All great things start somewhere. Maybe the entertaining team under Peter Reid was already making people sit up and take notice the previous season, when we lost that superb play-off final to Charlton Athletic. However, this 1998/99 season opener at the Stadium of Light against Queens Park Rangers was the marker for what was to follow over the next three seasons. After that crazy 4 v 4 play-off final game, and only losing 7 v 6 on penalties, the first important galvanising factor was that the majority
of the team and squad remained.
Not only did they remain, but they were stuck harder and faster together in the belief that this group of players had something special to offer, and some history to create. Three cracking signings were made to enhance the squad, namely Thomas Sørensen in goal, Paul Butler – who was to turn into a brick wall during the season and inspire the phrase, “You shall not pass” – and future England cap Gavin McCann in midfield.
Looking back at this season and period over a quarter of a century ago (wow) re-enforces the importance of good recruitment. The team were raring to go after the Wembley disappointment, and those three key acquisitions only made the team more solid and more creative.
It’s mind-bending that we’ve waited so long to live through such positivity again.
So it was that, on this day 28 years ago, before the ground extension in 2000, an expectant crowd of 40,537 flocked to the season’s opener against ‘The Hoops’. It wasn’t to be all plain sailing, however, as we were to lose key midfielder and orchestrator Lee Clark with a broken right fibula after a tackle by Keith Rowland on 36 minutes. He would be out for months – even more testament to the rest of the squad and their ability to cover for Lee’s absence.
The ‘R’s weren’t happy either on several points. They seemed to be doing a decent job of holding Sunderland’s flair and attacking threat when, on 75 minutes, the Lads were awarded a penalty. A goal-bound shot from Kevin Ball was handled by Ian Baraclough, who was subsequently shown a red card. Super Kevin Phillips scored his first competitive goal of the season – with another 22 league goals to follow.
Durham-born Hoops manager Mick Harford was not a happy man after the match. He was convinced their keeper, Lee Harper, had been fouled by Niall Quinn prior to the ball breaking loose to our captain, Kevin Ball. They complained they had been hit with a double whammy by referee Chris Foy from St Helens, as Baraclough insisted he had cleared Ball’s shot away with his head. He was still complaining as Mr Foy produced the red card.
With a quarter of an hour to play, it was very demoralising for the visitors, who had frustrated the pre-season favourites for promotion for most of the game – this without the presence of the injured Vinnie Jones. Harford, of course, insisted they deserved something from the game.
Things might have been oh so different if the Black Cats had had their sights fractionally adjusted in the first half. Quinny, Lee Clark, Micky Gray and Allan Johnston all had shots that whistled past Harper’s goal. They had no answer to the intelligence and hold-up play of Niall Quinn, who started the season as he had ended the last – being an absolute menace for any defence. Lee Clark was to return just before the end of the year.
Harford’s moans aside (he himself appeared 11 times for the Lads), it was the start Sunderland needed to get their season underway. They were to lose only once at home that season, and only twice away, in a then record-breaking campaign of 105 points.
Result: Sunderland AFC 1 v 0 QPR
Scorer: Phillips (pen 75 mins)
Team: Sørensen, Gray, Scott, Ball, Craddock; Butler, Summerbee, Clark (Williams); Quinn, Phillips, Johnston.
Att: 40,537
Happy, memorable days that are hopefully here again – and not before time. I was at the match and still love the early-season games in the sunshine – full of hope and promise – with thousands of red and white stripes on show. Reviewing this season opener from 1998 has whetted my appetite even more.
Bring on Fulham! Ha’way me bonnie lads!
