tennick estimated that there would be 800 Sunderland fans at Elm Park for the game and  subsequently it turned out to be more than double that as the red and whites  ranks were swelled by exiles from The Home Counties and the Midlands. The Police would praise  the Sunderland support for their partisan  but excellent behaviour.
As for the match itself, Watson scored within 80  seconds at Elm Park, a rifled shot that gave  Death no chance, after good work by Tueart and Kerr. Tueart got one with a  dipping shot and Kerr the third after 29 minutes, a fierce angled drive that  went in off the bar. Cumming scored for Reading with a penalty on 78  minutes after Pitt had brought down Chappell.
Sunderland would face Manchester City at Maine Road in the 5th  round.
After the Reading match a large contingent  of Sunderland supporters gathered  outside the players entrance chanting “Charlie, Charlie” until the Irishman and  Roker hero appeared to sign some 200 autographs.
“There was a lump in my throat. It was just as  though he was one of us”, said john Tennick, the Transport Officer for the  Sunderland AFC Supporters Association.
Bob Stokoe announced that Sunderland had signed Vic Halom from Luton Town for £35,000.
Reading: Death, Dixon, Youlden, Carnaby (Butler), Hulme, B Wagstaff,  Cummings, Chappell, Bell, Hunt, Habben
Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Guthrie, Horswill, Pitt, Young, Hughes, Kerr, Watson,  Porterfield, Tueart
__________________________
Manchester City 2 v 2 Sunderland
24 February 1973, Maine Road, Manchester
Attendance:  54,478
Manchester City had beaten the league  leaders, Liverpool, in the previous round so  they had little concern over whether they met Reading or Sunderland at home in the next round.  At that time the three favourites for the Cup were: Leeds 4-1; Manchester City 9-2 and Arsenal 11-2. Sunderland, at 100 to 1, were to beat  the lot.
Vic Halom, signed from Luton for £35,000, made his  debut in a tough game at Hilisborough a fortnight earlier in which Young was  injured. This meant that Dave Watson could once more revert back to centre half  for the Maine Road game.
Over 10,000 Sunderland fans made the trip to the North West by road and rail in what  was considered the biggest exodus to follow the club since the marathon cup  ties against Manchester United in 1964. The expected 45,000 (not all ticket)  crowd at Maine Road was expected to be swelled by fans of The Red Devils  following the postponement of the first division clash at Old Trafford between  Manchester United and Crystal Palace due to a frozen pitch.
At Maine Road before a crowd of 54,478, Montgomery switching direction saved  from Marsh who already had his arms raised in triumph. After 16 minutes Towers  scored when Summerbee made things dangerous by racing away up the right wing.  Tueart was ruffling the City defenders and after a free kick against him,  Mickey Horswill nipped in after 36 minutes to loft the ball over Donachie and  then lift it past Corrigan.
After this cheeky goal Sunderland were never behind in the  Cup run.
Sunderland received a tremendous  reception from their travelling support as they took the field for the second  half. In the 68th minute Hughes kept his head when clear and scored. City  equalised 18 minutes from time when an in swinging corner from Summerbee was  turned in by an impeded Montgomery. Towers was sent off in  the 83rd minute following a tussle with Horswill.
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
Referee: R Tinkler (Boston)
FA Cup Round  5 – Replay
Sunderland 3 v 1 Manchester City
27 February 1973, Roker Park, Sunderland
Attendance:  51,782
Voted by supporters as the greatest game ever seen  at Roker Park, this match provided the Sunderland fans with one of those  rare “Roker Park occasions”.
The Manchester City captain, Doyle, went on  record as indicating there was a feeling in the City dressing room that it was  to be their night. How wrong he was.
Sunderland were superb and none other  than Rodney Marsh famously commented that Vic Halom’s Fulwell End screamer,  after 15 minutes, was one of the best goals he had ever seen. Billy Hughes made  it 2 v 0 just 11 minutes later, hammering a right foot drive past Corrigan with  Donachie closing in. Roker Park went crazy.
But you can never control all 90 minutes of any  football game and within 10 minutes of the second half City had scored through  Francis Lee. Sunderland's reaction was concise.  They dusted themselves off and set about scoring a third. With only 12 minutes  remaining Billy Hughes slid the ball home at the Roker End when Corrigan could  only parry a shot by Tueart.
Bob Stokoe had promised before the match that it  would be a night to remember. It was just that.
Manchester City: Corrigan, Book, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Jeffries, Mellor, Bell, Marsh, Lee, Towers
Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Guthrie, Horswill, Pitt, Halom, Hughes, Kerr, Watson,  Porterfield, Tueart
Referee: R Tinkler (Boston)
Sunderland 2 v 0 Luton Town
17 March 1973, Roker Park, Sunderland
Attendance:  53,151               Receipts: £26,106 (Roker Park Ground Record)
Luton town arrived on Wearside  with a brilliant away record, and had beaten Sunderland at Kenilworth Road the week before in the  League. For Jimmy Montgomery the game was a personal milestone as he made his  453rd league and cup appearance for the club, a record at that time.  To mark the occasions the Sunderland Chairman Keith Collings made a special  presentation of a Gold Watch to Monty prior to the game.
Luton Town had dispatched Newcastle  United from the FA Cup in a 4rth round tie at St James Park. The destroyer that  day was John Aston.
Bobby Kerr won the toss for Sunderland and started the game  attacking the Roker End. The crowd was again vast and Roker Park was once more treated to  the almost forgotten spectacle of young children being passed down over the  heads of those in front to take their positions at the front of the Roker  End. 
For the opening 45 minutes it looked as though Sunderland might struggle to break  down a resolute defence but all out pressure was rewarded 10 minutes into the  second period with a tremendous headed goal by Dave Watson following a Bobby  Kerr in swinging corner.
With 8 minutes remaining Sunderland made it 2 v 0. Hughes took  a corner kick on the left that was headed on by Pitt; Guthrie with his back to  goal turned to sweep the ball wide of Barber from close range.
Cup form was beginning to really manifest itself in  the league with Sunderland embarking on a 6 match unbeaten run, which would  see Roker Park, begin to fill with 40,000  crowds. Bob Stokoe had really started something and Wearside was simply frantic  with excitement.
Sunderland would face "The  Arsenal" in the semi final of the FA Cup. It was evident that it would  take something special to stop this wagon from rolling all the way to Wembley.
To reflect this the odds on Sunderland winning the famous trophy  tumbled to just 12 to 1.
Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Guthrie, Horswill, Pitt, Halom, Hughes, Kerr, Watson,  Porterfield, Tueart Sub: Bolton
Luton Town: Barber, John Ryan, Thomson, Shanks, Garner, Moore, Jim Ryan, Anderson, Busby, Hindson, Aston  (Hales)
Referee: J Taylor, Wolverhampton
Arsenal 1 v 2 Sunderland
17 April 1973, Hillsborough, Sheffield
Attendance:  55,000               Receipts: £82,500 (FA  Cup Semi Final Record)
Sunderland reached the club’s first  semi final in 17 years, the last North East to do so. At Hillsborough  Sunderland were uninhibited, the more eager side, and the one that wanted to  win more. There was a belief not only amongst the players but critically  amongst the fans that this was to be our year.
The match was all ticket with Sunderland receiving an allocation of  21,800 and a ballot system was adopted. Seat tickets were priced at £3 and £2  with standing available for 70p. With 3,800 season ticket holders it meant that  just 18,000 tickets were up for grabs.
On 28 March 1973 the Sunderland players entered a  recording studio in Manchester to record a record  “Sunderland All Of The Way”. Youngsters from the North East provided the chorus  along with local comedian Bobby Knoxall.
Bob Stokoe was dismayed to learn that Malcolm MacDonald,  then a centre forward with local rivals Newcastle United had allegedly  expressed a hope that “Sunderland will meet with glorious  failure against Arsenal”.
Sunderland club scouts Peter Doherty and Peter  Croker had produced an extensive dossier on Arsenal in the run up to the semi  final and the “battle plans” were drawn up at Templefields on the outskirts of  Buxton where the Sunderland party was camped.
Sunderland adopted an all white strip  for the game at Sheffield with Arsenal changing to yellow and blue. There  was a good omen for the North East side in the run up to the game  in that the last time the 2 teams had met in the FA cup, January 1961, Sunderland had dispatched The Gunners  2 v 1.
Arsenal’s route to the semi final had been slightly  less arduous than Sunderland’s, 6 games rather than 7, overcoming Leicester city, Bradford City, Carlisle United and  Chelsea to take their place at Hillsborough.
Extra tickets meant that about 23,000 Sunderland fans made the exodus for  to Sheffield in 9 trains, over 200  coaches and an armada of 2,500 cars. The last train would leave Sunderland at 11.13am and arrive into Sheffield at 2.22pm.
The scene was set.
Ritchie Pitt had been recalled from loan when Young  was injured and took up his place alongside Dave Watson. Arsenal were lining up  a record third year in a row at Wembley. On their way to the ground the  Sunderland Coach encountered slight flurries of snow which turned to light  rain.
The teams emerged to a deafening roar and were  piped onto the field by the Dagenham Girl Pipers.
McNab won the toss for Arsenal and Sunderland started the game playing  with the advantage of the wind. When Wilson just managed to tip over a  drive from Horswill and fell awkwardly there was a stir in the crowd as if the  unexpected could happen. A minute later a long ball, wind assisted, had  Blockley, bothered by Halom, in a tizz. Wilson came out to help but Halom  got the ball past both of them into the net.
Sunderland kept making chances. Only  George Armstrong was dangerous for Arsenal and Montgomery saved well from him at the  foot of the post. Storey was booked for Arsenal and Halom for Sunderland. At half time Sunderland led 1 v 0.
In the 55th minute Radford entered the  field of play as a substitute for Blockley as Arsenal threw an extra man  forward. The upshot was to leave themselves open to the counter attack. Nine  minutes later Sunderland made it 2 v 0. A throw-in  from Kerr, headed backwards by Tueart, drew Wilson, and Hughes back headed  the ball on and over him into the net. Two nil.
Guthrie and Charlie George were both booked for an  ugly challenge. With Arsenal now desperate for a foothold back into the game  they piled forward. For them a reward came just 6 minutes from time when a left  wing probe produced a shooting chance for George who hammered in a low drive  which Montgomery could only get his finger  tips too. The ball slowly but surely crossed the line.
Argus reported that at the final whistle the  travelling Roker Roar refused to move until their "Messiah" Bob  Stokoe appeared. Taking the salute, he turned and went back to the dressing  room - tears running down his cheeks.
For the first time since 1937, Sunderland would compete at Wembley  Stadium.
Arsenal: Wilson, Rice, McNab, Storey,  Blockley (Radford), Simpson, Armstrong, Ball, George, Kennedy, Kelly
Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Guthrie, Horswill, Pitt, Halom, Hughes, Kerr, Watson,  Porterfield, Tueart
Referee: D Smith, Gloucester
Leeds United 0 v 1 Sunderland
5 May 1973, Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance:  100,000
In the run up to the final there was, as predicted,  a huge scramble for tickets, with the lucky few getting hold of them in London on the day of the match.  For the rest of the non season ticket holders there was the prospect of a  ballot draw from the forms issued at the Carlisle United and Bristol City home games.
Sunderland spent the days before the  final at the Selsdon Park Hotel in Surrey where they sized up the  formidable opposition they were about to face. Predictably Leeds United were  quoted at 3 to 1 on to win the final with Sunderland at 5 to 2.
Sunderland’s youth Team were hoping to get the week  off to a good start but they succumbed to defeat by local rivals Middlesbrough  in the two legged Northern Intermediate League Cup Final. Trailing 4 v 5 on  aggregate Jackie Ashurst had the chance to draw level with a penalty, but  blazed the ball over the bar.
For bob Stokoe the cup final would be his 16th  cup tie of the season, 7 with his former club Blackpool. The Sunderland team would be the same as  the semi final, bar the substitute. With Brian Chambers now an Arsenal player,  David Young would be the 12th man for Sunderland.
In Scotland the Cup Final was  contested by Rangers and Celtic. The Gers triumphed 3 v 2 in front of 122,000  (the last of such big crowds in Scotland) with the winning goal  scored by Tam Forsyth.
In England the jubilee FA Cup final  took place on 5 May 1973. In years to come the  question for every Sunderland fans was, "where were you at 3:31   pm?”  With the President of the Football Association, HRH the Duke of Kent in  attendance Wearside took on the might of Yorkshire and Leeds United. Quite  simply The Peacocks were a "football machine" and were one of the  most feared sides in Europe, with an international competing for every  place. They had come a long way since their promotion in 1964.
Oddly enough the 2 Managers found then on  opposition sides again with Don Revie and Bob Stokoe having contested the 1955  Final when Newcastle United took on Manchester City. Sunderland had played  Leeds United before in the FA Cup, 1926/27 and a 3 match marathon in 1967, all  won by the Yorkshire side. In the run up to the final Sunderland had used 17 players.
In the twenty days before Wembley Sunderland played  eight League games, giving them a return, since Bob Stokoe took over, of 30  points from 22 games - promotion standard. The nation had taken Sunderland to their hearts. And the  boys did not disappoint. They were without awe of Leeds; they chased them, they  looked for goals.
Bobby Kerr won the toss for Sunderland and elected to defend the  end where the Leeds United fans had massed. As if to prove the lack of fear on  the part of Sunderland Ritchie Pitt scythed down Allan Clarke early on.  Reputations counted for nothing in this game.
After half an hour Harvey in the Leeds goal, lifted a lob from  Kerr over the bar. The corner from Hughes was sent back into the centre by  Halom, and Porterfield bringing the ball down with his left thigh turned a  little and hit it hard with his right into the net.
Montgomery's famous double save was  in the second half when Jones switched play to Reaney on the right. Reaney's  high cross to the far post was met by Cherry with a diving header which Montgomery lunging himself to the left  knocked out, but only to Lorimer on the six-yard line. Lorimer hit it quickly  and cleanly into the apparently empty space on the other side of the  goalkeeper. Montgomery managed to throw himself  that way and jerk the ball upwards with his right arm. It struck the underside  of the bar and came out wide and Malone thumped it miles away.
It was now believable that Sunderland could win. Leeds built-up attack after  attack, but Sunderland’s rear four were  commanding. Every clearance was cheered. For some the tension was unbearable  and they left their places and paced about under the stands, at home some  people had to leave their television sets.
Everyone except the unfortunate folk from Leeds wanted the final whistle  to blow and when it did there was one of the greatest roars ever at Wembley.  Bob Stokoe, his short white mackintosh billowing, raced across to Montgomery.
Danny Blanchflower wrote that the game was the most  emotional he had known. The Sunday Express said Wembley had never seen such  ecstasy. The nation enthused. Back in Sunderland many people ran out; there  was impromptu dancing; cars appeared, drivers just sounding their horns. The  centre of the town became impassable. That night was just about the most joyous  the old town had known. Don Revie, who took defeat well, said that Montgomery's save was the best he had  seen, and that Sunderland’s strength and enthusiasm in the first half had  unsettled his side.
Leeds United: Harvey, Reaney, Cherry, Bremner,  Madeley, Hunter, Lorimer, Clarke, Jones, Giles, Gray (Yorath)
Sunderland: Montgomery, Malone, Guthrie, Horswill, Pitt, Halom, Hughes, Kerr, Watson,  Porterfield, Tueart
Referee: Ken Burns, Stourbridge
__________________________
Finale
Sunderland became the first second  division side to win the FA cup since West Bromwich in 1931. Burnley (1947), Leicester City (1949) and Preston North  End (1964) had also tried but failed.
An open top bus parade saw the red and white heroes  greeted all the way from Carville to Roker Park. It was estimated that  500,000 people welcomed them home, with even horses and dogs decked out in red  and white!
To put the final win into perspective Leeds United  subsequently travelled to Salonika, Greece where they were narrowly  defeated by AC Milan in the cup winners’ cup final, after a dubious refereeing  performance. They ended 3rd in the League, and the following season would be  English champions.
An interesting postscript to the 1972/73 season is  a look at the club Report and Accounts for the financial year ended 31   May 1973.  It shows that despite the cup run and a final placing SAFC Limited still made a  loss of £12,065 although this was a much improved situation on the previous  year when a £103,080 loss was evident. Bearing in mind that in the next  financial year we made a profit of £181,078 it is assumed that the income from  the final and perhaps the semi final were not credited to Sunderland’s Bank Account by,  presumably the football Association, until after 31   May 1973.