OTD: ARCA AND THOME DEBUT

On this day in 2000, Julio Arca and Emerson Thome both featured for Sunderland for the first time in the league. Julio in particular made a great introduction to our fans by scoring the opening goal of a 1-1 draw with West Ham United.

Having missed the three opening games of the season due to an awaited Italian passport, his first game at the SoL was against the Hammers. He was still a teenager at the time but scoring a debut goal in such fashion surely would have helped hims settle in England. A left-back by trade, Reid converted Julio into a left-sided midfielder, which proved successful in the long run. His debut season saw thirty appearances and three goals, picking up the club's ‘Young Player Of The Year’ award.

Arca’s performances for Sunderland are remembered fondly, however his time on Wearside was plagued by injury. A broken foot against Blackburn, a broken toe in training and incessant muscle injuries left Arca needing to earn back his place in the starting XI. However, the midfielder always bounced back and had no issues in regaining his place in the squad.

Controversy surrounded Julio with each transfer window, with many expecting him to leave Sunderland for pastures new. Despite growing speculation, Arca stayed loyal to the Lads, stating he had no intention of leaving the club. Over a 6-year period, Arca totted up 177 apps and 23 goals for Sunderland, and was included in the all-time ‘Solid Gold XI’ (2011) on the clubs’ website.

In 2006, amidst the increasingly likely relegation of SAFC to the Championship, Arca accepted an offer from (semi) rivals Middlesbrough. Julio didn’t want to spend another season in the Championship, and with the opportunity to play in the Premier League again, it would have been foolish not to accept the bid.

From 2006-13, Arca made 185 appearances for Boro, scoring nine goals in total. Arca has praised the people of the North, having spent so much of his time on Wearside and Teesside during his playing career. When his active contract with Middlesbrough expired in 2013, Julio announced his retirement from professional football. He worked closely with the youth teams within Sunderland for several years, coaching the academy's U14 team for a short while.

Julio’s retirement didn’t last long. One last stint with Northern League Division 2 side South Shields saw Arca once again become a fan’s-favourite with the home crowd. He netted in a 1-1 draw against Stokesley Sports Club at Mariners Park on his debut. Inspired by the experience and ability of Julio, in three years, South Shields won three cups and achieved three promotions.

In 2018, Arca brought his wonderful career to an appropriate end. He departed from South Shields, and in 2019, returned to his homeland, Argentina with his family. He established a new business over there, ‘Premier Sports Division’, which assisted sportspeople in relocating around the world when joining new clubs (possibly giving players that support which he didn't have when he first came here).

In April 2023, Arca returned to Shields to become their new manager. He helped them to a pretty good start for a newly promoted side and had the South Tyneside outfit inside the play-off places for most of his time at the helm. Unfortuantely a run of six games without a win, that culiminated in a 3-1 defeat to local rivals Blyth Spartans, resulted in his (what I feel) rather harsh sacking with the club sitting in 8th place in the sixth tier in December 2023.