Kieran Richardson on Sunderland derby winner: 'If I live to be 100, I'll still be talking about it!'
Kieran Richardson says his winner for Sunderland in the Wear-Tyne derby is something he will never stop talking about.
Richardson powered home a sensational free kick in 2008 to hand Sunderland a first home derby win in 28 years.
It was the highlight of what was ultimately a fine Sunderland career and, according to him, his best ever goal – made even better by the noise with which the fans greeted it.
"I remember it and I remember the build-up to it," Richardson told the SAFC Unfiltered podcast. "The week before we played Fulham away and I took two free-kicks - the first hit the crossbar and both posts but stayed out, and the second one went in but Pascal Chimbonda fouled someone in the wall so it was disallowed!
"I was on a roll, though, so I was confident and I knew the next week that if I took a free-kick I would be in a good position to score a goal. The whole week in the build-up, people were saying we hadn't beaten them at home in X amount of years - I can't remember how many, but it was a lot.
"Knowing how passionate everyone in Sunderland, in the city, is about their club, as a player you just want to win that game so badly because you know how much it means to the fans. So for us to win that game in the style we did, and to get the winner at 2-1...
“It was the best goal I've ever scored, for me personally.
"It was unbelievable to experience that and to be part of that history, I love it. If I live to be 100, I'll still be talking about it!
"The noise was crazy, crazy, crazy, and it shows how passionate everyone is about it."
Read more Sunderland coverage
- Ten players you probably forgot played for Sunderland in League One
- 'Terrific' - Michael Carrick gives verdict on Tony Mowbray, Amad Diallo and Sunderland play-off chances
- Five recent transfers that show Sunderland January signings are worth the wait
- Newcastle and RB Leipzig making 'inquiries' about on-loan Sunderland youngster
- 'The kind of personality you want' - Tony Mowbray pays tribute to Sunderland star
- 'Rangers would be a step up for Ross Stewart,' says former Sunderland man