Bobby Kerr, captain of Sunderland's FA Cup winning team, remembers 1973. Colin Tapping reports.

BOBBY Kerr points to his trademark moustache. It's just a few months older than his most treasured possession - the FA Cup winners medal from 1973.

It's a lasting reminder of Bob Stokoe's memorable reign at Roker Park.

"I grew it as soon as Bob Stokoe came as manager. It's been there ever since. Alan Brown wouldn't allow anyone to grow one when he was manager, but Bob Stokoe came in and lightened things a bit.

"Alan Brown was a great manager, in many ways ahead of his time. But he was a strict disciplinarian. When he told wingers to get the white line on their boots, they knew they were in for a telling off if they came inside.

"But Stokoe was more relaxed. He encouraged the players to show what they could do."

Kerr is full of admiration for Brown, the manager who coaxed him to recovery after he broke the same leg on two occasions. Brown also made him club captain.

But he retains the utmost respect for Stokoe, who brought a more relaxed attitude to the dressing room, and transformed pretty much the same team from candidates for relegation to Division Three to FA Cup winners within six months of his arrival.

Kerr is adamant Sunderland's success in 1973 was no fluke.

"We may have been in the Second Division, but we had a good side. We managed to stop other sides playing, but they couldn't stop us."

Player by player he goes through the Wembley line-up, extolling the virtues of each player.

"We were a very good team. Dave Watson was the finest centre-half in the country and went on to play for England umpteen times. And who knows what Ritchie Pitt would have gone on to achieve.

"In the middle of the park Ian Porterfield was a wonderfully graceful player. And Mickey Horswill was a terrier.

"Up front Billy Hughes could run at any defence. Vic Halom was as strong as they come, and Dennis Tueart went on to play for England."

But he singles out Jim Montgomery for the most praise.

"Make no mistake about it, his double save in the second half won us the match against Leeds.

"Monty says he was just doing his job, but he was amazing that day.

"Monty was brilliant for years. He should have played for England, and would have done if he had played anywhere else but in the North-East."

Modesty prevents Kerr from mentioning much of his own contribution in 1973.

But the skipper, dubbed "my Little General" by his manager, was a fine player in his own right, unlucky never to win a Scotland cap.

In the final he and right-back Dick Malone were given the job of man-marking Leeds left-winger Eddie Gray.

"When we'd played Leeds before, all the players would shout 'pass it to Eddie'. He was their key player.

"If we stopped him getting the ball we stopped Leeds playing. We must have done a good job because he was taken off."

Looking back Kerr remembers very little of the final itself, but vividly recalls the build-up and the celebrations.

"We thought we had our cup final when we beat Arsenal in the semi-final. We were going to Wembley. Win or lose we were going to enjoy ourselves.

"On the Thursday night before the final we even went to the football writers' dinner. And we were the first team to have TV cameras on the team bus going to Wembley.

"I remember walking out at Wembley, but I don't recall much of the match itself.

"I remember going up to the Royal Box, being presented with the Cup, turning round and lifting it above my head.

"Then I realised I'd forgotten to pick up my medal. Monty was behind me, so I asked him to tell Ritchie Pitt to pick it up for me."

Kerr remains thankful for the memories he has of 1973 and for the opportunities football gave him. He recalls his boyhood in the village of Alexandria, in Scotland, and that his first pair of football boots were second hand.

"I spent my childhood kicking a ball, and came to Sunderland when I was 15 and was still kicking a ball.

"I wouldn't change a thing, just the wages. Football has given me a decent life."

He has been in the licensing trade since he finished playing football, and has been running the Copt Hill at Houghton-le-Spring for the past seven years.

But being captain of the 1973 Cup-winning side still gives him plenty of social engagements and after-dinner speeches, and frequent reunions with his team mates.

At this weekend's 30th anniversary the team will be back together again. Only Ian Porterfield - a manager in South Korea - and Bob Stokoe will be missing.

Kerr is not surprised the 1973 FA Cup is still remembered so fondly.

"I love the people of Sunderland, that's why I've stayed here. I class myself as a Scottish Mackem.

"People will always remember successful teams."

It is understandable that Sunderland supporters choose to look back to a halcyon day 30 years ago, rather than reflect on a woeful season that comes to a sad end next weekend.

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