Peter Reid Howard Wilkinson Mick McCarthy Niall Quinn Roy Keane Steve Bruce MON All the managers since I've followed SAFC. I havn't got many good manager to choose from really.
Peter Reid Martin O'Neill Denis Smith Ken Knighton Roy Keane I was only 2 when we won the f a cup so haven't included Bob Stokoe
Tough call ! Bob Stokoe for the achievement of the cup and promotion Peter Reid for the football, 2 promotions and 2 x 7th places Denis Smith - because we could have gone into terminal decline Roy Keane - for the publicity and increase in profile - and the promotion season Martin O'Neil - for being the most respected manager we've ever appointed in my lifetime, and for giving us hope !
1. Denis Smith - without him in 1987 in that awful 3rd division relegation, we could have gone out of business. Saved the club imo therefore gets top billing for me. If he had been given the money when he got us to the top flight, things could have been so different. He wanted John Aldridge when he was at Oxford for a measly £60,000 but wasn't supported and he also brought Andy Cole to Bristol City on loan from Arsenal. He could pick a striker could wor Denis. He also bought Gabbers and Bally, two absolute legends, to the club and all for less than the likes of Tevez picks up in a months wages. 2. Peter Reid - best football I have ever seen in my lifetime but kind of self destructed in the end. 3. Alan Durban - if supported financially he could have achieved so much. Was on the verge of something very good when he was sacked imo 4. Mick McCarthy - not another single manager could have achieved more with the £1.20p he was given to keep us up. One of the most honest and honourable men to have ever managed us imo. 5. Roy Keane - controversial to some maybe but he re-launched the club after that humiliating 15 point season, which could have seen us plummet even further down the leagues, and kept us up with the bonus of a derby win and 4 pts, in his first season back. He laid the foundations for the past 5 years in the top flight but his character and demeanour was always going to result in a tears and tantrum exit. However, its far too easy for fans to dismiss his management of the club IMO without giving it some praise. Interestingly enough, from his era, Gordon, Bardsley and Richardson are still prominent figures at the club. Honourable mentions go to Ken Knighton and Bob Stokoe. I too missed out on the 73 cup stuff as I was an armchair supporter at the age of 9 at the time. With Ken Knighton, he was the first manager I really remember as I was 15 when he was appointed and he could have been one of the greats, along with Frank Clark, if he hadn't been **** on by Cowie. We have missed out so many times in the past due to poor financial support for good managers and I hope we don't make the same mistake with Martin. He is the most decorated manager (both as a player and a manager) we have ever had so hopefully Ellis sees the benefits of giving him a few bob to fashion his own team for the next few years. We are the nearly men of football us at SAFC. Nearly having a great period and manager but always just not having the balls to take it on further. With Ellis and Marty, we have what may well be our last chance to light the blue torch paper. I sincerely hope they both do just that and then I fully expect that in a few years time, if this list is posted again, Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill will proudly sit on top of it by a country mile.
It would be interesting to see all our managers and their stats, win ratio etc. anyone know how to do that?
Thing is, win ratios only tell part of the story. For instance the fact Bruce's was 29% despite the fact he had money and clout makes his even worse than say someone like Mick McCarthy who was given a mere £4m to both recruit AND pay in wages for a team to keep us up. MM record is vastly superior to Bruce's imo and after he was sacked he didn't bleat on like a squealing pig to every man and his dog about it either. MM is a top bloke. Bruce is just a whinging twat.
Got to agree with Cest on Mick McCarthy - and I was tempted to include him in my 5 but went for MON in hope ! Had to lose the equivalent of an entire squad, had no money to spend and is one of the most honest, honourable managers we've ever had. A thoroughly decent bloke IMHO.
It is strange that a man who got us a record low points haul is still held in high regard! Steve Bruce take note. Just goes to show that the majority of us Sunderland fans are quite knowledgable when it comes to football. We all knew it wasn't MM's fault what was happening. I don't think anyone called for his sacking. Steve Bruce did a steady job but is disliked by the majority of us for the rubbish he spouted!
Will be easier just to give you a link to them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sunderland_A.F.C._managers
I'm not taking the mickey lads, but you finished 7th two seasons off the trot under Peter Reid. What did he do so wrong to get the sack?
In my opinion Sombrero he knew how to build a team around Niall Quinn and was realatively succesful however once Quinn retired he didn't have a plan B, he didn't have a different way to play. Looking back now he should never have been sacked. He has far more reason to gripe than Bruce ever did. Had he remained manager he probably would have kept us up but things were going the wrong way. He had also blown a relative fortune on possible some of the clubs worst ever signings, the one time Bob Murray put his hand in his pocket! Bob must have been fuming and full of I told you so's! lol! Once sacked we appointed Howard f***ing Wilkinson and sure enough relegation followed!
