Stokoe's Sunderdogs: a romance that can never be matched

It was not the final of 1973 that Sunderland's legendary manager treasured most. Simon Turnbull recalls heady days

Among the accumulated detritus beneath the marital bed in our house lies a pristine copy of the Roker Review, dated 2 December 1972. On page three, in his first programme notes as manager of Sunderland, for a game against Burnley in what was then the Second Division, Bob Stokoe penned this message: "I know how desperately the supporters of Sunderland want success. To these faithful, I say, 'I am no miracle worker'."

Less than three months later, on Tuesday 27 February 1973, we long-suffering Rokerites started to suspect otherwise. Sunderland's miraculous metamorphosis from Second Division strugglers and perennial under-achievers to all-conquering FA Cup heroes began to manifest itself when Manchester City came to Roker Park for a fifth-round replay.

"The night of nights," Stokoe called it. "Of all the memories of 1973, that's the one I cherish, even more than the semi-final, or the final."

Until his memory faded and he lost his fight for life a week ago, Stokoe recalled Vic Halom's opening goal that night as the most lasting image of the sporting miracle he worked. The 51,782 of us who saw it from the sidelines will never forget it: a first-time drive from the right angle of the Fulwell End box that flew past Joe Corrigan and cracked in off the far post. You had to blink before realising it was not a dream - the start of "the impossible dream", as Sunderland's fantastic FA Cup success was to become known.

Sunderland were 1-0 up against Manchester City - Bell, Marsh, Lee and Co - and heading for the quarter-finals. This was the same Sunderland who had been watched by only 9,749 of us diehards against Birmingham City the previous season, the same Sunderland who stood fourth from bottom of the old Second Division, joint second-bottom on points, when Stokoe arrived from Blackpool to replace Alan Brown.

City were not just beaten, 3-1; they were outclassed. Roker roared to a deafening pitch that had neck-hairs standing to attention. The old ground had not witnessed such a stirring home performance, nor an occasion like it, since the March night in 1964 when it drew its biggest crowd - an estimated 70,000 inside, after the gate had collapsed at the Roker End, and some 50,000 outside. In that FA Cup replay Manchester United needed a Bobby Charlton goal with two minutes of extra time left to deny Brown's Second Division team a semi-final place.

Sunderland, the one-time "team of all the talents", had won no silverware since their FA Cup success of 1937. The mauling of Manchester City spread belief among the team of 1973 that they could take on the best and win. "I've never seen a team performance as good as my lads gave that night," Stokoe once told me. He was not alone in treasuring the vision of a trophy-winning team: of Bobby Kerr, Ian Porterfield and Micky Horswill holding sway in midfield; of Halom, Billy Hughes and Dennis Tueart running the City defence ragged. A team of few perceived talents had suddenly galvanised into an utterly formidable force.

Luton Town were brushed aside 2-0 in the sixth round at Roker and the mighty Arsenal, Double winners just two seasons previously, were beaten 2-1 in an unforgettable semi-final at Hillsborough. Then came the Wembley final and the even mightier Leeds, who went unbeaten for 29 matches the next season and who reached the European Cup final the season after that.

The Daily Telegraph football correspondent predicted that Leeds would score six. As it transpired, it was Don Revie's aristocrats who were hit for a metaphorical six. It was a supreme team effort by Stokoe's Sunderdogs: Dick Malone rendered Eddie Gray anonymous; Dave Watson and Richie Pitt shackled Allan Clarke and Mick Jones; Porterfield scored the precious goal I can see to this day (the framed photo my grandad gave me hangs on the dining-room wall, next to the £4 West Stand ticket my dad bought for the day trip of our lives); and Jimmy Montgomery made the wondrous double save that had the delirious Stokoe racing on to the pitch at the final whistle, his trilby clutched to his head, his coat-tails flapping in his wake.

Thirty-one years later, it still seems surreal. Other underdogs have had their cup final days in the sun, but none could match the romance of that Sunderland success. Nor are any likely to in the future. It is fitting that it should be at an FA Cup tie that Sunderland's supporters will pay their respects to Stokoe on Saturday. Montgomery will carry the Cup into the centre circle to join the current players for a two-minute silence before the fifth-round tie against Birmingham at the Stadium of Light. Plans for a statue have also been mooted.

Stokoe is, after all, still referred to on Wearside as "The Messiah". He was also a man of integrity. When he was manager of Bury and Revie offered him a bribe to help sway a match in Leeds' favour, he didn't just turn it down; he was outraged and insulted. It made the glory of 1973 all the sweeter to him.

A centre-half in the last Newcastle team to win a domestic honour, the FA Cup in 1955, Stokoe was also the last manager to guide a North-east team to a major trophy. "Maybe we used up too many prayers in 1973," he suggested to me a year or two back. At least we have our divine memories. And, for those, we can never thank you enough, Bob.