On This Day (29th September 1971): Sunderland hand out a midweek mauling to Middlesbrough!

Today at 01:00 AM

Sunderland legend Stan Anderson brought his Boro team to Roker Park hoping to grab the points that would take them into the promotion spots — but his hopes were dashed as Sunderland ripped into the Teessiders!

Sunderland went into this game in eleventh position in Division Two. But just four days before this midweek match, they had been involved in a pulsating four-three victory against Preston North End at Roker Park, sixteen-year-old Jimmy 'Chico' Hamilton coming off the bench to net the winner in the eighty-fifth minute.

We had played really well in spells in our last game and I could not wait to get back to Roker Park for this tussle with Boro, who were in fifth position in the division and looking for a serious promotion push under an ex-Sunderland legend, Stan Anderson. As I crested the steps into the Fulwell End my heart was thumping with excitement in the floodlit amphitheatre that was resounding to the Roker Roar for this eighty-ninth Wear/Tees derby.

Alan Brown brought Bobby Kerr back into the starting eleven for Brian Chambers and 'Chico' Hamilton retained his place, with Billy Hughes on the bench.

For Boro, Nobby Stiles would play in his first ever Wear/Tees game and fearsome centre half Bill Gates retained his place alongside Stuart Boam at the heart of the Boro defence.

I had hoped we could repeat our form of four days previous and give a hard and handy looking Boro team a good game. What I got was an absolute joy to watch as our young team, augmented with a sprinkling of slightly more experienced players produced a non-stop all-action performance that overwhelmed our opponents over the ninety minutes. England hero Nobby Stiles was eclipsed in midfield by a driving display on the night from Ian Porterfield, a rolls Royce of a schemer in this form. Martin Harvey produced a vintage sweepers performance and Dave Watson showed us all what a great target man he could be, with another classy display.

The early stages of this game were shaded by Middlesborough as shots from Maddren and Hicton were cleared with some difficulty. Looking back, I would admit that Boro's momentum was somewhat stifled by a rogue mongrel who not only invaded the pitch but had the temerity to resist a number of attempts from various ground staff to come quietly! Rumours that the mongrel was last seen getting into Alan Brown's car at the end of the game were unsubstantiated!

Upon resumption of the game, Sunderland had gathered themselves and began to come more into the contest, with Porterfield and Kerr pulling the strings in midfield. It felt only a matter of time before the deadlock would be broken, when it was, there was no denying an element of luck was involved.

On twenty-three minutes, a Bobby Kerr corner was headed out by Boam and landed invitingly for McGiven at the edge of the area. His wild volley flew straight to Kerr, who controlled the ball and charged straight into the box, placing a curling shot that sent Whigham the wrong way. As the keeper tried to right himself the ball appeared to bounce over his legs into the back of the net. It was hardly a classic goal but that did not stop us cheering it to the rafters.

Middlesborough came back strongly and John Craggs fired over a cross that was well controlled by Vincent, who brought the ball down and blasted it goalward, only to see it smash off the post and away to safety.

One-nil at half-time and the Lads were cheered into the dressing room for their half-time oranges.

The second half resumed with Sunderland looking more likely. On fifty-five minutes Kieth Coleman sent a long clearance forward. Stuart Boam who had been given a torrid time by Dave Watson, seemed caught in two minds as the ball sailed past him. Watson, who could really shift for a big fella, raced past the stationary defender and beat the advancing Whigham to the ball, despite the keeper looking favourite, he deftly nicked the ball around the bemused goalie and slid the ball into the net to the loud acclaim of most in Roker Park. It was a goal his performance deserved and his third of the season.

We were still chanting in celebration of Watson's goal in the Fulwell End when goal number three arrived, and what a goal this was on fifty-six minutes.

Porterfield found Kerr with an accurate pass. 'The little general' as he would come to be known, sent a great reverse pass to Dennis Tueart. Never shy at backing himself, the twenty-one-year-old rounded two defenders at pace and rocketed a right foot shot into the back of the net from a very acute angle. It was an audacious bit of skill and drew a loud and prolonged ovation from the Roker Park crowd.

The crowd were up on their feet again on eighty-three minutes as Chico Hamilton was replaced by Billy Hughes. The youngster had played a game of promise and energy and was given a standing ovation as he left the field. I had high hopes for this lad and cheered as loud as anybody — I still think there is nothing better than witnessing one of our own youngsters take an opportunity to shine.

A minute after this, Boro scored! They broke away and forced Montgomery who had been largely redundant up to this point in the second half, into making a very good save from a Maddren shot, which he tipped around the post. The resultant corner led eventually to a Downing cross that was headed on cleverly by Hicton to Maddren who moved it into space for Vincent to flick into the net giving Monty no chance.

Sunderland were not finished yet and responded immediately with a really well-worked goal a minute after conceding.

Martin Harvey played yet another good ball out of defence and found Bobby Kerr lurking with intent on the left wing. Kerr set off on a great run and delivered the perfect cross to Billy Hughes who planted a cracking header past Whigham in the Boro goal. It was a great response to conceding and once again had the Roker faithful roaring their approval.

Dave Watson who had played an absolute stormer of a game almost made it five goals on the night as he sent a bullet of a header skimming off the upright in the final minute from a Porterfield cross.

What a game this had been, as I danced out of Roker Park at the end of the game into the night, I really felt like we had lift off and this was going to be our season. We were up into sixth place and our team was beginning to look like it could do some damage!

Unfortunately, we fell away in the last few games of the season and finished fifth. What would 1972/73 have in store for us, nobody could have foreseen as ten of the players involved in this game for us would have roles to play in our magnificent run to Wembley and cup glory the following season.

Division Two — 29/09/1971 — Roker Park — Attendance: 28,129
Sunderland 4 - 1 Middlesborough (Goal Scorers - Kerr 23 mins; Watson 55 mins; Tueart 56 mins; Vincent 84 mins; Hughes 85 mins)

Sunderland - Montgomery; Malone; Coleman; Pitt; Harvey; Kerr; McGiven; Porterfield; Tueart; Watson; Hamilton (Hughes 83 mins).
Middlesborough - Whigham; Craggs; Jones; Boam; Gates; Stiles; McMordie; Downing; Maddren; Hicton; Vincent. Sub - Laidlaw.

It is a poignant irony that two of the best players and opponents on the night would unite in a different kind of battle decades later.

Boro's hard as nails centre half Bill Gates and Sunderland's colossus in attack and later defence, Dave Watson would both be diagnosed with progressive brain disease.

Bill Gates died the same day as Sir Bobby Charlton (who also had dementia). He and his wife and son spearheaded a nationwide campaign to highlight the links between heading footballs and Chronic Traumatic Encephalitis (CTE).

Dave Watson and his wife Penny have been very active and dignified campaigners for more recognition, research and support for those professional footballers affected by this terrible condition.

Dave and his family made his condition public knowledge in 2020 after he was diagnosed in 2014 with CTE which leads to dementia. Dave Watson and his wife Penny have been very active and dignified campaigners for more recognition, research and support for those professional footballers affected by this terrible condition.

To further aid this campaign Dave's daughter Gemma, an award-winning documentary film maker is making a film about Dave's life and battle with this condition.

The film is called Forgotten – the story of Big Dave Watson. Gemma describes it as "a story about resilience, a story about love and a story about football."

Have a sneak peek at the film by going to the link below.

Dave Watson was undoubtedly one of, if not the best defender I have seen play for Sunderland in over fifty-eight years of watching the Lads play.

Please read the following link/article and donate if you are able, let's show Dave Watson and his family that he (and they) are not forgotten by all of us who follow Sunderland AFC.