THE JIMMY MONTGOMERY STAND

Wiping a tear from his eye, Jimmy Montgomery spoke about the pride of having a stand named after him at the Stadium of Light. He's glad to leave such a legacy at SAFC and also spoke optimistically about the club's chances in their return to the Premier League.

MIND-BOGGLING

“Mind-boggling is the word, to come out and see it and actually realise it’s been done. We knew what was happening and what would be done, but to actually go onto the pitch and see is just mind-boggling. It really is outstanding. From a young lad who came here in 1959 as a 16-year-old from just up the road in Southwick, I used to ride my bike to training. I’m 82 years old now and there’s a stand named after me. It’s the first stand that’s been named after anyone from a Sunderland Football Club point of view. I’m indebted to Kyril and everybody who was concerned with the naming of the stand. Many people must have been involved.”

STILL HERE TO SEE IT

“It’s a fabulous honour. I’m still standing and I can actually see it. When they put Bob’s statue up, Bob wasn’t with us. That in itself is phenomenal and it’s something unusual. I’m delighted. My grandchildren, my children and my wife can come here and see it and when I’m long gone it’ll still be here.”

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

“When I found out about it, it was the perfect night. Coventry City at home. I was just thankful that I had the walk from the tunnel up to where Kyril was, to think about things. Otherwise I would have never gotten through it. But now, it is actually up there and it is just something different.”

MY CLUB

“The club have been absolutely fantastic. This is my club, I spent many many years here from a 16-year-old to leaving to the club when I was 33. It would have been nice if I’d stayed another three or four years but it wasn’t to be. I’ve been out, I’ve been in, I’ve been out and I’ve been back in! But when this club calls you to come back, you come back. You always come back, or I always do anyway. It’s a fabulous club and I’m looking forward to seeing these fabulous supporters in two weeks’ time.”

FORMER PLAYERS

“Over the last few years since the new chairman came in, the former players have become more involved. I think that’s what Sunderland Football Club is really about. They don’t forget the old players at all. We get looked after, I think we get 15 pairs of tickets which former players can put their names forward to get a pair for each game. The club have done absolutely brilliantly for the former players. They’re giving back to what those players themselves have given to this football club.”

GREAT RECRUITMENT

“With the players they’ve brought in, I think they’ve done brilliantly. When we first got promoted the first thing we talked about was generating the money to get the players in. I don’t judge things by pre-season friendlies, I’ve been through too many of them so I don’t take them into consideration. But the signings we’ve made are superb and I think we’ll make one or two more before the season starts again in two weeks’ time. We’re going to have an excellent squad to work from, squad being the operative word. You need a big squad in the Premier League and we’re getting there. The chairman and everyone associated with getting people in have all done a magnificent job.”

PRAISE FOR RLB

“We haven’t been here for eight years and that’s the longest we’ve ever been out of the top flight. Personally I think we’ve got a good start - West Ham, Brentford and Burnley are winnable games. I don’t think enough has been said about what the manager’s done. Last year he was absolutely superb. We all doubted him when we lost five on the trot coming up to the vital play-offs but he knew what he was doing. It’s the same this year, he’ll have the team set out for whichever opposition we play, he’ll have whatever system he wants to play and he knows what he needs for each particular game. That’s what I love about him and his team.”

ADVICE FOR ROBIN ROEFS...

“Just come here and enjoy it! If you come in, keep your place!"

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

"Whoever comes into this club, Xhaka is coming into the club who is a big player himself, the expectations will be great. You know what the fanbase is like, they’ll expect 100%. I’ve got a bet on with my grandson over how many games it takes Xhaka to get sent off, but these are the types of players you need. Somebody who can get your colleagues going and get the opposition going as well! Luke O’Nien did it in a different type of way really, slapping people and jumping on them. That was the funny side of it, but one or two players we’re getting in will do the physical side as well.”

TEAM EFFORT

“Make no mistake about it, it is going to be a hard league. I know for the last two years all the promoted teams have gone back down, but we’ll change it this year. Definitely change it. What the manager puts on that pitch, the enthusiasm, the way he’s got the Lads playing and their camaraderie both on and off the pitch says it all. I’ve been in teams who have done exactly that. The Hurley, Montgomery, Irwin, Ahsurst, Harvey, McNab team and then you’ve got the cup final team. They were both teams, they gelled and bonded together. If there was a scrap on or off the pitch everybody would be involved. Everybody looks after each other.”

THE HARD WORK STARTS NOW

“Definitely, the hard work starts now. The new players coming in have got to gel with the lads in the team and gel with whatever system the manager is going to want on a Saturday. I haven’t seen it yet this year but the two or three times I went to watch them train last year, there is such a togetherness from all the players, staff, and management. It doesn’t just stop with the coaching staff and the players. There are no fractures in the group, no little cliques, that’s all gone. They’ve gotten rid of all that and I’m very optimistic indeed about the new season. I really am.”