Paul Hardyman, born on this day in 1962, will forever be remembered by those of a certain vintage for a moment against the Mags in May 1990. A few days before the memorable night at St James' when Gates and Gabbiadini took us to Wembley, there had been a tense contest of few chances at Roker. In the last minute, we were awarded a penalty. Up stepped Hardyman, his effort was saved low to his right by keeper John Burridge, and the ball briefly ran loose. Hardyman carried on his run, brought his...

On this day in 1992, Sunderland defeated West Ham United away from home to progress to the FA Cup quarter final. We led 2-0 within 25 minutes due to a John Byrne brace, before the hosts brought it back to 2-2. David Rush found a winner with less than 15 minutes to go though, to see us get passed the fifth round stage for the first time in 16 years. Division Two wasn't going well on February 26th 1992. The Denis Smith era had ended a couple of months previously and Malcolm Crosby was in...

Newcastle is hurting today, not so much because they lost a football match 1-0, but because they have never been able to accept that they are and always have been the second-best team in the North East of England. Second to Sunderland AFC, historically and morally and this is why… Historically, Newcastle last won the top flight title in 1927, almost 100 years ago and have only won it four times compared to Sunderland’s six (plus we’ve won one more recently). They have not won a major trophy...