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Club Links: We take a look at the men who have played for both Sunderland and Walsall!

We remember FOUR players who played for both Sunderland and Walsall over the years - can you remember any others that we’ve missed off our list?

Image: Evening Chronicle

Mark Prudhoe

[Sunderland 1981-84 & Walsall 1986-87]

Washington-born Prudhoe began his career as an 18-year-old in 1981, but finding himself understudy to Barry Siddall and Chris Turner he only made 7 appearances before leaving for Birmingham City for £20,000 in 1984.

Prudhoe made one appearance at St Andrews before a transfer to Walsall in 1986. In an eventful year at Walsall he not only made 26 appearances for the Saddlers but had loan spells at Doncaster Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday, Grimsby Town, Hartlepool United and Bristol City.

Between 1987 and 1997 Prudhoe had more settled spells at Carlisle United, Darlington and Stoke City, making almost 250 appearances over the ten year period that included loan spells for Peterborough United, Liverpool and York City.

After leaving Stoke City at the age of 34 in 1997, Prudhoe had spells at Bradford City, Darlington and Southend United before hanging up his gloves at Macclesfield Town in 2004.

Following retirement he was appointed goalkeeper coach at Hull City in 2005 before returning to Sunderland in an academy coaching role in 2011.

Mark Prudhoe in action against Sunderland for Stoke City at Roker Park in 1994.
Chronicle

Don Goodman

[Sunderland 1991-94 & Walsall 2001-02]

Don Goodman was a £900,000 club record signing by Denis Smith (becoming Sunderland’s first transfer fee over £500,000) from West Bromwich Albion in 1991 as a direct replacement for the departing Marco Gabbiadini.

He started his career at Bradford City, making over 70 appearances between 1983 and 1987 before getting a move to West Brom, where his form stepped up scoring an impressive 60 goals in 158 appearances ahead of his move to Sunderland.

Goodman was a popular figure during his time on Wearside, scoring 47 goals in 132 appearances leading to a move to big spending Wolverhampton Wanderers, signing in 1994 for £1.3 million. Four years, 125 appearances and 33 goals later Goodman left Wolves for Japan, signing for Sanfrecce Hiroshima for a year.

A period at Motherwell followed Japan before Goodman signed for Walsall ahead of the 2001-02 season, teaming up with ex-Sunderland striker Brett Angell where he made 25 appearances, scoring 3 goals. Spells at Exeter City and Doncaster Rovers followed before Goodman finished his career at Stafford Rangers in 2004.

Don Goodman can be regularly seen as Football League pundit on Sky Sports.

Don Goodman
Don Goodman in the colours of Walsall during 2001-02.

Brett Angell

[Sunderland 1995-96 & Walsall 2000-02]

Brett Angell began his career in 1986 with Portsmouth but left without making a senior appearance. Cheltenham Town gave him his full debut in 1987, where he went on to score an impressive 24 goals in 37 appearances in his debut season.

This led to successful spells at Stockport County and Southend United that increased Angell’s stock in the game and earned a big money move to Premier League Everton under Mike Walker in 1994.

The move to Everton didn’t work out as he’d hoped, and in a quote that might sound familiar with Sunderland fans his time on Merseyside was described by Neville Southall…

The step up to the Premier League was probably too much for him…he had a first touch like a tackle.

His spell on Wearside was equally as painful after he was signed as a last throw of the dice in a move that has been suggested was a Bob Murray signing rather than by the manager at the time, Mick Buxton.

Buxton was replaced by Reid soon after and Angell was deemed surplus to requirements almost immediately, moving to Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion and Stockport County on loan before signing there permanently in 1996. Angell was again successful at the Hatters and stayed until 2000 when he joined Walsall.

He spent two years at Walsall, scoring 16 in 61 games, and ended with spells at Rushden and Diamonds and Port Vale before finishing his career at Queens Park Rangers in 2003.

Since retiring Angell has held several coaching roles, and managed in New Zealand as recently as 2016.

Brett Angell playing for Everton during his short spell there.

David Kelly

[Walsall 1983-88 & Sunderland 1995-97]

David Kelly started his career at Walsall in 1983 and had a very impressive start over his first five years, scoring 63 goals in 147 appearances. This was enough to gain moves to West Ham United and Leicester City before Ossie Ardiles took him to Newcastle United for £250,000 in 1991.

Kevin Keegan soon took over at Newcastle and led them to promotion the following year where despite the big money signings, Kelly received the player of the year award. He left that summer following the signing of Peter Beardsley, moving to Graham Taylor’s Wolverhampton Wanderers where he would eventually team up with Don Goodman.

In 1995, Peter Reid recognised that he needed a signing to give Sunderland that last push towards promotion to the Premier League for the first time, and he decided that Kelly was his man, signing on the dotted line for just short of £1 million in September 1995. Almost immediately he was struck with an ankle injury meaning he would only make 10 league appearances.

After becoming a bit part player the following season he moved to Tranmere Rovers in August 1997, having a successful three years there before spells at Sheffield United, Motherwell and Mansfield ahead of ending his career at Derry City in 2002.

Since retiring Kelly has had several coaching and assistant manager roles with Tranmere Rovers, Sheffield United, Preston North End, Derby County, Nottingham Forest, Walsall, Scunthorpe United and Port Vale.

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