It was probably more wishful thinking than anything else, but on this day in 1987, newly-appointed Sunderland manager, Denis Smith, was required to dash fans hopes of a return to Roker for goalkeeper Chris Turner.
The Sheffield-born keeper started out at his boyhood club Sheffield Wednesday and quickly established himself as one of the top young goalkeeper talents in the country. This resulted in Ken Knighton moving quickly following his appointment as manager in the summer if 1979 to sign Turner
for around £80,000.
He was to fight it out with Barry Siddall to see who would be number one as the Lads gained promotion to the top flight in Turner’s first full season. He would remain Sunderland’s main man between the sticks until relegation was confirmed under Len Ashurst in 1985 – and it was clear Turner would stay in Division One.
Ron Atkinson paid £275,000 to take him to Old Trafford, but it proved difficult for Turner to establish himself as first choice at Manchester United, with the likes of Gary Bailey, Gary Walsh and later Jim Leighton challenging him for the number one jersey.
Meanwhile Sunderland suffered without him and Turner would be difficult to replace as the club fell to the third tier for the first time in our history.
Iain Hesford had struggled between the sticks under Lawrie McMenemy and after Turner was placed on the transfer list at his own request at United, the rumour mill began to turn. Hopes were raised to such an extent that Roker manager Denis Smith had to pour cold water on any flickering hope by stating: “I am afraid he is not in Sunderland’s price bracket at the moment.”
A group of fans tried – and failed – to raise the transfer fee, and Smith did enquire how much Manchester United would want – but, despite Turner’s public declarations that he’d love to move back to Wearside, finances dictated it wasn’t to be.
Hesford had been transfer-listed by chairman Bob Murray following Sunderland’s relegation to the Third Division, after the former England Under-21 international was criticised for conceding a number of soft goals on their way down. But Smith was aiming to give the squad a clean break from what had happened previously:
A lot of things went wrong here last season, which makes me believe it was not only the goalkeeper’s fault. I played a lot with Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton at Stoke City and I have seen them drop some howlers. Keepers make mistakes. If people start accepting that, it might take a bit of pressure off them.
Perhaps it is not all the goalkeeper’s fault and others should take an equal share of the blame. I have spoken to other managers and they tell me Iain is a good goalkeeper. I remember when he played for Blackpool against York he was brilliant.
We should work on talent and not be so eager to throw it out. As a player I know what he has gone through and from what I have heard perhaps a lot of his problems are due to a loss of confidence.
The Roker boss also needed a long chat with 21-year-old winger Paul Atkinson, who had suggested he may benefit from a change of scenery according to reports – with Middlesbrough waiting in the wings to take him down the A19. But Smith was quick to express his wishes on keeping Atkinson at the club and hoped he would sign a new one-year-contract.
Smith had also had talks with Mark Proctor who had hinted would be leaving the club, but Smith said “he went out of my office a lot happier than when he came in”. Also in the news was Smith’s update that Frank Gray would travel to York City to discuss a coaching role with the club.
