Newspaper Clippings - Dick Butler - page 131
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10 Shields Gazette , Monday , April 19 , 1976 SUNDERI THE TOPS BY DICK KIRKUP SUNDERLAND SUPPORTERS continue to prove week after week that when First Division football comes to Roker Park next season they will turn Wearside into one of the strongholds of English soccer . While this season's promotion race has been tight , there has never been any question about the best supported club in it's Division Two Sunderland by a street . Mariners almost there assured SOUTH Shields are virtually the Northern Alliance championship . Saturday's exciting 2-1 home win over Marine Park has in a put the Mariners position only Seaham Red and that is Star can equal only possible if Shields were to lose all of their remaining three fixtures . - no Before today's big box office game against Bolton Wanderers , Sunderland had home League an average attendance of 29,686 fewer than 10,700 higher than the next best , Bolton . The only attendance record Sunderland didn't hold this the Second morning was Division's biggest crowd of the season - but even then , they were responsible for it . massive the That gathered at 42,680 who when Park Burnden Sunderland visited Bolton but there is time for the Wearmen to top that as well . But was Sunderland's attendance figure is not only outstanding in the Second Division . It ranks as the highest in the seventh six First country , only Division clubs being able to top it , including Newcastle United whose , average 33,088 . City were Carlisle eliminated from the hunt when they went down 1-0 at their maximum Seaham , points total being reduced to 44. This Thursday , however , Shields have the opportunity to make sure of retaining their title against Wallington in what will be the last league game of the season to be played at the Jack Clark Ground ( kick - off 6.30 p.m. ) . was On Saturday , though , it half Shields ' second superiority that saw them home But in the 25th minute Bryce broke through the Shields back four to slip a ten - yard shot beyond the reach of Stan Craig to give his side the lead . The Mariners had to wait until the dying seconds of the half before Robson snatched an equaliser . Alan Suggett crossed from the right touchline to find Robson on the edge of the area . Colwill and Dodds challenged but he evaded both and moved a few yards to his right before firing in a past 12 - yard half - volley Lister . The second half belonged very much to Shields and in an exciting 20 - minute finale was the Ritchie Madden unluckiest player on the field . After 80 minutes he struck the hardest shot of the game from 12 yards to see it headed off the line by after Gourley . And Shields took an 83rd minute lead , Madden had a 20 - yard effort brilliantly saved by Lister . even One minute later , after a run to the bye - line , Madden sent that cross a low . tantalisingly brushed the far post and Robson's The outstretched foot . winner came from a well executed move . Ray Young , on for Billy Graham for the last 20 minutes , won . possession in midfield and slipped the ball through to Hunter who then played a one - two with Parker before setting off down the left . At exactly the right moment Hunter's lob found Parker who , after taking the ball down on his chest , picked his spot and blasted home the decider . - is Sunderland's average 6,533 higher than championship - chasing QPR , more than 1,000 better than Derby County and even higher than Everton whose season has been poor reflected at the gate . It is also more than 6,000 higher than Middlesbrough . . . and 24,568 higher than York City who are bidding farewell to Second Division football with an average gate of only 5,118 . Note : Since the expulsion of Throckley , the Alliance fixtures have be had to revised , and South Shields ' remaining three fixtures are : 22 : Thurs , April Wallington ( H ) . Sat. April 24 : Newcastle Univ ( A ) . Wed , April 28 : Bede College ( A ) . is no But pride of place , usual , goes to Manchester who have a United home League staggering average of 54,497 , their 19 home games so far having fewer than attracted 1,035,449 spectators . With two home games to go they have already topped their home League total for last season , 1,015,063 , when , significantly , home highest their attendance was 60,585 when Sunderland were the visitors . Indeed , the only Old Trafford crowd to top that was on figure this season Saturday when the biggest League gate of the season the anywhere , 61,879 , - saw game against Everton . as home are Newcastle , whose gates have slumped lately , still the fifth best supported club in the First when Division , and Sunderland join them in the season the top flight next competition will stimulate both . South Shields 27 21 Percy Main- 28 18 Seaham R.S. 27 16 Carlisle City 27 18 The question is : Sunderland can command for such a high average Second Division football , what will they attract next season ? Marine Park 29 18 Wallington . 26 15 26 12 If NORTHERN ALLIANCE PW D L F A Pt 3 3 92 26 45 4 6 67 40 40 7 4 57 32 39 2 7 57 21 38 2 9 65 35 38 4 7 54 36 34 Belford 5 9 49 44 29 5 13 46 40 25 9 Alnwick Tn 28 10 7 9 38 38 25 Durham Univ 25 Morpeth Tn . 27 10 3 14 48 66 23 8 13 34 52 18 Work'ton Res 26 5 Bedlington . 29 8 2 19 51 63 17 8 1 19 51 63 17 Greenwells . 28 Newc'le Univ 27 6 5 16 25 56 17 Wallsend Ath 27 7 1 19 33 68 15 Bede College 23 5 3 15 22 55 13 Prinsky cup record shattered Champions again ! Mariners ' win over Wallington seals title NEEDING only a draw to clinch the Northern Alliance title for the second year in a row , South Shields duly obliged their followers with a 3-1 win over Wallington at Jack Clark Ground last night . But the game itself was somewhat of a dis appointment , especially the first half . run A RECORD shattering solo by Derek Johnston brought him the Prinsky Cup at his first attempt in South Shields Harriers ' Senior Championships over five miles last night . Derek , who was never headed had record holder Geoff Rippon , Mike Frazer , dual Prinsky winner Alan Bone and Alan Richardson shadowing closely on the run towards Cleadon Village , but had opened up a 20 - yard lead at the turn . Though Rippon fought hard in the last two miles , and actually finished inside his record time of last year , Johnston stormed home with 150 yards to spare as Richardson and Bone overtook Frazer in fast times , all five gaining personal bests for this course . RESULTS Prinsky 1 Cup : D. Johnston 22.52 ( record ) ; 2 G Rippon 23.15 ; 3 A Richardson 23.34 ; 4 A Bone 23.40 ; 5 M Frazer 23.56 ; 6 G Bramwell 25.28 ; 7 B Kirkley 27.5 ; 8 K Robertson 28.30 ; 9 M Robertson 29.22 ; 10 R 29.34 ; Brown 11 D McCutcheon 32.57 . Thompson Cup ( 22 miles ) : 1 P Addison 13.56 ; 2 M Evans 16.8 . M At the start of the second half , manager Bobby Elwell replaced leading scorer Kenny Parker with Billy Graham , Parker having looked slower and possibly somewhat tired in the 15 minutes up to the interval . SPORTS SPECIAL But on 50 minutes Wallington took the lead . Marshall crossed from the right and after a defensive error , in which Compton and Young were both involved , the ball fell to Mather who easily fired home from a few yards . Twelve minutes later , however , the Mariners were awarded a penalty . They were given a free- kick on the edge of the area near the bye line for handball seemingly within the penalty box . Hunter crossed to the near post where Robson glanced his header over the advancing Hodgson . Welsh , on the line , used his arm to clear the ball and Robson slottea the spot kick well wide of Hodgson's left hand . 1 After 10 minutes , Shields took spectacular a lead through a Steve Hunter thunderbolt of a 30 yard free kick . Gazette all - in - one In the 84th minute an own goal sewed the game up for Shields . In attempting to lear , Welsh scooped the bal into his own net from six yads . These two points out the Mariners in an unatainable position ZA Liverpool LIVERPOOL could become Champions Liverpool . First Division without kicking a ball tomorrow . It all depends on Queen's Park Rangers and Manchester United this weekend . If both lose then the champagne corks will be popping on Merseyside and Liverpool's game against Wolverhampton at Molineux on May 4 will be academic as far as the League title is concerned . The top three positions are : of A logitech Shields P W D L FA Fts 41 22 14 5 63 30 58 QPR 41 23 11 7 65 33 57 Man . Utd . 40 22 10 8 65 10 54 QPR finish their programme at home to Leeds tomorrow and they must win to keep their hopes alive . Statistically speaking a draw could leave them faint chance of the title on goal average , but it would need a disastrous defeat by Liverpool at Wolverhampton to reverse the position . a QPR manager Dave Sexton admits that the importance of the occasion could affect Gazette , Friday , April 23 , 1976-15 S Victory scene at Jack Clark Ground last night with manager Bobby Elwell and his Mariners players hoisting aloft the Northern Alliance championship trophy for the second year . could be champions 1 without even kicking a ball his side . " The tension in the Arsenal game against on Easter Monday was bad enough , " he says . " Just think what it is going to be like tomorrow when we know we must win , and win well . But still be looking to beat Leicester at Filbert Street tomorrow . Wolves and Birmingham , the two clubs in danger of being relegated along with Burnley |
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