Terry Butcher’s summer spending spree hadn’t brought immediate results – six points from the season’s first five games demonstrating little improvement from the almost-disastrous end to the previous campaign.
His cause hadn’t been helped by the infamous car crash after a friendly game at Ayresome Park during the summer, and as the lads prepared to return to North Yorkshire for competititve action, there was another new face in the squad.
While much of the talk in the weeks leading up to the game focused on Everton’s Scottish striker Mo Johnston – who was apparently close to joining the club to initially cover new signing Phil Gray’s three-game ban after he was sent off at Watford – it was a 23 year old winger who, until recently, had been serving a four-year stretch on the Isle of Man at Her Majesty’s Pleasure for armed robbery.
James Lawrence had been scouted while playing on Saturday’s for Cowes Sport in the First Division of the Hampshire league while still serving time, and after trials at Millwall and Wimbledon had failed to produce a contract offer worth accepting, he’d headed north.
Initially arriving on a week’s trial, one week turned into two. He impressed against Leeds’ and Leicester’s reserves, and – the day before Sunderland were due to take on Middlesbrough – a contract was agreed that would keep the forward here until the end of the season.
Lawrence’s arrival created much intrigue about the place, and the winger said:
I am over the moon to be given a chance with Sunderland. This is a big club and a great opportunity for me.
Both Wimbledon and Millwall offered me a contract but they weren’t even worth considering – I would have been better off on the dole.
I spend two weeks at Millwall, scoring three goals in four appearances for their reserves. I also scored for Wimbledon in the match I played for them.
I’ve never been a prolific goalscorer. I’m a winger, and thought I also enjoy playing in central midfield my strengths are my pace and getting in crosses.
It’s hard to say when I think I’ll be pushing for a first team place. I think I may need one or two more games in the reserves.
Terry Butcher – who that week had finally agreed to the seasonal squad picture being taken (he was still trying to move certain players out and sign others, including Johnston) – said:
I have been very impressed. A lot of clubs have been chasing him but we brought him up here after Barry Silkman at Millwall had recommended him to Ian Atkins [Butcher’s assistant, and former Sunderland captain].
He has seen the place, fell in love with it straight away, and wants to play for us.
The lad has made some mistakes in the past. but that’s behind him and he has got a great chance to do what he loves best, and that is playing football.
I have got no worries about his character, no worries about his attitude and no worries about taking him on whatsoever.
He will excite people and win the public over because of his football skills.
He’s 23 and never had the grounding of a footballer. He has missed all the hard pre-season work, but he’s hungry, he’s exciting and he wants to get on with it.
But having said all of that, I might just have him on the bench at Middlesbrough.
Lawrence, indeed, was on the bench at Middlesbrough, as Sunderland headed south without Phil Gray, and with squad numbers for the first ever time – the club, somewhat bizarrely, deciding to introduce them for the 10th game of the season.
Lawrence took his place on the sidelines after being serenaded by ‘Jailhouse Rock’ thanks to Middlesbrough’s PA man, and despite an indifferent start in front of just over 12,000, Sunderland looked as if they were getting their act together – they went into the Boro game on a six match unbeaten run, four of which were wins, including home and away cup victories over top flight Leeds United.
Sunderland started the livelier as the action got underway – live on Tyne Tees – however Middlesbrough started to ramp things up and took the lead after just seven minutes. Craig Hignett challenged Ord for the ball, raced along the box past Andy Melville and scored off the post. Sunderland weren’t happy, claiming a foul on Ord – who needed lengthy treatment before being carried off – but to no avail.
The lads fought back – Howey’s header was saved by Stephen Pears, and a Goodman penalty appeal waved away, before Sunderland’s record signing equalised with a close range volley.
At the other end, Chamberlain saved well from Hignett and another effort was cleared off the line as Boro tried to reclaim the lead – which came on 29 minutes, Hendrie getting the better of Gary Bennett and scoring past Chamberlain. Boro piled on the pressure, and it was no surprise when Paul Wilkinson chipped the keeper magnificently after Hendrie’s effort had been blocked by Brian Atkinson, who’d dropped into left back to cover Ord’s absence.
Sunderland hadn’t given up though – before half time a shot by Craig Russell was blocked by Whyte, while in the second half Don Goodman blazed over from the penalty spot after being brought down by Richard Liburd.
Both teams had chances, and if Goodman’s penalty had been converted we may have got something from the game, but despite a 25 minute cameo for new signing Lawrence, we couldn’t pull one back – and as it was, Middlesbrough got the last goal of the game, a close range header from Wilkinson sealing the win.
For James Lawrence – or Jamie as he became more commonly referred to in football circles – this day marked the beginning of a long football career that encompassed more than 350 games.
He started a few days later as Sunderland beat Luton 2-0 at Roker Park, and key his place in another home win, over West Brom, the following weekend. After another sub appearance the following game, however, he picked up an ankle injury, and had a spot of flu too, which kept him out for a few weeks. Off the field, he was understandably finding things tough, too. He admitted in the club programme versus Millwall in between Christmas and New Year that he was suffering from home sickness, with his girlfriend still living in London.
By this time, of course, Terry Butcher had left the club, and Lawrence made just one sub appearance under new manager Mick Buxton in February, before being sold to Doncaster in the March for £20,000. Fourth-tier Doncaster, by that stage, managed by Butcher’s former assistant Ian Atkins, to whom Lawrence had initially been recommended.
A spell playing regularly further down the pyramid was probably the right course of action for Lawrence, who’d had no exposure to professional football until joining Sunderland. He was quickly spotted by Leicester, who signed him after a year at Doncaster, and he was part of the team who, with Peter Reid’s Sunderland, got promoted to the top flight. Lawrence played on the season’s opening day, at Roker Park, for Leicester and also won the league cup in his time at Filbert Street.
Anyone who saw him play at Roker would attest to the fact he had clear potential, and he would go onto prove that by playing for Leicester and Bradford City in the top flight. He also turned out for Walsall, Wigan, Grimsby and Brentford before playing non-league for six years. Between 200-2004, he also turned out on 24 occasions for Jamaica, where his parents were born.
In an excellent article published by The Athletic last year, Lawrence reflected on the impact moving so far away from home had on him.
Moving 300 miles from home was the best thing that could have happened to me. Suddenly, I was away from temptation. It’s the big message I try to get across today when going into the prisons and holding workshops.
Don’t go back to the same area, give yourself distance from that old crowd. Not that you cut people off, even if they are on the wrong side of the law. My mates still came to watch me wherever I played.
But I needed to put space between me and them. If they’re really your friend, they’ll accept you are trying to turn your life around.
