On This Day (26 April 1897): A Last Hurrah For Campbell And Co!

Burnley had been the only team to finish below Sunderland in the table and in March had conceded a vital second half equaliser to Robert Campbell’s half-brother Johnny when they’d visited the Lads.

The draw sparked an unbeaten five-game stretch prior to the Test Matches, with the final regular league game bringing another tie away at Bury. Johnny was also on the scoresheet in that one, with the two goals proving to be his last for the club. One of our earliest stars, he’d been the country’s top scorer during the three title wins but was one whose time was coming to an end.

A benefit match had been staged on behalf of Johnny Campbell in September, with opponents Newcastle United attracting gate receipts of around £35. However, the total handed over to the striker was even higher – fifty guineas — with the directors also presenting him with a gold ring as a memento.

Perhaps the board were feeling flush, as during the same week as the game, it was announced that the players had enquired about a possible change in club policy to one that would allow them to travel to away games on the day, rather than staying overnight. This was expected to save the club huge amounts in accommodation fees but did little to improve results on the road.

However, not only were the fans having to come to terms with poor showings and an unfamiliar league placing, they were also witnessing the breakup of their much-loved squad.

The do-or-die tussle was to be final outing for Johnny Campbell plus his teammates James Gillespie, Donald Gow, James Hannah and the club’s first ever professional John Harvie, and on an emotionally-charged occasion, the old favourites rolled back the years to keep their legacies intact.

A trumpeter playing a rather apt rendition of The Campbells Are Coming greeted the teams as they entered the pitch ahead of the 18:00 start and a fired-up Sunderland soon got to work amidst perfect weather conditions.

However, there was no party atmosphere despite the music.

The Lads pressed high up the pitch, and within fifteen minutes they were a goal ahead, with the season’s top scorer Gillespie heading in. The side continued thereafter to push a clearly rattled Newton Heath with Johnny Campbell — moved out onto the wing — working tirelessly alongside a forward line that was able to create a number of chances. Unfortunately, a collective failure to convert prompted an increase of the tension, and come the second half, things got a little tetchy.

Even with visiting left-half James McNaught having to go off for a lengthy bout of treatment either side of the half time break Sunderland were struggling to get what would have been a crucial second.

Newton Heath were becoming more desperate in their defensive efforts and the tackles were starting to fly. In contrast, the hosts were solid at the back but there was always the danger of a sucker punch and Gillespie’s second goal via a free kick with ten minutes remaining, was met with great relief in the stands.

Spectators then flooded the pitch at full time to chair the players back to the changing rooms, and with Burnley’s draw against Notts County confirmed, players and team alike were able to not quite celebrate but acknowledge still that their club had kept its position amongst the elite.

With Newton Heath remaining in the second division and being joined by Burnley, Notts moved back up.

They struggled to establish themselves in 1897/1898, whereas Robert Campbell started making some headway; alongside trainer Billy Williams he whipped a new-look group into shape and his disciplined squad finished in second place – not quite top of the tree, admittedly, but at the end of the table that folk had been more accustomed to nonetheless.

Monday 26 April 1897

Football League Test Match

Newcastle Road

Attendance: 8,000

Sunderland 2 (Gillespie 15’, 80’)

Newton Heath 0

Sunderland: Doig, McNeill, Gow; Ferguson, McAllister, Wilson; Gillespie, Harvie, Morgan; Hannah, Campbell