The regional – and indeed national – sporting press was doing its best to catch up with the stunning news that Brian Clough had signed from local rivals Middlesbrough the previous day.
Alf Greenly, writing in the Sunday Sun, exclaimed that “the signing of Clough must go down as one of the best-kept secrets in soccer”.
Somehow, this deal had been struck in the goldfish bowl of the North East with seemingly watertight security. Not a whisper had escaped about a deal that had been at least a couple of weeks in the making.
Chairman Syd Collings made the announcement at the club’s annual general meeting the day before, triggering loud applause from the shareholders gathered.
Collings triumphantly declared to the AGM: “I know I am speaking on behalf of the board, and I am confident most supporters will agree when I say I would sooner see Sunderland in Division One with a heavy overdraft than in Division Two with a substantial credit balance.”