Shields Gazette Letter of the week: 'Still right to call former Coventry City chairman Jimmy Hill a cheat'

Old gadgees like me still recall the final games of the 1976-77 season with much bitterness.

Younger generations can examine the complete record book to see how close Sunderland came to a great escape.

I remember the shock I felt on the Monday night when Bristol City unexpectedly beat Liverpool.

That meant if Coventry and Bristol played a draw on the Thursday night and we lost at Everton, we’d still go down despite a brave fight.

Last week's Letter of the week: "Future of our sea front is a fortune teller"

On the night, Coventry decided their match would start late because of the large crowd that turned up.

But the big question is: did Jimmy Hill decide beforehand that the game would be put back 15 minutes so they’d know our result?

Hill had our final score announced over the Tannoy, and there was clearly an agreement on the field of play with both teams deciding to mess about for the last 15 minutes.

When Jimmy Hill died, one so-called Sunderland supported wrote a tribute in the Echo. Unbelievable.

Charles Napier.