Promotion had proven elusive in 1974/1975 when a defeat at Aston Villa in Sunderland’s final competitive game of the season saw the Lads miss out at the death.
Failure, having spent so long looking like certainties to go up, was hard to take, as was the departure of lynchpin Dave Watson in the weeks that followed when he moved to Manchester City, but as the summer wore on, excitement inevitably began to rise again.
Ian Porterfield had recovered from injuries sustained in a horrific traffic collision in late 1974 and with manager Bob Stokoe securing the arrival of young prospect Jeff Clarke as part of the Watson deal plus spending big on new forward Mel Holden, the Roker faithful were hopeful that the squad was now able to take the next step and secure a return to Division One.
A mediocre Anglo-Scottish Cup attempt prior to the return of the league was not considered to be an issue, the games being seen as ‘warm ups’ and little much else, and players and supporters alike knew how important it would be to get going once points were at stake — and that meant the second-tier starter against Chelsea was viewed as a crucial clash.
The visitors, who themselves were not where they wanted to be having just been unexpectedly relegated from the top-flight, had been pre-season favourites for promotion alongside Sunderland and the sides were set to test each other’s credentials from the off.
There was a shock in store the day before the game when it was announced that Stokoe was going to drop Jimmy Montgomery for Trevor Swinburne, particularly for the editor of the Roker Review, who’d already used Monty as the cover star for the latest edition, but whilst the replacement keeper appeared nervous in the opening stages, it was his opposite number wanting the ground to swallow him up by half time after a huge error let the hosts back in.
Eddie McCreadie’s Blues took the early initiative and played some extremely attacking football both before and after they had opened the scoring.
They edged ahead shortly before the half-hour mark when Bill Garner hit a powerful shot from distance, but just as it seemed they would be going into the break with an advantage, Steve Sherwood fumbled a corner from Bobby Kerr and handed the ball on a plate for Pop Robson to smuggle over the line.
Chelsea struggled to overcome the set back in the second half and it was Sunderland that started making the more positive moves.
Their more intricate attacks were being thwarted by Micky Droy however, so midway through the half, Dennis Longhorn decided to go more direct instead and lashed in a screamer from twenty five yards. The goal prompted hearty celebrations in the stands and was capped off by a spectacular cartwheel from an elated Longhorn as the Lads got off to the good start that they so desperately wanted.
Admittedly, defeat down at Bristol City did follow next time out, but the Lads’ home form was to prove vital during the season and Sunderland were already up and running.
Sunday 26 July 1992
Football League Division Two
Roker Park
Attendance: 28,689
Sunderland 2 (Robson 44’, Longhorn 64’)
Chelsea 1 (Garner 27’)
Sunderland: Swinburne; Ashurst, Clarke, Moncur; Bolton, Kerr, Longhorn; Gibb (Holden 46’), Porterfield, Robson; Halom.