Battle of 1990 is still the big one

Feb 1 2009 Sunday Sun

HAVING led the winning team in probably the most important Tyne-Wear derby ever, Denis Smith knows a thing or two about football’s emotions.

And he says whatever highs and lows the players go through at St James’s Park this afternoon will be massively magnified in the dug-outs.

Today’s clash is being described as the most crucial since 1990, but Smith does not believe it comes close . . .

Bragging rights alone are normally enough to guarantee a fiery clash between Newcastle United and Sunderland. But with the huge carrot of a trip to Wembley to play for top-flight promotion, it is no surprise both meetings in May 1990 ended explosively.

A missed last-minute penalty at 0-0 in the first leg of the Division Two play-off semi-final spilled over into a violent reaction and an on-field brawl.

When the teams went back to St James’s the match again ended in fisticuffs.

This time from the home fans who twice invaded the pitch to try and force an abandonment.

It all underlined the importance of Sunderland’s 2-0 aggregate win.

Beforehand Rokerites boss Smith was busy downplaying the match. But 19 years on, he can show his true feelings.

“It was a massive game,” he recalls.

“Tyne-Wear derbies are just special games. The players, the fans, the managers — we all know how important it is to people in the area.

“It’s great to go to Newcastle and win. As somebody who lived in the North East I knew you couldn’t get any better than that.

“As a player it must be a brilliant feeling to play on the winning side. You must be 10 foot tall.

“As a manager you feel it eleven-fold because you have worked with the players all week. You knew how special it was for them.”

Then, Hardyman’s moment of madness had Smith seething. Now he thinks it helped his side.

The full-back lashed out at John Burridge when the goalkeeper saved his weak spot kick. Hardyman was sent off and suspended for the second leg.

By keeping the score blank it looked like the job was more than half-done for visitors and strong favourites Newcastle.

“I was furious when Paul Hardyman got sent off,” Smith says.

“My attitude was always we concentrated on winning. We didn’t get involved in any petty arguments. That’s childish stuff.

“We couldn’t afford to be playing with 10 men.

“Paul was a good striker of the ball and you would expect him to have struck the penalty better.

“In the end it probably worked in our favour. They probably thought they would win the tie when he missed the penalty.

“But on that one-off occasion at St James’s I believed we could win. And I was proved right.

“What was there to lose for us? “We knew we had Marco Gabbiadini, who was always likely to score. Eric Gates had the quality and we had lads who could defend.

“If we got a goal ahead I knew we could shut up shop. We had lads who would put in a real shift for you.”

United’s Mark McGhee hit the post after nine minutes. Sunderland took heart, then took control.

Gates put them ahead and when Gabbiadini got a second with five minutes left, all hell broke loose.

Smith, though, kept calm when the home fans ran on.

“I wasn’t concerned when the Newcastle fans invaded the pitch,” he insists. “I talked with the ref (George Courtney) and he said if we didn’t get back out, we’d won.”

It took two attempts but the game was finished. The final was after the lord mayor’s show, Sunderland losing 1-0 to Swindon Town.

But the Rokerites were given Swindon’s Division One spot when the Robins’ financial irregularities came to light.

Smith will be working as a Premier League delegate this weekend instead of being on Tyneside.

But he will be in front of the television at 1.30 expecting an away win.

“I hope Ricky Sbragia’s celebrating this weekend,” he says.

“He’s got them playing good football. He’s not a flamboyant guy and I think that’s reflected in his team.

“Newcastle have got problems. Losing Michael Owen is a major blow. Kevin Nolan’s a good player but whether he can slot in straight away is a question. I don’t think he’ll be able to.”