On This Day: 7 September 1993 – Sunderland boss Butcher seeks reinforcements

On this day in 1993, Sunderland manager Terry Butcher was eyeing further additions to his new-look squad. Despite the pre-season signings of Phil Gray, Derek Ferguson, Alec Chamberlain, Andy Melville and Ian Rodgerson, Butchers was keen for more.

On-loan striker Lee Power, who’d scored a lovely goal at home in a victory over Chester in the League Cup, was earmarked for a permanent move, while his Norwich City teammate Colin Woodthorpe was being eyed to strengthen the team at left back. Manchester City’s Andy Hill, meanwhile, was fancied to fill the full back slot on the other side of the pitch.

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After a disastrous season opener – going down 5-0 to a Marco Gabbiadini inspired Derby County, the team had picked up a little, beating Charlton 4-0 at home days after the Chester game. A late defeat at Notts County had followed, as had a home win over Tranmere in the Anglo Italian Cup.

The immediate impact of Butcher’s signings was limited by the infamous car crash – and while Gray, Melville and Chamberlain all went on to be good players for us, Rodgerson failed to impress, and Ferguson never eclipsed the performance on his debut against former team Rangers in Gary Bennett’s testimonial.

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Not of the players Butcher was targeting on this day 27 years ago signed permanently, of course. Power – now chairman of Swindon Town – returned to Norwich after 5 games, Hill stayed at Manchester City for a few more seasons, while Woodthorpe, who’d played against us in the FA Cup Semi in 92, stayed at Norwich for another season before heading to Aberdeen.

Butcher’s spell in charge lasted only a couple of months more – the former England captain was sacked after 5 consecutive defeats, the last of which was a home defeat to Southend – Brett Angell getting his customary goal against us, and Barry Fry jigging down the touchline.

The only signing he’d managed to make was that of James (as he was then) Lawrence, who’d recently finished a holiday at Her Majesty’s pleasure. And, to be fair to Lawrence, who went on to have a very good career at Bradford and Leicester particularly, being thrust into first team action at that point was a step too far.

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