What a fantastic day and what a fantastic memory!
After just missing out on promotion in 1997/1998, Sunderland got the job done in emphatic style, beating Birmingham City 2-1 at the Stadium of Light in the last game of the 1998/1999 season, and earning promotion as Nationwide Division One champions.
At the time, it was the biggest gate seen at the stadium and it was also a record-breaking points tally for a season — the Lads reaching an enormous 105 with the biggest difference from the previous campaign
being in defence.
We did score five more goals but the new-look rearguard, completed with the signing of goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen and giant central defender Paul Butler, helped to almost halve the number of goals we let in, from fifty to just twenty eight.
Promotion and the title had already been secured so this was party day at the Stadium of Light, enjoyed by a bumper 41,634 — a record at the time, coming before the ground extension a couple of seasons later.
Victory completed a most wonderful season and a fantastic day, but barely had the gunpowder smoke left people’s eyes and nostrils (part of a great match day build-up) than Birmingham came out all guns blazing.
Sorensen was tested early on as Blues striker Lee Bradbury fired a shot across goal in the second minute, followed by a strike from Paul Furlong that also tested the Dane. However, backed by a huge Wearside crowd that was creating a festival atmosphere and chanting every song in their repertoire, Sunderland soon started to find their stride.
Allan Johnston put in a couple of great crosses for each of Phillips and Quinn — the latter with a looping header that beat Brum keeper Kevin Poole — to land on the top of the net. In a frenetic start, Birmingham had the Lads on the back foot again in the seventh minute when Michael Johnson brought a fine save out of Sorensen, only for Jon McCarthy to fire the ball back in and hit the post, before it was hacked away.
The lively Johnson was in action a minute later, this time tracking back to deny a Phillips breakaway strike, and back came the Blues again, when Bryan Hughes curled a lovely shot just wide in the tenth minute.
Something had to give amid such a pulsating start and the twelfth minute, a Nicky Summerbee free kick came close, before Niall Quinn went through on goal, only for his effort to flash wide.
The big Irish striker was in superb form, winning battles and free kicks all over the pitch, although Summerbee’s crosses were generally being dealt with by the Blues defence. Many teams would’ve crumbled under the sort of pressure Sunderland were starting to ramp up, but Birmingham refused to join them and although the Black Cats had the majority of possession, the visitors were dangerous on the break.
Indeed, in the thirty second minute, it took a glorious tackle from Kevin Ball to stop Bradbury getting his shot away before a Sunderland break saw Chris Makin fire a scorching shot just over the bar, leading to the crowd screaming for him to shoot every time he had the ball for the rest of the game!
However, just as the Lads were starting to take control of the game, it was City who took the lead with a goal from nothing in the thirty ninth minute.
Bryan Hughes took a free kick in the centre circle, and hit it out wide to the right wing, where Gary Rowett headed the ball back across the box and Martin Grainger was on hand to volley in from nine yards, giving Sorensen no chance.
However, Sunderland continued to press and in first half injury time, a Quinn header from a Summerbee cross, was cleared off the line.
Blues manager Trevor Francis made three changes at half time due to players picking up knocks. It was a slightly sluggish start to the second half but Sunderland slowly started to pick up the pace and the inevitable equaliser came on the hour mark — albeit in a slightly strange manner.
Summerbee crossed the ball to Quinn’s feet, only for Johnson to bring him down on the edge of the box. The linesman was waving his flag but as Quinn fell, he managed to poke the ball back to Summerbee, who crossed the ball into the box.
With the linesman still flagging and the Birmingham defence not sure what was happening, the referee played the advantage and Phillips was on hand at the far post to cushion a header past Poole and into the roof of the net.
The goal sparked furious scenes from the Birmingham camp both on and off the field. Francis later claimed that because the linesman had stood there with his flag aloft, he’d failed to see that Phillips was in an offside position, from his point of view.
After that incident, the game got a bit heated. Grainger committed an awful foul on Makin, and perhaps should have got more than just the yellow card he was shown, but it also sparked a more energetic and determined passage of play from the home side, with our passing in and around the Birmingham box now crisp, fast and smooth.
Summerbee came close, as did Butler, but the winner eventually came in the seventieth minute as Phillips picked up the ball on the halfway line and drove forward before passing it out to Summerbee, whose cross was met at the near post by Quinn, stabbing the ball home for his twenty first goal of the campaign and a just reward for his man of the match display.
The goal inspired much jubilation and a Mexican wave broke out among the crowd as they enjoyed the sunshine, the display, and watching their champions play.
There would be a few more chances but the game was won and the fans lapped it all up. It was one of those glorious days: a record-breaking season and a return to the Premier League at our beautiful new stadium, with the players and their families thoroughly enjoying the lap of honour after the game.
A memorable game, a memorable day, and a very memorable team, with the following two seasons in the Premier League still discussed to this day.
9 May 1999
Nationwide League Division One
Stadium of Light
Attendance: 41,634
Sunderland 2 (Phillips, Quinn)
Birmingham City 1 (Grainger)
Sunderland: Sorensen, Gray, Melville; Butler, Makin, Summerbee; Clark, Ball, Johnston; Quinn, Phillips
