Twelve months to the day after Malcolm Crosby’s Sunderland pushed Liverpool close at Wembley in the FA Cup final, Terry Butcher’s side survived dropping to the third tier by the skin of their teeth.
After the initial boost of winning two of his first three games as player-manager, Butcher’s Sunderland won just three of the final eighteen league fixtures.
Without a ridiculous 4-1 win against Jim Smith’s promotion-chasing Portsmouth at Roker in the final home game – where the visitors had Guy Butters
and Paul Walsh sent off – Sunderland would have gone down.
They still had a chance on the final day of the season as we travelled to Notts County – who started the day a point worse off than us – and a win would seal survival. But despite fluffing their lines and going down 3-1 at Meadow Lane, there were scenes of celebration as results elsewhere saved the day.
Butcher stormed off the field and was clearly in no mood for joining in the festivities, turning his thoughts immediately towards a rebuild, although his assistant Bobby Ferguson quit his role due to his feeling that the players at their disposal weren’t good enough.
The manager agreed, but stayed put and placed a number of players on the transfer list, indicating straight away that they were surplus to requirements. Unfortunately for Butcher, no bids arrived for his unwanted players – which included the likes of Gary Owers and Gordon Armstrong.
Despite this potential scenario of players not leaving playing out, Butcher went to work on new recruits and, on this day in 1993, Alec Chamberlain came through a medical and was scheduled to put pen to paper on a three-year contract the following week.
The 29-year-old keeper, signed on a technical free transfer from Luton, didn’t officially become a Roker player until 1 July, when his current deal had expired. But as far as Chamberlain was concerned, his transfer was sealed:
Personal terms have been sorted out and I’ve already started looking for houses in the area. This move really excites me and I can’t wait for the season to start. I played here for Luton three years ago when both clubs were in the First Division and, although we lost 1-0, I had a very good game and we still got the same applause.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to repeat that form for Sunderland. I can’t officially join Sunderland until early July, when everything has been agreed,” he said today. I will be joining and can’t wait for the magic day. I’m 26 and a six-year wait for me. I almost joined Sunderland from Colchester when Denis Smith was manager here.
But Everton came in as well, and they were a First Division side, while Sunderland were in the Third. I fancied working with Neville Southall and believe I am a better goalkeeper because of it. I spent 12 months at Goodison Park but five good years at Luton have made me realise that I feel now the time is right for a move.
Last season wasn’t very good for Sunderland, but they were still averaging 17,000. With a bit of success, hopefully there are exciting times just around the corner. Terry Butcher has big ideas and big plans for the club, and hopefully I will be part of it.
It was the first move in a planned rebuild for Butcher and with Chamberlain arriving on a free transfer as Luton were only able to offer him reduced terms, the manager saved a few quid to be spent elsewhere and the project was attracting players as Chamberlain explained:
Stoke City wanted me, but before I spoke to Lou Macari the PFA told me Sunderland were interested. With no disrespect to Stoke, Sunderland are a much bigger club. It was also flattering when Plymouth manager Peter Shilton rang me, but I knew I’ve made the right decision in agreeing to join Sunderland.
Chamberlain also told the media that the club was sold to him by Sunderland striker and his former Luton pal, Mick Harford:
I seem to be following Mick around. We played together at Luton and I had a spell on loan at Chelsea earlier in the season when Mick was there. When I learned of Sunderland’s interest, I rang him and he had only good things to say. He said the supporters were magnificent and there was a great set of lads at the club. My house in Northampton is up for sale and we’ve already started house-hunting up here. It’s all very exciting and I can’t wait for pre-season to begin.
In other news, First Division rivals Millwall renewed their interest in defender Anton Rogan. Lions boss Mick McCarthy tried to sign the Northern Ireland international during the previous season without any joy.
Millwall, with plenty of cash in the bank after selling Colin Cooper to Nottingham Forest for £1.75m, were expected to make an offer in the days to follow, and with Rogan being on the list of players who were surplus to requirements at Roker, combined with the Celtic links with McCarthy and Rogan, it was looking likely he would leave.
Martin Ling was at this point lapping up the Spanish sunshine on holiday, pondering one of the biggest decisions in his career. Butcher was desperate to bring him to Roker, but there has been no official approach yet, because the midfielder was contracted to Swindon until June 30. Ling was quoted on his holiday as saying:
Sunderland came in for me a few months ago and I’ve heard that they are still interested. I spoke to Swindon’s new manager, John Gorman, about a new contract before he went on holiday recently.
But, to be honest, it was not what I was looking for. I’m back from holiday on July 3, will be out of contract and will see what happens then. People have been asking why I might leave the club when they have finally got into the Premier League.
But I have to look at the whole equation. Sunderland are always going to be a bigger club than Swindon.
It was also announced on this day that Sunderland would visit Middlesbrough on Sunday, August 8th for Gary Hamilton’s testimonial.
