
Sunderland has announced the recipients of its newly-created Legendsā Way during a Premier League match, celebrating the club's history. This comes as Iron Maiden is inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, marking a significant recognition of their contributions to music.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: Fans of Sunderland walk along the The Keel Crossing prior to the Premier League match between Sunderland and Fulham at Stadium of Light on February 22, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the news broke that after fifty years of innovation, all-time great live performances and the development of a catalogue of classics that would put most bands to shame, Iron Maiden ā for years apparently seen as a poor fit and shamefully overlooked ā are to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
It was an honour that was long overdue and with which few could seriously argue; an example of an iconic institution finally getting its due, and closer to home, as Sunderland saw off Tottenham to give their European credentials another boost, it was our turn to look to the past as the recipients of placings on the clubās newly- created Legendsā Way were announced at half time during Sundayās Premier League clash.
Now, before I go any further, I must say that I genuinely believe this is one of the best initiatives the club has pressed forward with for some time.
Perhaps taking our cues from American sports teams that generally commemorate their former players in the grandest manner, itās a major statement of intent as we continue to establish ourselves in the top flight ā and a superb way of remembering those on whose hard work and sacrifices the club was ultimately built.
Once itās all in place, complete with new signage, fan-created stones and a statue of Jimmy Montgomery, thereās no doubt itāll look superb and will make for an experience to be enjoyed by both home and away fans during their trips to the Stadium of Light, but in the meantime, I think thereās cause to look more closely at the former club figures who made this particular cut, as well as those that didnāt.
Ostensibly the result of a public vote after a heavily-hyped PR campaign, some of the names announced at half time on Sunday were rightly beyond criticism.
From the mid-twentieth century, title-winning skipper Raich Carter, āThe Clown Prince of Soccerā Len Shackleton and Irish powerhouse Charlie Hurley were absolute musts.
From more recent times, Gary Rowell, Kevin Phillips, Kevin Ball and Niall Quinn felt like natural fits too. Hugely influential figures, terrace heroes and players about whom stories, timeless moments and āI was thereā anecdotes will be shared for years to come.
However, as well-intentioned as this idea may be and for whatever reasons the votes were cast, I found the inclusions of Bob Murray, Jermain Defoe and Jill Scott in particular utterly baffling, and the absence of the likes of Bobby Gurney, Dave Halliday and Charlie Buchan ā among others ā equally perplexing.
Of course, the word ālegendā (a word which, strictly speaking, should be used to define something or someone whose existence has neither been confirmed nor debunked ā the Lambton Worm, Jayden Dannsā spell as a Sunderland player, and so on) has always been hazardous when used in this context.
Its usage is a guaranteed way of stirring up debate or of getting peopleās backs up if you suggest that a certain figure should be classed as one, but this really does feel more cut and dried, particularly when you consider that this monument will sit outside our stadium for all time and will play a key role in a love of Sunderland enduring throughout the generations.
To my mind, it feels as though theyāve played fast and loose with the criteria for inclusion when in reality, the list of figures associated with Sunderland AFC that truly belong in that category is very, very short ā perhaps twenty or twenty five in either a playing or non-playing capacity.
Was Murray ā no doubt a hugely influential figure in our history and someone whose impact at the club should rightly be acknowledged ā not honoured to a sufficient degree when the Murray Gates were unveiled back in 1999?
Furthermore, if you stress-test this theory, does Defoe truly fit into the ālegendaryā category when placed alongside his fellow nominees or those that missed out, and does Scottās legacy in football encompass her career beyond Wearside to a greater degree than it does in a red and white shirt? Questions worth asking, in my view.
To put it bluntly, Sunderlandās Legendsā Way can never boast total and utter credibility while such iconic figures are overlooked, and I think this would apply to any football club, anywhere in the world.
Like any hall of fame or similar concept, there needs to be a number of figures in place for whom a counter-argument to their inclusion canāt really be made. Thatās how you show that itās a very, very serious idea and something thatāll be expanded upon and treasured instead of a flash-in-the-pan idea designed to keep people happy for a while.
Iām not entirely convinced thatās the case here, particularly when our three all-time leading scorers didnāt make the cut and someone who made less than fifty appearances for Sunderland did. Thatās not right. Sorry, but it just isnāt.
On the other hand, perhaps this is just the start. Maybe one day, the club will run another poll in order to give more Sunderland greats a chance to be added to this roll of honour and weāll see figures of appropriate status, including supposed forgotten greats like Jimmy Thorpe, George Holley, Stan Anderson and Ned Doig given their laurels.
I really hope it happens. For various reasons, it needs to.
The specific names of the recipients have not been disclosed in the provided text.
Iron Maiden's induction is seen as a long-overdue recognition of their impact on music and their extensive catalogue of classic performances.
The announcement was made during halftime of a Premier League match on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
Sunderland won the match against Tottenham, which helped to boost their European credentials.

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