Sunderland legend Stan Anderson made an absolutely staggering 447 appearances, scoring 34 goals. He is the 36th best Sunderland player of all time, at least according to our ALS top 100 list. He holds the dubious honour of captaining Sunderland, Newcastle and Middlesbrough. Only Len Ashurst has played more outfield games for Sunderland. He passed away on this day in 2018, aged 85.
His illustrious career began very humbly. He got his footballing start at a host of minor North East Teams as a junior: first at East Durham Schools, then Springwell United and later, Horden Colliery Welfare. He captained England boys and shortly after became an apprentice plasterer and plumber. But football was his true calling, even if Middlesbrough couldn’t initially see this when they trialled him. After rejection from Boro, he played for the aforesaid minor teams before joining Sunderland. At 17 he turned professional and a legend was born. He got to play for the same side as his hero, one Raich Carter.
Anderson developed into a top right back, who possessed great vision and a strong tackle. His performances were said to be remarkably consistent, which is an incredible quality to have if you are going to rack up nearly 450 games for a club. His leadership qualities meant he was a natural choice for captain. He gained international recognition at every level and became the only Sunderland player to be capped for England in the whole of the 60’s. Chiefly the reason why he wasn’t utilised more by the national team is the ridiculous amount of depth in Anderson’s position. There were at least two Bobby’s ahead of him – Robson and Moore.
Stan’s signature crouched run belongs to the list of trademark football running styles that includes Raheem Sterling’s strange, rapid trot and Charlie Wyke’s barely perceptible jog through treacle, though Stan’s has a decidedly more old fashioned flavour. You can really picture him in an old newsreel going up the wing chasing a player with the ball, slightly hunchbacked with a posh BBC commentator announcing a huge challenge on an opponent.
After relegation in 1958, Don Revie was made captain, before he relinquished it. With the arrival of the real Sunderland king, Charlie Hurley (any older fan will chastise anyone who called Chris Maguire by this title) Stan Anderson’s potential captaincy looked in danger and he had to be content with a shared vice-captaincy. When Hurley was unfit, Stan was in charge and the King, seeing how well his stand-in did, asked if he wanted the captaincy permanently.
For many at the time, Anderson appeared too good to drop, never mind sell to an arch rival. But, with the emergence of 22 year old Northern Ireland international Martin Harvey, Anderson’s understudy, the long serving captain began to be dropped. Sunderland reasoned that due to Harvey being in the first team picture, we could afford to sell Anderson to Newcastle.
Football rivalry was not as strong as it is now, in part we have the 70’s and 80’s to thank for its exacerbation, but even at the time this transfer was a sensation. These were the days in which our Grandparents might have watched us play at Roker Park and then travel up to St James’ Park the following week. Strange, I know, but Anderson’s transfer was still shocking, even with this good natured rivalry in mind. He was under 30 and still playing well and sold to a rival. Though he was back on Wearside soon for a testimonial match, this no doubt made people even sorrier for his absence in the team.
From Newcastle, Anderson ironically finished his career at Boro, the team who rejected him as a young lad. He was player coach, but was powerless to stop them from going down. He did bring the team up the following year.
He retired from playing to pursue management and was at a whole host of teams: AEK Athens, QPR, Man City, Doncaster Rovers as well as being assistant at Bolton. He was involved in scouting shortly after for numerous teams. Stan Anderson passed away on the 10th of June 2018 aged 85. Despite his penchant for hard tackling, Anderson was only booked once and only sent off a solitary time. A true gentleman of football and a Sunderland legend.
R.I.P Stan Anderson
