WE WON THE GAME WHEN THEY WERE CELEBRATING!

13 May 1997 Sunderland entertained Liverpool FC at Roker Park for a friendly, to celebrate the last match to be played at Sunderland's old stadium. John Mullin scored the only goal for the home team. The official programme is shown below.

99 years earlier, on the 10th September 1898, Liverpool was the first team to visit Roker Park, losing to Sunderland 1-0 in a league game. Since then the two clubs have met in every decade with a short spell between 1958 to 1961 when there were Div2 meetings. They met in FA Cup ties in 1922, 1961, 1982 and 1992 and in the League Cup in 1973 and 1995. Liverpool have won 70, Sunderland 52 with 39 drawn. 

Interesting scores were on Dec 6th 1930 Sunderland at home won 6-5 and on April 11th 1931 Liverpoool at home lost 2-4. In Division One that season, Liverpool came 9th (Goals for 86 Against 85) and Sunderland 11th (Goals for 89 Against 85). 

Arsenal won the Division scoring 127 Letting in 59. Runners Up: Aston Villa For 128 Against 78.

Another "Sunderland" appeared at Wembley in the "5 minute FA Cup Final" played on the 12th May 1979. Arsenal met Man Utd and were 2-0 up at half time and still leading with 5 minutes left in the game. Imagine the FA official wrapping ribbons in Arsenal colours around the cup handles, preparing for the presentation. 

Brian Talbot had scored for Arsenal after 12 mins and 2 secs and then Frank Stapleton (43 mins 28 secs) made it 2-0 for the Gunners. Liam Brady had been running the game. With 4 minutes to go, the match looked over and done, with many of the 99,219 fans already making the dash for the tube. I suspect these were mainly United fans who were the first to leave, hoping for a sad but earlier trip back to the North-west for their tea!

BUT then Gordon McQueen scored for United (86 mins 20 secs) and then Sammy McIllroy added to the United total in the 88th minute after 15 seconds, making it 2-2. The roar would have been heard on the tube's platforms. 

The travellers may also have heard a later roar when Alan SUNDERLAND grabbed the winner in the 89th minute (and 10 secs) for Arsenal. I don't who was keeping time but it does make the story more dramatic.

In their 1978-9 FA Cup run, Arsenal had played a Third Round match against Sheffield Wednesday and in a marathon tie it ran to 5 games: 1-1, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 2-0. 

In 1980 (on May 10th), Arsenal lost to West Ham 0-1 (remember Brooking scored with a stooping header) in the Cup Final, becoming the first club to appear in three successive finals in the 20th Century. Pat Rice became the first player to appear in 5 finals for one club. Paul Allen for West Ham was the youngest player at 17 years 256 days to play in the final. Arsenal equalled Newcastle United's record of playing in 11 finals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIpzbM2MwO0

and there's more....Arsenal and Liverpool played in the longest FA Cup semi-final (0-0. 1-1, 1-1, 1-0) = 420 mins.

West Ham's win was the Second Division's third winning club in 8 seasons. Name the others?