On this day in 1987, one Denis Smith was appointed as Sunderland manager, tasked with turning around our fortunes and getting us out of the Third Division. He was successful in his first season and would later take us back to the top flight in 1990 after *that* play-off against Swindon!
A native of Stoke-on-Trent, Smith enjoyed a long playing career for the Potters spanning between 1968 and 1982 before he joined York City, the club at which he started his managerial career whilst also playing out his final days as player/manager. He called the setup at Bootham Crescent "a shambles" and brought in Viv Busby as a player/coach, someone who would later follow Smith to Roker Park in 1987. He also signed defender Ricky Sbragia who later managed Sunderland in the 2008/09 campaign.
In 1985 he led York to the fifth round of the FA Cup in a tie with Liverpool at Bootham Crescent and would force the former European champions to a replay and extra time at Anfield, where they finally fell to a 3-1 defeat - although they had a goal disallowed which would've put York in front. Smith was hot property by the time 1987 came around and Sunderland had been relegated to the Third Division for the first time in their history, despite the best efforts of caretaker manager Bob Stokoe, who had replaced Lawrie McMenemy towards the end of the 1986/87 season.
The Minstermen demanded £20,000 compensation from Sunderland who were only willing to pay £10,000. Smith was so keen to take on the task of turning the fortunes of a wounded SAFC that he agreed that if he didn't get us back to Division Two in his first season, he would pay the additional £10,000 to York out of his own pocket!
He raided his former club and brought in a young striker named Marco Gabbiadini to partner veteran frontman Eric Gates up top, and a big Scottish defender named John MacPhail at centre half, also from his former club, to shore up the back line and partner Gary Bennett, he also signed someone who would go on to be a cult hero, John Kay at right back. Of course, we smashed the league and Denis saved himself ten grand.
He established Sunderland in Division Two in the 1988/89 season before guiding us to the play-offs in the following season where we defeated Newcastle United over two legs, including that famous 2-0 victory at St. James' Park thanks to goals from 'G-force', Eric Gates and Marco Gabbiadini. He would also break the club's transfer record to sign goalkeeper Tony Norman for £500,000, replacing Iain Hesford. We were beaten at Wembley in that play-off final in 1990 but the discovery of financial irregularities and misconduct meant that we took their place in rising to Division One.
Prior to our relegation from England's top tier in 1991 after failing to get a result on the final day of the season, we allowed Gates and MacPhail to leave on free transfers to free up wages and would bring in Kevin Ball and Peter Davenport. In an attempt to chase promotion in the 19912/92 season, he sold Gabbiadini to Crystal Palace to raise funds. Gabbiadini was replaced by Don Goodman, John Byrne and also Anton Rogan but Smith would be dismissed in December 1991. His assistant Malcolm Crosby took over as caretaker, and would lead us to the FA Cup final later that season, only to be defeated by Liverpool.
