{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from August 2003

STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
12th August 2003 11:59


Sunderland, just relegated from the Premier after a club record run of 15 consecutive defeats (and started life in division one with another), is a team that have faced the Stags only in two league seasons in League history – and the Stags have yet to clinch a point against the North-East side. But now it's time for the first-ever encounter in the Cups, as the teams have never been drawn against each other before – not even in the FA Cup, which Sunderland last won in 1973 thanks to an Ian Porterfield strike – and memorable, too – a Montgomery save from a shot of Leeds hard-hit man Peter Lorimer. Just five seasons later, the Stags faced Sunderland for the first time in League history, in the so far only season in the old division 2, in 1977-78 with Stags promoted as div 3 Champs and Sunderland relegated from div 1 despite a late rally.. The Stags lost both games with a narrow margin, unluckily at home with 1-2 in front of 12,827 (Stags scorer: Syrett, Sunderland scorer: Rostron 2) on October 22, 1977. The return fixture at Roker Park saw the return of a Sunderland all-time great – Billy Bingham – but as manager of the Stags! Bingham had just taken over the hot seat from Peter Morris only a month before the game was played, March 18, 1978. Bingham's return was a sad one as Sunderland won by the only goal of the game. Ten seasons later, in 1987-88, Sunderland found themselves in the old division 3 for the first and only time in their history and thus had to face the Stags. This time around, Sunderland's winning margins were more clear-cut. The results, a 4-1 Stags defeat at Roker Park early on and a 0-4 at home in one of the final games speak volumes on that Sunderland in 1987-88 were far too good to play in the old third division.

Maybe it's time for another Cup shocker for the Mighty Stags, hopefully!

Played for both sides: John Lathan, Dennis Longhorn, Bobby Mimms, Matt Piper. Jimmy Grattan was on Sunderland's books and played only one Stags game, at Southend in November 1978.
Played for Sunderland, later managed Stags: Billy Bingham.

Stats facts with the Stags figures first

Home: P 2, W 0, D 0, L 2, GF 1, GA 6
Away: P 2, W 0, D 0, L 2, GF 1, GA 5

Home games Away games

1977-10-22 1-2 1978-03-18 0-1 Div 2 (old)
1988-04-26 0-4 1987-08-31 1-4 Div 3 (old)

Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured below, centre)

 

Latest | August 2003