On This Day – 13th May
99 years of football at Sunderland’s Roker Park came to an end on this day back in 1997. Sunderland played Liverpool in a friendly to see off the old ground as the Merseysiders had been their first opponents on 10th September 1898.
The game ended 1-0 to the hosts with John Mullin scoring the final goal at the famous old ground.
Roker Park was renowned for its atmosphere and famous ‘Roker Roar’ that could strike fear and intimidation into any opponent. The Fulwell End behind one of the goals was the end where the more raucous Sunderland fans stood. Famous football architect Archibald Leitch designed the main stand (more can be read about Leitch here) and the official capacity when the ground closed was 22,500.
The record attendance was 75,118 when Sunderland played Derby County in an FA Cup Quarter Final Replay on 8th March 1933. County won the game 1-0 but lost in the Semi Final.
Roker Park hosted four games in the 1966 World Cup and extensive improvements were made to the ground for the Finals. Three group games were played there as well as the Quarter Final between Hungary and the Soviet Union.
The club moved to the Stadium of Light in the summer of 1997 but Roker Park will forever be Sunderland’s true home.
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