At Roker Report, we have put together a number of tributes to ex-players and club legends down the years, but this feels like one of the most difficult.
Gary Rowell was a true club legend, and his hat-trick
at St. James Park will forever be cemented in club folklore.
He had earned a legendary status among my own generation of Sunderland fans who saw him play, which he carried on long after he hung up his boots. His death at a way too early 68 years old, announced in the late hours of Saturday evening and on the eve of the first Wear-Tyne derby for almost 10 years, is sad news for all Sunderland fans.
While the man will be mourned among the fanbase, he left us with some of the most amazing memories in a red and white shirt.
Gary Rowell was Sunderland through and through. Born in Seaham, he came through the ranks at the club, first making a few appearances for Bob Stokoe’s promotion-winning side of 1976 before making his breakthrough as a first-team regular the following season.
As Sunderland toiled desperately at the foot of the First Division, the new manager Jimmy Adamson called on the youth of Gary, Shaun Elliott and Kevin Arnott to form a new midfield which nearly and so spectacularly saved the club from relegation.
Although playing in midfield at this point in his career, Gary, as well as having an eye for a pass, also weighed in with some crucial goals,notably in a 4-0 win against Middlesbrough, a 6-1 win against West Brom, and a 6-0 win against West Ham. All in consecutive home games.
The following season, he began to operate in a more advanced role and began to make a name for himself as a goal scorer – 19 in all competitions -, but his career really began to take off in the 1978-79 season. Twenty-four goals in thirty-nine appearances – and one game Sunderland fans will remember forever. 24 February 1979 at St. James Park. Sunderland win 4-1 and Gary Rowell scored a hattrick.
A bad injury a few weeks later somewhat interrupted his progress, and some might say took away some of his pace, but when he did come back into the first team, Sunderland were back in the top flight, and Gary had not lost any of his prowess in front of goal. From the summer of 1980 to the summer of 1984, he was the club’s leading goal scorer in each season, and from 1977-78 to 1984, he was the club’s leading scorer in each season bar one. There was another hat-trick against Arsenal along the’ way, and it’s fair to say that those goals did so much to keep Sunderland in the First Division.
He was also a penalty taker of some repute and only ever missed one in 26 attempts. Watching him take a penalty you could see why – he was very cool, and hit them low, hard and into the corner, a technique which even many of the very best players would love to master.
All in all, Gary Rowell hit 103 goals in 297 games for Sunderland and it was a complete shock to all fans when he was released by the club at just 26 years of age.
He still had a couple of outstanding memories to share with Sunderland fans after he left.
The first was in the League Cup Final of 1985 at Wembley when he was a Norwich player – although injured – he walked around the pitch at the final whistle with the celebrating Norwich squad, but paused in front of the Sunderland fans to chat and sign autographs with them and donned a Sunderland scarf. He looked for all the world like he wanted to be standing on the terraces with us.
About a year and a half ago, I wrote a ‘Sunderland Great’ article which featured him, and while researching it, I saw a thread mentioning that he had not been well, which I and everyone who got wind of it hoped was not true. Unfortunately, it transpired it was.
It is awfully sad news, but despite the loss we feel as fans the thoughts of everyone should be with his family.
The second memory is also from the ‘Sunderland Great’ article and one that sums up the man.
May 5, 1996, and Peter Reid’s Sunderland are at Tranmere, riding the crest of a wave, confirmed as champions with the fans in full voice.
Midway through the second half and from my seat among the home support I see the whole of the Sunderland support in the stand to my right turn around singing to one guy half way up. ’We all live in a Gary Rowell World’.
And it is him, sitting and giving a big grin and a cheery wave back. He absolutely loved it, and while not being at St. James that day but despite witnessing who knows how many of his goals, it is the memory of him I’ll take all day long. Sat in the middle of the Sunderland fans, loving being the centre of attention with a great big smile on his face.
The Sunderland fans would sing ‘ Gary Rowell is Magic’. He was. Gary Rowell was completely bloody magic. He’ll be sorely missed, but never forgotten.
