At the SoL I remember that game he was briliant and the whole crowed clapped him off, magnificant player him and Bergkamp arguably best partnership the premier league has seen. Can anyone beat it? N'Zog apparently got a decent reception last season and cannot realy think of anyone else
I am looking forward to Darren Bent's enthusiastic welcome back. Remember, he loves us and must have been gutted to go...................... x
SKP & Jody Craddock as former players get the best reception and rightly so. I can remember a mid week game at Roker when Gazza had just signed for Spurs. He started off getting dogs abuse and the customary mars bars but he played to the crowd that much he ended up getting a helluva reception. Real characters and top quality players will always get a decent reception to be fair. True that Judas will get pigs abuse though, however, I would remind everyone that players can turn it on if they get the bird too much. Does anyone remember another game against Spurs when Archibald had signed for them again at Roker. He was ritually abused until he popped up and netted 2 of the most beautiful goals you'll ever see. It was a case of shut my firkin mouth I think.
talking of Gazza I remember a game at the SoL I think he played for Everton at the time (or maybe Bora but sure was Everton) the play had stopped and every1 was hurling abuse at him so he put his hand to his ear turned around 360 degree's then put his ear to the floor, proper charactor that bloke
Can anyone remember the first home game of (I think) the '77-'78 season v the Gooners. On an opposite note to the thread really, but the silence when Malcolm MacDonald scored was a new one on me! x
I remember Cantona getting a fantastic welcome at Roker once. It worked too. Fantastic player but he was dog poo that day.
That was August 1976 Bobby...my 1st ever game. I was in the roker end and it was a nice summers day if I remember right....2-2 it ended...
I agree poolie, I was at this match and I can honestly say I was proud to be a Sunderland fan that day. When Henry came over to take a corner around 8/10 thousand fans stood up and made an applause of which in return he turned to the crowd before taking the corner and clapped back. A true professional - That moment will stay with him for the rest of his life. I also remember the reaction when Bergkamp was subbed, everyone and I mean everyone stood up applauded him of the pitch. That's the thing I love most about our fans, even though we went down that season with a record number of points we still had the decency to respect the world class players when we saw one.
I can't remember if it's the same game, but i remember Arsenal beating us 4-0 at home at the end of one of the horror seasons (they'd won the league), and i remember the whole ground applauding the 3rd and 4th goals because the football was just breathtaking. I even remember Ljungberg scored and when we applauded he looked quite humbled, and appreciative of it. Mad.
My first game that Cest. He was hard not to like wasn't he the daft git. Finished 0-0 didn't it? I still loved it and didn't miss a home game for about 5 years from that night!
I remember Tim Flowers getting a good reaction because Julio was down and looked badly hurt and Flowers was going mad trying to get the Ref and Linesman attention. Another one was Deco about two seasons ago. He ripped us a new one and everyone in the ground stood up when got subbed off.
I remember that, we played really well, but it was one of those games where the class of Chelsea was just unplayable. We went 1 up, they just went up 4 notches, one of the best displays i've seen at the SOL, a game you walk out after barely disappointed to lose. Deco and Bosingwa were off the chart that night, culminating in Chelsea's 3rd goal, scored by Deco, where i actually groaned at how beautiful it was.
I recall Craig Russell back at the SOL playing for - Tranmere was it ? It was at the back end of his career and to be fair he didn't do a lot - but when he was subbed the standing ovation he got brought was very moving. I don't mind admitting I had a lump in my throat !
Not sure if it counts a reception more a reaction but when a fat over the hill Tony Yeboah hit the bar from the half way line the whole ground gave him a terrific round of applause
Nothing mad about it Beak - It's just fans who know there stuff. Freddy got a hattrick that days and they were worthy winners. I don't mind losing when it's to a class team and I'm sure they went on that season unbeaten, so there was no shame in losing that game. It reminds me of the Chelsea game last season when they (once again) took us to the cleaners at home. Anelka played out of his skin that day and was worthy of my entrance fee alone.
Aye, Anelka was the best individual display at the SOL last season, playing in a really deep almost AM role. He was sensational.
Best reaction/reception I've seen was for David Seaman in his last season. Running toward the north stand, the applause stopped him in his tracks. swear to god he shed a tear. schmeichal got a pretty good reception in his last game at the sol too....
Yes if I remember correctly it was a draw (our first home game of the season as well I think). Gazza was without doubt the most talented English footballer I have ever seen live. Both in domestic and England games, he was up there with all the greats that have played the game but what he lacked was the ability to harness that talent for good. He had a destructive character and not a lot of good people around him at the time. He should have stayed at Sid James amongst people who understood and worshipped him. I think that move to London ruined him. Too many disatractions and non football hangers ons. On a lighter note, I loved midweek games at Roker Park. The old lady had a magic about her on midweek games with the floodlights, noise and atmosphere. Great days and nights.
What about Peter Shilton. He said in his autobiography or in an interview once, that we were one of only 2 clubs fans (dont know who the other was) that gave him grief long after the event, albeit good natured, about his little incident in the back of his car, with a certain lady called TINA. I remember the game where he made the greatest save I've ever seen at Roker, from an Ally McCoist overhead kick into the Fulwell End (where I was standing at the time) he came over to the Fulwell End and was greeted by 1000's of fans chanting "TINA.....TINA". He just laughed and shrugged his shoulders. All good stuff mind.
