Latest news with #JimmyMontgomery
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Montgomery expects new Wembley legends to be made
Sunderland legend Jimmy Montgomery is looking forward to the club's current crop joining him in Wembley 81-year-old produced one of the most iconic double saves to deny Leeds duo Trevor Cherry and Peter Lorimer on the way to Sunderland winning the 1973 FA Cup final under the old twin now told BBC Radio Newcastle he expects the Black Cats to beat Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday, though he hopes goalkeeper Anthony Patterson won't need to perform any heroics on the day."I think we're going to win," Montgomery said. "I think the two games we've played against Sheffield United we've beaten them at home and should have beaten them away also."They're going to try to outmuscle us, but I think we have learned a lot over the course of this season - I think we have coped quite well with it."I am so confident we're going to win you wouldn't believe."Montgomery's heroics came in a 1-0 win, but he would like a more comfortable margin of victory this time around, saying: "I'm at the age where 1-0 doesn't suit me at all."I want Patto to do nothing, be a spectator. It would be great if he saved a penalty or made some magnificent saves but I want him to have the quietest game he's had all season."The west stand at the Stadium of Light was renamed in honour of the club's record appearance-maker before the second leg of the play-off semi-final against Coventry, and Montgomery was given a guard of honour before the game, adding: "That was something special."Dan Ballard scoring that goal in the third minute of injury time was the icing on the cake."Click here for more from Montgomery's interview with BBC Radio Newcastle.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Sunderland snatch Championship play-off final spot with last-gasp header
Dan Ballard sent Sunderland into the Championship play-off final with a last-gasp extra-time header as Coventry City 's Wembley dream died on Wearside. The central defender struck in the third minute of stoppage time after the clock had ticked past the 120-minute mark with the aggregate score tied at 2-2 to make it 1-1 on the night and book Regis Le Bris' side a final showdown with Sheffield United on Saturday 24 May. Ephron Mason-Clark's 76th-minute volley dragged Frank Lampard 's men level in the tie as the Black Cats' stubborn resistance was finally broken, to the dismay of the locals among a bumper crowd of 46,530 at the Stadium of Light, but redemption arrived in the nick of time. With the LED boards surrounding the pitch significantly closer than usual to the playing surface - perhaps no coincidence with Milan van Ewijk's long throw among the visitors' armoury - the game kicked off amid thunderous noise on a night when the hosts announced their decision to name the West Stand after 1973 FA Cup-winning goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery. In a high-tempo opening, Mason-Clark warmed Anthony Patterson's hands with a well-struck 17th-minute effort, but it was opposite number Ben Wilson who had to be at his best to keep out Eliezer Mayenda's skidding attempt after he had turned Matt Grimes superbly and raced in on goal. Tatsuhiro Sakamoto dragged a shot wide from the edge of the area after Grimes' corner had been cleared on the half-hour and Jack Rudoni missed his kick in front of goal after the home defence had failed to deal fully with a Grimes free-kick. Sakamoto skied over from Rudoni's ball back across goal and Rudoni was equally inaccurate from Mason-Clark's knock-down as an increasingly open half drew to a close with the tie as evenly-poised as it was ahead of kick-off. The Sky Blues picked up where they had left off, Sakamoto seeing a 52nd-minute strike from a Grimes corner blocked before Van Ewijk blasted the rebound wide, and although Patrick Roberts scuffed a shot harmlessly off target seven minutes later, Coventry continued to look the more likely scorers. Red and white nerves were jangling on and off the pitch, although they might have been settled had Wilson not got down at his near post to turn away Trai Hume's 67th-minute volley from Luke O'Nien's cross. The Black Cats dropped ever deeper as Coventry continued to probe, and they were made to pay with 14 minutes remaining when Mason-Clark volleyed Van Ewijk's cross in off the foot of a post to level the aggregate scores. Romaine Mundle saw his extra-time shot cleared off the line by fellow substitute Josh Eccles, but as Sunderland made their final push, Ballard crashed a header off the underside of the crossbar from Enzo Le Fee's last-ditch corner to snatch victory and keep alive his side's hopes of ending their eight-year Premier League exile.
Evening Standard
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Evening Standard
Sunderland reach Championship play-off final as last-gasp Dan Ballard goal stuns Coventry
With the LED boards surrounding the pitch significantly closer than usual to the playing surface - perhaps no coincidence with Milan van Ewijk's long throw among the visitors' armoury - the game kicked off amid thunderous noise on a night when the hosts announced their decision to name the West Stand after 1973 FA Cup-winning goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery.
