On This Day (26 Sept 1991): Hearts broken as Marco leaves Roker Park
Sept. 26, 1991. I can’t forget the date; it’s etched in my heart. My first football crush, Marco Gabbiadini, left Roker Park on this day.
At barely 23, Marco had been Sunderland’s main attraction for four years; at first a ray of optimism, he later became a truly exceptional player in his own right. In addition to scoring goals in the third and second divisions and nine goals in 30 league starts in the first flight, he was highly sought after by the major teams and there were constant rumors that he would be called up for an international match.
Marco possessed every quality a striker could have. Despite his lightning-fast speed, he had the muscular strength to withstand and intimidate defenders. He possessed thighs as strong and thick as those of an elephant. With a drop of the shoulder, he could charge past the opposition, but he wasn’t as cunning as Allan Johnston or Keiron Brady. He had three options for scoring: head, right foot, and left foot.
He possessed a wicked streak and could score through a variety of single strikes, including tap-ins and long-range goals.
Additionally, he wouldn’t hesitate to confront the most formidable defenders, gladly leaving some studs on someone as payback for a poor tackle or some nasty behavior off the ball.
When he was younger, he would sometimes lose his temper, but as he grew older, he learned to control his feelings and use his annoyance constructively.
May 13, 1990, Sunderland, United Kingdom: On May 13, 1990, in Sunderland, England, Sunderland attacker Marco Gabbiadini (r) and Newcastle defender John Anderson fight for the ball during a League Division Two play-off semi-final match at Roker Park. Both former players were BBC Radio Newcastle radio commentators in 2014.
Gabbiadini was a surprise departure, considering how hard it was for Sunderland to sign him.
after a regrettable 1991 relegation, consistency. Following that final-day loss to Manchester City, Denis Smith managed to keep the team together, and they were one of the favorites to immediately recover. Gary Bennett, who had been relieved of his captaincy after, as I recall, failing to show up for a post-season trip, had been replaced by Paul Bracewell. Nevertheless, the team was retained, and it was hoped that we would build on the previous season’s experience and put together a successful second-tier campaign.
However, Marco and the club had a difficult start to the season: a 4-1 loss at Millwall followed a home draw with Derby and a convincing 3-0 away victory at Barnsley. Marco played every game and scored two goals, although Sunderland only managed eight points from the first seven after losing to Portsmouth and Swindon and drawing at home to Blackburn. The boys’ victory over Oxford put them in sixth place.
Although the Gates/Gabbiadini combo is legendary, Smith always seemed to prefer a large man/little man partnership, with Marco as the latter. This is an intriguing anecdote about Marco’s time at Sunderland and a theme that persisted until his final weeks there.
After all, Eric Gates was labeled as a transfer and did not even sit on the bench for Marco’s first two games; Gabbiadini’s first striking partner was Keith Bertschin. Gates only returned to the starting lineup because of Bertschin’s injury against Fulham in Gabbiadini’s second game.
One of the many target players Smith attempted to pair Marco with was Billy Whitehurst, who is shown above playing for Sheffield United with PA Images. through Getty Images.
The “big man” following promotion was Billy Whitehurst, who put Gates on the bench for three months before using him as leverage to bring Tony Norman into the team. Although Gates was called back once more, Thomas Hauser was signed and replaced Gates in a matter of weeks. In one of Hauser’s initial
Sunderland triumphed 4-0 with a Gabbiadini hat-trick, Marco’s attack partner. Regretfully, he celebrated his third goal by right-hooking Ipswich defender Tony Hume, earning him a four-game ban for his second red card of the season.
Gabbiadini’s absence was filled by Hauser and Gates, as well as young players Warren Hawke and Sean Wharton. Hauser missed a few games due to injury after Marco’s comeback.
The season after – 89-90 – saw Marco play every game, free from injury and suspensions, scoring 26 goals in 58 games across all competitions. Gates started 46, scoring 10, and Hauser suffering an injury hit campaign, making just 8 starts in all competitions. Hauser’s injury troubles, combined with little to no transfer budget for Smith, meant there was little option but to partner ‘The G Force’
After promotion, Gates moved to Carlisle, and when the club was unable to sign John Byrne, Peter Davenport took over. The former Manchester United striker began the season as Gabbiadini’s partner. Smith tried out Hauser, Gabbiadini, and Davenport in a League Cup match against Bristol City early in the season; the last played from wide. Smith’s hopes to partner the two were thwarted when Hauser opened the scoring after just 28 seconds but was stretchered out before the half hour due to an achilles injury from which, in all honesty, he never fully recovered.
for all time that season. With Davenport out wide, on the bench, or not included in the starting lineup until the season finale at Maine Road, Hauser did return to action in April, scoring in a loss to Southampton on the road. Hauser also started four of the season’s final games.
The last act of Marco’s Sunderland career took place in 1991–1992, and once more, Smith’s resolve to match him with a large man was clear. He mostly lined up with Thomas Hauser in the season’s first seven games, a partnership that never seemed to work. In the eighth game, Peter Davenport played away against Charlton.
join Gabbiadini for his first start of the season—and Marco scored a hat-trick.
Gabbiadini’s final game in red and white was to be a home loss to Grimsby the following day, with future Sunderland midfielder Shaun Cunnington scoring the game-winning goal. As it turned out, his injury prevented him from returning after halftime, prematurely ending his Sunderland career.
Nobody really knew that would be Marco’s final game, of course, and the post-game press speculated about who in the team would be taking his place over the next two weeks.
It’s interesting to note that Thomas Hauser’s opinions about the possibility of working with Peter Davenport were possibly instructive.
Since Dav is intelligent enough to use the flick-ons I can offer, I believe we can collaborate.
In the meantime, Smith was struggling to maintain his position with the loss and a subsequent league cup loss to Huddersfield. It was unexpected how fast opinions about Smith changed, considering the praise he had received in the previous four seasons. He was blaming the board and wasn’t going down without a fight, as is usual of Denis. On September 25, Smith made the following statement:
When someone gives me a stick, I won’t become angry. Both I and the supporters would have preferred it if we had invested in new players. There are numerous reasons why we haven’t been allowed to enter the transfer market, but the main one was the summer safety work that was being done on the ground.
Finding money for new players is what we’re after. I have no doubt that things will start to get better from now on. Our goal is to bring about change. Right now, nobody can be content with the state of affairs.
There have been suggestions in the board meeting, and if we need to sell in order to make changes, then that will have to be the case.
Clearly, I must take action because we cannot continue as we are.
The next day, Gabbiadini was no more. There were no genuine rumors, no build-up, nothing.
Unexpectedly, Steve Coppell selected Marco to replace Ian Wright, who was leaving for Arsenal, in a £1.8 million transaction, of which 25% was going to Bootham Crescent.
