Tony Mowbray reveals Sunderland 'affinity' after supporting them in 1973 FA Cup final

Tony Mowbray has revealed he started an ‘affinity’ with Sunderland after cheering them on in the 1973 FA Cup final against Leeds.

The 1973 Cup Final is the stuff of legend, not just on Wearside but in the FA Cup and English football in general.

It was the only time a second-tier team has gone toe-to-toe at Wembley with the dominant force of English football at the time and beaten them.

There have been other examples of big underdog stories in FA Cup finals, such as Wimbledon beating Liverpool in 1988 and Wigan overcoming Man City in 2013. However, in both of those the underdogs were top division clubs at the time, unlike Sunderland.

It certainly left an impression on Mowbray, who was growing up in Middlesbrough at the time.

"When I look back, 1973 was my first real memories of Sunderland and how massive it was," Mowbray said.

"I was cheering Sunderland on that day - Leeds had an amazing team that was challenging for the First Division title every year under Don Revie, with Billy Bremner, Jonny Giles, Peter Lorimer, Jack Charlton, and Norman Hunter.

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"So for Sunderland to do what they did that day was unbelievable because they were massive underdogs - it was a great story.

“I've always had an affinity because of that, and because I lived in the North-East as well and I was so young that rivalries didn't really come into it, I don't suppose.”

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