When Big Sam arrived and pulled off a miracle 10 years ago
None of us knew it at the time but the escape of all escapes was about to be pulled off in football circles ten years ago.
Big Sam arrived in Sunderland as a replacement for outgoing SAFC manager Dick Advocaat.
Back at the club he served as a player
Sam Allardyce, the former Bolton, Newcastle, Blackburn and West Ham boss returned to the club that he served as a player in the 1980s.
And when he arrived to became the man in the hot seat in 2015, Sunderland had yet to win a Premier League game that season.
We needed a miracle and fans reckoned Sam was the man to do it.
A Love Supreme fanzine editor Martyn McFadden said at the time: “Even if we play a system that’s not very pretty but wins games, that will work for me.”
‘Been there and seen it all’
“He’s got a good reputation for getting the best out of average players, so he’s probably qualified for the job at the moment because we seem to be pretty well served for average players.”
Dick Malone, a member of Sunderland’s 1973 FA Cup winning side, said: “I think it’s a good appointment.
“He has been there and seen it all. He has been in this situation before.”
‘It augurs well for the derby’
George Forster, Sunderland Supporters Association chairman, added: “I think he will steady the ship and I don’t think players will argue with him as a manager, he is too big for that.
“And it augurs well for the derby as he will have a lot to prove.”
Not long after his arrival, Sunderland faced Newcastle and pulled off a 3-0 win to move ahead of the Magpies in the league.
Share your ‘Big Sam at Sunderland’ memories
He pulled off three transfer master strokes in the January window of 2016 in Lamine Koné, Jan Kirchhoff and Wahbi Khazri.
And by May, the Black Cats beat Everton to ensure their safety.
Share your own memories of Big Sam and his Sunderland tenure. Email [email protected]