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A Newcastle fan scoring for Sunderland, to a ‘knife between the teeth’ celebration in front of the Leazes End - Tyne-Wear derbies have elevated some Black Cats stars to cult hero status.
And with Regis Le Bris' side set to face the Magpies on Tyneside on Sunday, we look at five Sunderland players who made their mark at St James’ Park.
Gary Rowell
The Winter of Discontent turned into party time in February 1979 when Rowell wrote his name into Tyne-Wear folklore, scoring a famous hat-trick in a 4-1 Division Two victory on Tyneside. Rowell put Billy Elliott’s side ahead after only six minutes, and doubled their lead before the half-hour.
John Connolly pulled one back for the hosts just after half-time, but Rowell completed his treble from the penalty spot just after the hour - for a boyhood Sunderland fan, it did not get any better than this - and Wayne Entwistle completed the rout ten minutes later. Rowell, who sadly passed away in December aged just 68, was already a terrace hero on Wearside but this derby hat-trick truly cemented his status as a club legend.
Marco Gabbiadini
Arguably THE Tyne-Wear derby moment for a generation of Sunderland fans, May 16, 1990, is a day that will live long in the memory. After a goalless semi-final first leg in the Second Division promotion play-off, it was all or nothing in the return game at St James’ Park.
Eric Gates had put Denis Smith’s side ahead inside the opening quarter-hour, before the club’s fabled G-Force linked up five minutes from time. Gabbiadini played a one-two with Gates, with the former sliding his finish into the bottom corner.
It was the goal that killed off the Magpies and sent Sunderland to Wembley where, despite losing the final against Swindon Town, they were later promoted to the top flight instead of the Robins after Town were punished for financial irregularities.
Don Hutchison
Boyhood Toon fan Hutchison only spent 12 months at Sunderland but he scored a crucial goal for the club to spark a memorable Premier League comeback on Tyneside in November 2000. The Black Cats were trailing to Gary Speed’s early goal, but Gateshead-born Hutchison levelled for Peter Reid’s men midway through the second half before Niall Quinn completed the turnaround with what turned out to be the winner 15 minutes from time.
That victory saw Sunderland complete back-to-back wins at St James’ Park for the first time since 1933.
David Vaughan
The Welsh international midfielder’s impact on Wearside was understated - but Vaughan came up trumps with one of the best recent Sunderland goals at St James’. Sunderland arrived on Tyneside on the back of a six-game winless streak in derby fixtures, but that changed when the sides met in the Premier League in April 2013 under Paolo Di Canio’s brief tenure.
Stephane Sessegnon put the Black Cats in front just before the half-hour, with Adam Johnson adding a second with a little over 15 minutes remaining. That set the stage for Vaughan to round things off with a brilliant left-foot strike from just outside the box, which curled into the top right-hand corner leaving substitute goalkeeper Rob Elliot helpless.
Fabio Borini
A modern-day Tyne-Wear derby legend, on-loan Liverpool forward Borini scored in both top flight meetings with Newcastle in the 2013-14 season. Borini had scored the late winner in a 2-1 victory on Wearside in October 2013, but in the return at St James’ Park the following February he struck first.
Vurnon Anita’s foul on Phil Bardsley earned Sunderland a penalty inside 20 minutes and the Italian hammered it home in front of the Leazes End, racing away making his trademark ‘knife between the teeth’ goal celebration.
Adam Johnson added a second goal midway through the first half and, ten minutes from time, boyhood Newcastle fan Jack Colback rounded off a 3-0 win for Gus Poyet’s side. Borini scored 10 goals in all appearances during his season on loan with Sunderland, including a strike at Wembley in the League Cup final against Manchester City. He returned to Liverpool at the end of the season, but 12 months later signed for the Black Cats on a full-time basis.
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