Today I'm going back 41 years to 1981 and Tottenham's visit to Roker Park, home at that time to Sunderland AFC. This was only my second visit to Roker Park of 14 in total and was my first time seeing Tottenham play there. The match was attended by 25,317.
Roker Park was always one of my favourite grounds, partly because it was just a stones throw away from the original Sunderland home of my grandparents before they upped sticks and moved to Essex in search of work. The accents of the people on Wearside always sounded familiar to me and my Dad in particular would lapse into the lingo within a couple of minutes of hearing it. Roker Park was, however, increasingly shabby and dilapidated as it aged and when time was called on it in 1997 it was about time. Roker Park was yet another stadium designed by Archibald Leitch and carried his trademark criss-cross fascias on the front of the main stand (as did Goodison Park, Tynecastle, Fratton Park, White Hart Lane and several others). The stadium reeked of tradition, of old men in flat caps, of miners and working men. Hard lives. It hosted four matches at the 1966 World Cup as well as York City's FA Cup Semi-Final Replay in 1955. The old stadium has since been demolished and turned into a housing estate. Gone but not forgotten.
Today's programme cover star is Sunderland's 18-year old Nick Pickering who had only made his debut for the club at the start of the season. Pickering would go on to make 179 Football League appearances (scoring 18 goals) for Sunderland before moving on to Coventry City in 1986. Pickering was part of the Coventry City side that won the 1987 FA Cup Final against Spurs. Whilst still at Sunderland Pickering made his one and only appearance for the full England team against Australia in 1983. In the latter stages of his career, Pickering also appeared for Derby County, Darlington and Burnley
Sunderland's manager, Alan Durban, had only taken up his position during the Summer and he would have a tough battle to keep his side in the top flight. Keith Burkinshaw's Tottenham selection won the featured match relatively comfortably by 2-0 with the goals being scored by Steve ("We'll take more care of you") Archibald and Sunderland-born Micky Hazard. Despite his birthplace, Hazard signed for Spurs straight from school and made his debut for the club in April 1980 as a 20-year old. Hazard was part of the glory years of the early 1980's at Tottenham and won the 1982 FA Cup and the 1984 UEFA Cup with the club before being sold to Chelsea in 1985. Hazard had spells at both Portsmouth and Swindon Town (where he would play under Glenn Hoddle and take Swindon into the Premier League) before returning to White Hart Lane in the twilight of his career. In total Hazard made 329 appearances in the Football League scoring 42 goals.
1981/82 was a relatively good one for Tottenham who finished 4th in the First Division as well as retaining the FA Cup that they had won in 1981. As a result Tottenham would play in the European Cup Winners Cup the following season. Sunderland escaped relegation by just one place, finishing 19th (of 22) but crucially above Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Middlesbrough all of whom were relegated. Champions that season were Liverpool.
CRB Match No. 132
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