The Wimbledon team of the late 80s and early 90s was something you had to see to believe. Folklore has painted the ‘Crazy Gang’ as a loveable bunch of rogues who played on the edge and upset the big boys. And look, some of that’s true.
But the reality is they were often a thuggish, overly physical team that redefined ‘the dark arts’ and were brutal, hard opponents.
The highlights, of course, were their fairy tale rise from non-league to the top flight, winning the FA Cup in 1988 on their way. The lowlights
were Spurs skipper Gary Mabbutt’s fractured cheekbone and Vinny Jones’s challenge on Tottenham’s Gary Stevens that forced the full back to retire.
Dave Bassett had been the manager of Wimbledon for the early part of their rise – Bobby Gould had replaced him in the dugout and guided them to their famous Wembley win, and Ray Harford was now in charge – but the ethos of the ‘Crazy Gang’ still remained very much intact.
And it was getting results. While Sunderland were struggling to secure their top flight status after a somewhat fortunate promotion, the Dons had third place in their sights.
Denis Smith’s team’s survival hopes had been boosted by a 2-1 win the previous Saturday, away at fellow relegation candidates Luton Town, and the lads went into a Tuesday night fixture at Roker Park against Wimbledon intent on getting another three points that would lift them out of the two-team relegation zone and put them in control of their own destiny.
This was a huge, huge game of massive importance, and the manager knew it.
We have given ourselves a chance It would have been all over if we had lost at Luton, but we have guaranteed ourselves excitement until the end of the season.
The players will be well prepared again as they know they can’t expect any favours from Wimbledon.
Their players are professionals and they will want to finish the season in the club’s highest-ever position.
The atmosphere should be something special, but we must make sure we use it to our advantage.
Sunderland made two changes to the team that beat Luton – Marco Gabbiadini was fit enough to start after a sub outing at Kenilworth Road, replacing Brian Mooney who’d fractured his foot. Peter Davenport was also recalled after injury, replacing the injured John Kay, with Gary Owers dropping to fullback.
More than 24,000 supporters were in Roker that night – Wimbledon’s travelling support wasn’t much to speak of – and a white hot atmosphere ensued with the crowd knowing just how big a game it was.
And from the off, Wimbledon were intent on disrupting the play, with the game a tremendously physical contest from the off.
German striker Thomas Hauser, who partnered Gabbiadini up front with Davenport playing off the pair, said:
I knew we were in for a hard, physical match. But I have never experienced anything like that before.
I complained to the referee after only five minutes that I had been punched in the ribs by John Fashanu, but he told me just to get on with the game.
There was so many unfair things that went on. My shirt was being pulled all the time and they were stamping on my feet, especially from corners.
As a contest, the game was a stop-start affair, marred by numerous tactical fouls and Wimbledon’s offside trap, which Sunderland frequently fell into, and a number of confrontations that referee Paul Harrison failed to punish. Sunderland did have the best opportunity – Hauser’s effort was pushed onto the woodwork by Wimbledon keeper Hans Segers, before Davenport inexplicably missed the follow up.
But, just before half time, the match erupted – and it was Sunderland that came off the worst.
A short Sunderland corner at the Fulwell End from Paul Hardyman was flicked on by Gary Bennett, and Hauser tried to force the ball home from close range.
Fashanu and Keith Curle were among the players to rush at Hauser, and huge melee broke out. Kevin Ball – yards from the action – stormed in to sort things out.
Ball was a new arrival on Wearside, and after a shaky start, had been our player of the season.
He was just back from a three-game ban after being sent off against Dave Bassett’s physical Sheffield United team a couple of months earlier for violent conduct, and ill-advisedly got involved again, appearing to jump in and elbow Curle. As the referee finally regained a semblance of control, he ordered Ball off – much to the surprise and anger of the crowd, the Sunderland players and manager Denis Smith.
Hauser recalled:
In the incident leading up to Kevin’s sending off, I was punched in the ribs. Kevin knew all about what had gone on before and he was only trying to protect me.
I couldn’t believe it when he was sent off. Much worse than that had happened.
The play restarted with a corner from the other side, and once more Hauser tried to force the ball over the line. Another huge brawl took place – Wimbledon’s Keith Curle appeared to punch Hauser – but the referee didn’t take any action, leaving the crowd furious as the half time whistle blew. Smith had to be restrained by coach Roger Jones such was his anger at Harrison’s display.
In the second half, despite their numerical advantage, Wimbledon continued with the same spoiling tactics. They did strike the woodwork through Warren Barton after a rare foray forward, but it was Sunderland who had the best opportunities – a clearly unfit Gabbiadini failing to convert when put through by Paul Bracewell.
The game petered out into a draw, which was pretty useless for Sunderland in their quest to stay up – and while Smith argued after the game the referee had been ‘conned’, the Sunderland Echo the following day took a hardline stance – laying the blame for failing to beat Wimbledon firmly at the door of Ball and Denis Smith.
Failure to beat Wimbledon last night could end up costing Sunderland their place in the First Division. If it does, two men must shoulder a burden of blame.
Kevin Ball looked Sunderland’s best player until his moment of stupidity got him sent off. He will now be suspended when Sunderland visit Manchester City on the last day of the season, and his absence could also be crucial.
The greater responsibility lies with manager Denis Smith.
It may not be his fault that Sunderland lack top-quality players. He has not had much money to spend on the best.
It is not his fault either that none of his strikers last night looked fit.
And it is perhaps not entirely his fault that their first touch is not as good as that of any of the Wimbledon forwards.
But as manager, the behaviour and attitude of his players is his responsibility.
And last night — not for the first time — they were an indisciplined rabble.
Instead of suggesting the referee was “conned” when he sent off Ball, Smith should look dispassionately at what happened.
A more histrionic official might have reduced the contest to eight men against ten — and not to Sunderland’s advantage.
Wimbledon’s time-wasting and offside tactics might not be attractive. They are designed to irritate. But they are legitimate tactics.
Like any other style of legal play, the offside trap offers a challenge to the opposition to overcome it.
Harsh? Maybe. But there was more than a grain of truth in it. As it was, with two games left, Arsenal at home and Manchester City away, the challenge of staying up was suddenly significantly greater than it had been before kick off.
