Although managing director Lawrie McMenemy was quoted on this day as saying "the transfer market is dead" there was still plenty of other activity going on at Roker Park, and whilst the playing staff wasn't about to be added to there was the arrival of a key member of back-room staff on the 7th of July instead.
Geoff Storey told Echo readers that the club were expecting Manchester City to follow up their interest in Barry Venison with a part exchange offer featuring two of their players, although it was ******* umed that McMenemy would prefer the cash only offer that was being mooted by Sheffield Wednesday. Howard Wilkinson's ******* istant Peter Eustace, a former Sunderland coach, had been in touch with McMenemy already seemingly but the move had now come to a standstill, with a snag in another deal the Owls were working on meaning their approach for Venison was being held up.
Sunderland could have done with some money in order to fund their own squad regeneration, prompting McMenemy to lament "There is just no movement anywhere and I think it is a sign of the time when even players on free transfers are finding it difficult to get fixed up." He was though able to confirm the arrival of new club physio Steve Smelt, who had that morning officially started work on Wearside ahead of the first team returning for preseason training the next day.
Smelt, a former school teacher and a qualified physio of five years, had just left his post at cash strapped Middlesbrough. Although Newcastle Breweries were rumoured to be working on a bid that would save them the Ayresome Park club were in serious danger of going bust and were happy to shed as many costs as they could in the meantime, freeing the 36 year old to move north and replace the outgoing Jimmy Goodfellow, who was returning to Wales to work with Frank Burrows at Cardiff City.
Burrows, who earlier had himself been part of McMenemy's staff, was following in the footsteps of a couple of familiar names. Former Sunderland bosses Alan Durban and Len Ashurst had both been in charge at Ninian Park during the decade, with Goodfellow having also had a stint as boss before this invite to return, which was very timely indeed as it meant he no longer had to move his family out from the capital. The County Durham native had only been at Roker for seven months since succeeding Steve Mason in December 1985 and had previously played for McMenemy at Bishop Auckland.
Geoff Storey told Echo readers that the club were expecting Manchester City to follow up their interest in Barry Venison with a part exchange offer featuring two of their players, although it was ******* umed that McMenemy would prefer the cash only offer that was being mooted by Sheffield Wednesday. Howard Wilkinson's ******* istant Peter Eustace, a former Sunderland coach, had been in touch with McMenemy already seemingly but the move had now come to a standstill, with a snag in another deal the Owls were working on meaning their approach for Venison was being held up.
Sunderland could have done with some money in order to fund their own squad regeneration, prompting McMenemy to lament "There is just no movement anywhere and I think it is a sign of the time when even players on free transfers are finding it difficult to get fixed up." He was though able to confirm the arrival of new club physio Steve Smelt, who had that morning officially started work on Wearside ahead of the first team returning for preseason training the next day.
Smelt, a former school teacher and a qualified physio of five years, had just left his post at cash strapped Middlesbrough. Although Newcastle Breweries were rumoured to be working on a bid that would save them the Ayresome Park club were in serious danger of going bust and were happy to shed as many costs as they could in the meantime, freeing the 36 year old to move north and replace the outgoing Jimmy Goodfellow, who was returning to Wales to work with Frank Burrows at Cardiff City.
Burrows, who earlier had himself been part of McMenemy's staff, was following in the footsteps of a couple of familiar names. Former Sunderland bosses Alan Durban and Len Ashurst had both been in charge at Ninian Park during the decade, with Goodfellow having also had a stint as boss before this invite to return, which was very timely indeed as it meant he no longer had to move his family out from the capital. The County Durham native had only been at Roker for seven months since succeeding Steve Mason in December 1985 and had previously played for McMenemy at Bishop Auckland.
3 months ago
