A lot has been said in recent weeks about not playing in Europe for 53 years, but it’s interesting looking back at how things didn’t really go to plan in the 1973/74 season.
We all know that Bob Stokoe had pulled off a miracle by winning the FA Cup after taking the job, but he also lifted us from 19th up to 6th in Division Two during that year. This run in the league combined with lifting the cup at Wembley meant the expectation was high for the following year.
The schedule was busy early on with our
first European adventure in the old Cup Winners’ Cup, and this potentially had a knock-on effect, and as it came to March we languished in mid-table – which led to Stokoe taking drastic action.
In a deal that took Cup heroes Dennis Tueart and Micky Horswill in the opposite direction, a then 22-year-old Tony Towers arrived at Roker from Manchester City. The deal was completed just over a week after Towers had turned out in City’s starting XI in the League Cup final defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The following season, Sunderland just missed out on promotion, finishing 4th in the table, and Towers made 46 appearances as Stokoe’s side went close. In 1975-76, they went on to win the Second Division and promotion to the top flight, and Towers was instrumental.
On our way to the title, he made 41 appearances in all competitions, captained the side, scored ten goals (sic coming from the spot) and was in the PFA Division Two Team of the Year. The form he showed that year resulted in Don Revie calling him up to the England squad for the British Home Championship, where he gained his first two caps, and then a third followed in a friendly against Italy.
However, Sunderland’s return to Division One didn’t start well. After five league games, we were still looking for a win and sitting in the bottom three.
On the 18th September, for our sixth league game of the season, Manchester City arrived at Roker. Towers was in the Sunderland starting XI as was expected, and in the City side there were former Sunderland players Dennis Tueart, Dave Watson and Mick Doherty in a side managed by Tony Book. Goals from Tueart and Joe Royle gave City all three points and potentially food for thought for Sunderland skipper Towers.
Three days later, on this day in 1976, Towers hit the national headlines when he handed in a transfer request:
My action is the culmination of 18 months’ discussion with the club about my long-term future. Promises have been made and not kept. Anyone who believes that I actually want to leave Sunderland is crazy but, in my opinion, the club has left me with no alternative.
When I came here in March 1974 as part of the deal which took Dennis Tueart to Manchester City, North East and Sunderland was the last place I wanted to be. But Sunderland has been fabulous. The Sunderland fans and I have a rapport which I could not hope to match anywhere else.
I have become more mature both as a man and as a player here, but the situation is such that it is all boiling down to being a matter of principle. I have kept my part of the bargain by giving everything I have to the club. But they have just not kept their promises. The situation has nothing whatsoever to do with our current League position. I am not too worried about that, because we certainly have the equipment to get away from the bottom.”
According to the early reports, at the very front of the queue forming to take him from Roker was City manager Tony Book. Close behind was Everton and Manchester United, where manager Tommy Doherty was known to be a fan and was said to be willing to break his “no buying” policy for top bracket players.
In other news on this day in 1976, former Manchester United defender Jim Holton was due to meet Bob Stokoe to discuss a loan move that could become permanent. Holton’s career had been put on hold after breaking his leg at United and Stokoe offered him the chance to return to the First Division after recently turning down an offer to join Second Division Sheffield United.
Also causing a stir at Roker on this day was the news that Sunderland £120,000 striker from Preston, Mel Holden would be out for two months. The was the result of requiring a cartlilage operation after falling down his stairs at his home the previous week.
