Chris Turner joined the Owls from school in March 1975. He had won five England Youth caps and turned professional in August 1976.
Ken Knighton had finished his career at Sheffield Wednesday, retiring in 1976, and moved into a coaching role at Hillsborough as Youth team coach, where Turner came on his radar.
By the time Chris Turner signed for Sunderland at the age of twenty, he had played one hundred and fifteen games for Wednesday.
Our first sight of him in a Sunderland jersey was on 11th August in the Anglo-Scottish cup versus Oldham Athletic in a 2-1 defeat at Roker Park. He made his league debut on the 29th September 1979 in the 1-1 draw at Roker Park against Preston North End.
This led to a four-game run in the team, which included a League Cup replay against Man City at Roker Park in front of 33,559 fans. The one-nil victory was thanks in no small part to Chris Turner.
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Barry Siddall, no mean goalkeeper himself, had been the first team keeper going into the season, and when he resumed his place on the 20th of October, we could have been forgiven for thinking that, barring injury, that might be it for Turner for this season.
Siddall’s spell lasted three games, and barring two games in January 1980, it was Chris Turner who had the number one jersey for the rest of this momentous season.
Sunderland got better and better as the season progressed, and we were promoted in second place, pipping Chelsea and Birmingham by a point.
Promotion in his first season must have been sweet for the young Sheffield lad. There was little doubt he was a burgeoning talent by the end of this campaign.
Turner played thirty-one vital league games in 1980/81 as Knighton’s side adapted to life in the top flight.
On April 11th, after a poor performance and a two-nil loss at Stoke City, Tom Cowie sacked Ken Knighton, and Mick Docherty took up the caretaker role.
Season 81/82 saw Alan Durban appointed as manager, and he quickly installed Siddall in the goal, but the competition was still intense, and Turner played the last sixteen games of the season in a row and was in superb form, saving victories and draws as Sunderland fought to avoid the drop. Sunderland finished nineteenth, two points ahead of Leeds United, who were relegated with Wolves and Middlesbrough.
Barry Siddall moved to Darlington on loan and then to Vancouver Whitecaps (loan) before signing for Port Vale in 1982.
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The 1982/83 season saw Turner play forty-one league and cup games, including six consecutive clean sheets, which included games against Liverpool, Arsenal, and Man United. Our top-flight status was preserved, and there were signs of a team beginning to come together.
In the 1983/84 season, Chris Turner played forty-eight league and cup games. He was crucial to our campaign and produced some remarkable performances and saves, with his instinctive shot-stopping a regular feature. One game I particularly remember was a one-nil victory at Anfield against the eventual winners of the title that season. Ian Atkins and Shaun Elliott were magnificent in that game, along with the unbeatable Chris Turner, who made a breathtaking save from Alan Kennedy a minute or two before Gary Rowell tucked away the penalty that won us the game. We finished thirteenth that season, but had gone into the final game of the season in danger of going down. By the end of February, Chairman Tom Cowie had lost patience with Alan Durban, and he was sacked. Len Ashurst was appointed shortly afterwards.
The 1984/85 season would prove to be Chris Turner’s last with us. Sunderland were relegated, but not before they had fought and played their way to Wembley in the League Cup.
Chris Turner was quite simply magnificent throughout this season. Highlights included the four penalties he saved and his unbelievable performances against Spurs and Chelsea in the League Cup run. He was voted player of the season in 1985. He played fifty-three games in this campaign, and whilst the team struggled on the pitch, he was majestic in between the sticks!
Having played two hundred and twenty-four games for the club, he was sold to Man United, ostensibly to be Gary Bailey’s understudy. The £275,000 fee received equalled the record fee received for a Sunderland player.
Whilst Chris Turner moved on with many good wishes from all at Roker Park, he was sorely missed by those who saw him play in our colours.