On This Day (30 April 1988) Gates Eyes New Deal As His Goal Seals Promotion!

Grew pulled off save after save, but Gates’ goal from close range sparked wild celebrations, as Sunderland – wearing their light blue Tuborg sponsored kit – revelled in promotion.

Chairman Bob Murray said: It’s unbelievable. The only joy I’ve known like it in life was when my daughters were born.

Murray, who was just 41 at the time, had taken over a club in dire staits, had joined the board in 1984, and had been chairman for the past couple of years, after taking control from Tom Cowie and facing a fierce boardroom battle with Barry Batey.

The lifelong supporter, who had been a regular at Roker Park, said:

I’d never been in business in Sunderland I didn’t know anyone at the club when I first wrote to Tom Cowie asking if I could help in any way. I was born and bred in Consett and became a qualified accountant, but the nearest I could get to a decent job was in Leeds.

Denis had worked 20-odd years for the chance of this job – it’s the platform he nad Viv Busby needed. I told him it would be like turning the QE2 around, but Denis is a strong, determined character, and highly motivated.

Also sending his congratulations north was a former Sunderland manager, Ken Knighton, who was boss when Sunderland last won promotion eight years previously.

The 43 year old had left football by this point, and the Sunday Sun had tracked him down to his Bristol office, where he worked as an executive for ‘telecommunications giant Plessey.

I always follow their fortunes, and I’m delighted to see what they are doing – I’m sure they’ll soon be back in the first division. I don’t think Denis will have any problems. The squad he has got now are good enough to get out of the Second division as well, and I certainly hope he can do it. They are a quality club.

With a second division returned sealed, Sunderland looked ahead to an Easter Monday clash against Northampton, which would seal the championship trophy – if other results hadn’t sealed it for the club before kick off.

It wasn’t all overwhelming positivity, however – The Football Echo that night, meanwhile, carried a letter from a disgruntled supporter still annoyed by the previous week’s failure to beat Bristol City…

Just goes to show, you can’t please all of the people, all of the time!