On This Day (14 April 1982): Sunderland Build On Their Hot Streak

Sunderland played eight times during their April 1982 programme and whilst results at either end of the month were alarming, what happened in between was a lot more positive. A poor showing against Middlesbrough on April 3 left Sunderland bottom of Division One and seemingly in dire straits, but in the days that followed, a conversation between striker Colin West and his boss Alan Durban proved to be the catalyst for a remarkable recovery. Things were rounded off with a heavy loss at Coventry City on the twenty seventh admittedly, but the general situation had improved greatly during the intervening period, as with West on form, a crucial six-game unbeaten run hauled the squad out of the relegation zone.

Goals against Ipswich Town and Birmingham City had helped the young prospect become one of the first names on the team sheet, but his next outing would certainly provide a serious test of his emerging skills. During a hectic schedule, the Lads were due to take on Tottenham Hotspur barely forty eight hours after their Birmingham win, and even though confidence was growing, the trip to London was going to be far from easy. FA Cup holders Spurs had another Wembley showpiece to look forward to as their defence continued, with Queens Park Rangers set to meet them in what would be their second final of the season — the Lilywhites having already been beaten by Liverpool in the Milk Cup decider.

The side were also half way through a glamorous two-legged UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final with Barcelona, but they were by no means a cup team only; riding high in the table, earlier in the campaign they’d come up to Wearside and taken the points quite comfortably. That first clash had actually been West’s senior debut but left new manager Durban searching for answers. Only one league win had been secured thus far, but whilst points remained hard to come by as the months rolled on, there were one or two encouraging signs along the way, and by the spring, all that was needed was a focal point up top.

West’s return provided that, and gave the team the ability to line up in a 4-3-3 formation at White Hart Lane. A more adventurous 4-2-4 formation had been used last time out at Roker but this game called for some caution behind West — a pragmatic move that made the side a little more compact yet able still to attack when it was right to do so. Even then, it was a hard day at the office and it appeared for a while as if Sunderland would go under on what was to be a controversial evening peppered with refereeing disputes.