‘Surreal, really’ – the day Quinn and Kev gave Luca the Blues
It is 21 years this month since one of Sunderland’s most memorable victories of the modern era.
In December 1999, Peter Reid’s Sunderland welcomed a star-studded Chelsea to the Stadium of Light.
The result lives long in the memory on Wearside, and we spoke to Paul Thirlwell, Darren Williams and Eric Roy to get the inside story of a fixture which has since been dubbed the ‘Chelsea massacre’.
SETTING THE SCENE
This was a Sunderland side starting to hit its stride under Reid, with Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn in full flow.
Chelsea, in contrast, were already a well-established Premiership force under Gianluca Vialla, and eyeing a maiden title.
Indeed, the Blues had already inflicted a 4-0 defeat on Sunderland on the opening day of the season, and the Black Cats were without regulars Kevin Ball, Steve Bould and Alex Rae.
In came a number of unproven players.
“It was my Premier League debut,” says Thirlwell.
“I’d just come back from a loan spell at Swindon (Town) where I’d played 12 games in the Championship and I felt I was ready to be involved in the first team.
“Bally got injured on the Friday, and I got told I was starting.
“I can’t remember how much I slept the night before - but I’m sure it wasn’t much.”
His partner in midfield that day was Eric Roy - a French midfielder who had joined from Marseille only months before.
Whilst a proven quantity in France, this was a new experience for the 31-year-old.
He said: “I arrived three or four months before, and I tried to do my best for a new club, new country and new football - at this time it was very different, English football from French football.
“I tried to improve, understand and to do my best. I’m sure this game was very important for me.”
TEAM NEWS
Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Williams, Craddock, Gray, Summerbee, Schwarz, Roy, Thirlwell, Quinn, Phillips.
Chelsea: De Goey, Lambourde, Babayaro, Desailly, Hogh, Poyet, Wise, Morris, Harley, Zola, Flo.
Chelsea themselves were without some key men - most notably French international Didier Deschamps.
But this was still a strong side, and one which was preparing to face Roma in the Champions League days later.
“For me it was a special game, because in front of me I had a big international French player in Marcel Desailly,” says Roy.
“Didier Deschamps wasn’t there because he was injured, but he was an important player in the team too.
“We were in a good way at that moment, we had good momentum and we started well.”
THE PERFECT START
That’s something of an understatement.
There were just 45 seconds on the clock when the Black Cats took the lead, with Roy providing what proved the abiding memory of his time in the North East - a superb assist for Quinn.
“I remember it’s a run I do,” he said.
“The ball arrived to me about 30 yards outside the box and I ran and made some dribbles, two-touch between the player, and then I saw Niall in the box.
“I put in the cross, a little cross with my left foot-which is not my best foot! It was his first goal, and it was a good start.”
For Thirlwell, it helped settle any debut jitters.
He said: “I was just thinking ‘Jesus, that’s a massive help’. That made life a bit easier.”
“It gave us a massive boost and a massive lift,” adds Williams.
“When Niall put the ball in the back of the net, the crowd reacted.
“All of a sudden they were up for it - and that gave us a massive lift as well.”
QUINN AND PHILLIPS STEAL THE SHOW
It was 2-0 after just 24 minutes - Kevin Phillips’ delivering a moment of magic and sending a sumptuous half-volley
past Ed De Goey.
“It was incredible,” says Roy. “For me, sure, Niall was a fantastic player and goalscorer, and was very important on the pitch and in the team also, but Kev Phillips was the big surprise.
“When I arrived in England I didn’t know him. But when I spoke with people back in France, in Europe - they’re always asking about Phillips and the Golden Boot.
“He was maybe the best striker I’ve ever seen in my life. The way he could strike the ball, the goals he scored - and he made a fantastic partnership with Niall.
“When you have two players up front like this, it’s very important and gives a lot of confidence to the team.”
The duo would both have their braces before the break.
“It’s not like they worked tirelessly on the training ground, saying ‘if I do this, you do that’. It just clicked,” adds Thirlwell.
“Kev just seemed to know where to run at the right time and exactly what Quinny was going to do. It just caused people no end of problems - and it certainly did that day.”
Quinn would have his second - and Sunderland’s fourth - only moments later. There weren’t even 40 minutes on the clock.
FOUR UP BY HALF-TIME “
I don’t think anybody would have come up with that scoreline,” admits Williams. “It was surreal, really.” Sunderland were tearing apart Premier League giants.
The key? That famous dressing room atmosphere cultivated by Reid and Bobby Saxton.
“We did have some fantastic players on paper, but everybody you speak to will say it was all about the dressing room and the atmosphere around it ,” says Thirlwell.
“Everybody had that affilia
tion with the fans and we were tight and united. Along with that came success.”
“We knew the team was down in numbers, but we had confidence in whoever stepped in,” adds Williams.
“We had such good spirit and morale and we fought for each other every day. I think that showed in that season - and this game - because we did exceptionally well.”
*Portsmouth have been hit with more positive Covid-19 tests, with multiple additional cases detected.
Pompey confirmed on Saturday morning that Jack Whatmough had been withdrawn from their 2-0 win at Hull City on Friday night due to illness, and subsequently returned a positive test.
Two other senior players then followed suit on Sunday, while winger Ryan Williams was forced to isolate.
And as reported by our sister title The News, multiple positive tests of Covid-19 at the Fratton Park club have been found as the deep extent of the outbreak at the club becomes clearer.
Kenny Jackett’s men were due to host Swindon Town on Boxing Day before going to Bristol Rovers on December 29.
Their first game of 2021 is scheduled to see them go up against Accrington on January 2, but that could now be in doubt.
Ipswich Town became the fifth League One team in a week to confirm an outbreak after Peterborough United, Bristol Rovers and Sunderland.
All clubs who have postponed fixtures this season are facing an EFL investigation, who continue to monitor the situation.
Portsmouth chief executive Mark Catlin said earlier in the week that there were currently no plans to suspend the season, though warned the ‘landscape can change drastically’ as the virus grips the country.
He said: “I speak to a lot of people in football and once it starts to get a grip within a squad it just seems to spiral out of control.
“I’m sure that’s replicated through businesses and schools currently throughout the world. There’s no plans that I’m aware in terms of meetings to discuss a possible suspension.
“But I have to caveat that, that football, society and the world view on this terrible disease changes daily.
"Just because last night that wasn’t the case doesn’t mean that won’t be today. I can’t say it won’t loom its head but at this current time I’ve not spoken to anyone else who’s voicing that opinion. But as we’ve found out the landscape can change drastically within a few hours.
“Just a couple of days ago people were looking forward to seeing family and friends over Christmas but can’t see them.
“Portsmouth’s gone from tier two to tier four. So things change very, very quickly and football’s not exempt from that.”