BOB Stokoe was an unlikely choice as Sunderland manager. After all, he had made his name at St James' Park, as a member of the famous FA Cup winning team of the 1950s.

And his early managerial career was relatively low-key, at lowly Bury and Blackpool.

But by the early 1970s, Sunderland's reputation as the Bank of England club had vanished. Roker Park was not going to attract a big-name manager.

Stokoe arrived at Sunderland on November 1, 1972, All Saints' Day - appropriate for a man who was to be hailed a messiah just six months later.

He inherited a team which had lacked inspiration under former manager Alan Brown and was languishing at the bottom end of Division Two. Relegation to Division Three was a real possibility.

But by the New Year a good run of results had lifted the threat of relegation. The best the club could achieve was mid-table mediocrity, with Stokoe's thoughts turning to building a team to push for promotion in 1974.

The FA Cup offered the chance for some light relief from a drab league campaign, but surely no more than that.

Sunderland's lacklustre start in the Cup did not augur well.

The first three rounds all went to replays.

A third round exit at Third Division Notts County was on the cards. On home ground, Notts County took an early lead and held it for most of the game. After 80 minutes Jim Montgomery made an amazing save from a Les Brand header. Minutes later Dave Watson equalised to bring Notts County to Roker Park three days later. Not for the first time, Sunderland owed FA Cup survival to their keeper.

Third Division opposition again faced Sunderland in the fourth round. This time it was a home tie against Reading, managed by Sunderland all-time favourite Charlie Hurley. A disappointing game ended in a draw, before Sunderland made it through at Elm Park.

This was where the Cup run was expected to end, leaving Sunderland to go through the motions in Division Two. How could a team which had struggled to see off Third Division sides overcome Manchester City in the fifth round? A team packed with stars like Colin Bell and Rodney Marsh, at Maine Road, appeared too much to handle. But thanks to an opportunist goal by Mick Horswill, cashing in on a slip-up by City keeper Joe Corrigan, Sunderland scraped a draw.

On the night of February 27, Roker Park was full to bursting for the replay in a feverish atmosphere. On possibly Roker Park's best-ever midweek occasion, best remembered for a wonder goal by Vic Halom, Sunderland won 3-1.

The sixth round draw had been kind. The big boys had been avoided with a home tie against fellow Second Division team Luton Town. The game went to form, and in front of 55,000 fans Sunderland won 2-0.

The semi-final draw pleased most of the country, keeping apart Cup favourites Leeds United and Arsenal. Leeds faced Wolves; Sunderland had to travel to Hillsborough to face mighty Arsenal.

Arsenal and Leeds dominated English football in the early 1970s. Both teams met in the 1972 final, and fully expected to meet again at Wembley this time around.

On a memorable Saturday afternoon, Sunderland re-wrote the script. They dominated proceedings at Sheffield, taking a 2-0 lead through Halom and Billy Hughes. A late strike from Charlie George caused an anxious few minutes, but Sunderland held out, and were heading for Wembley for only the second time in their history.

While most of the country was hoping for a miracle, few were expecting anything other than a comfortable win for Leeds. After all Leeds were Cup holders, had finished in the top four of the First Division for the past nine seasons, and were due to play in the final of the European Cup Winners Cup.

Leeds, a team full of internationals, surely just had to turn up to beat a team which at Christmas had been staring into the abyss of Division Three.

History was against Sunderland. No Second Division team had won a Wembley FA Cup Final since 1931, when West Bromwich Albion tasted success in a promotion year.

But on Wearside confidence was sky high. As Stokoe pointed out, Sunderland had a 100 per cent record at Wembley - they won the FA Cup on their only appearance in 1937. They had already beaten top flight opposition in the shape of Man City and Arsenal. Why not Leeds?

In front of 100,000 fans, Sunderland had the edge during the first half hour. There was no sign of nerves from the Rokermen. After 32 minutes Hughes swung a corner in front of the Sunderland terraces. Watson missed the ball with his head, Halom chested down for Ian Porterfield to volley with his right foot into the roof of the net.

The shock of the goal stung Leeds into action, but Sunderland held on bravely.

The turning point came after 65 minutes, again right in front of the Sunderland fans.

Leeds right-back Paul Reaney pumped a hopeful ball into the box. It was met by Trevor Cherry who, with a flying header, steered the ball towards goal. Montgomery somehow made the save, pushing the ball away. But it fell to Peter Lorimer who lashed the ball towards an seemingly open goal. Montgomery scrambled across the goal line, stretched his arm as far as he could and pushed the ball on to the bar, leaving Dick Malone to boot it clear.

It had prevented a certain equaliser, from which Leeds would go on to claim victory. Even BBC TV commentator David Coleman declared it a goal.

It was fitting that Monty who four months earlier had performed heroics in front of goal at Notts County's Meadow Lane to keep Sunderland in the Cup, had won the Cup for his home town club.

Even goal scorer Porterfield acknowledged the keeper's starring role in victory.

On the final whistle, Stokoe, in trademark trilby and scruffy mackintosh over a bright red tracksuit, sprinted across Wembley's hallowed turf. He by-passed his outfield players - all heroes on the day - to the goalmouth and a hug for Montgomery.

That scene remains one of the most enduring images of modern football. Along with the white horse final and the 1966 World Cup Final, it is one of Wembley greatest pieces of theatre.

Read more about Sunderland here.