On this day in 1993, Sunderland manager Mick Buxton replaced Terry Butcher in the dugout.
Before Buxton was appointed as Sunderland gaffer, he’d spent some time as a coach. The board had supposedly made this decision without consulting then manager Terry Butcher! The team found itself in the relegation zone of the second tier, and Buxton already had long management stints with Huddersfield and Scunthorpe.
So when Butcher was inevitably dismissed in 1993, Buxton stepped forward into the manager's role. His first game was a 3-2 loss at home to Nottingham Forest, but the side’s fortunes quickly turned around.
Buxton must have been excellent behind the scenes, as Sunderland’s previously-leaky defence began to shore up immediately. We conceded just five goals in the next 11 games, including a great run of four conse