Eric Gates

In 1985, Gates moved to Sunderland for £150,000 on a wave of optimism on Wearside following the appointment of Lawrie McMenemy as manager. Gates' debut came on the opening day of the season at Roker Park on 17 August 1985 in front of a 21,208 crowd that witnessed a 2–0 victory for the visitors Blackburn Rovers . His first goal for The Black Cats came in a 3–3 draw at home to Grimsby Town on 7 September 1985. That first season for Gates at Roker Park however proved to be an unhappy one with Sunderland finishing 18th only two places above the relegation zone. If Gates' first season had been an unhappy one, his second proved to be a disaster as Sunderland were relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history following a play-off defeat to Gillingham Gates had found the net twice in the second leg, ultimately to no avail. Gates' third season at Sunderland under new manager Denis Smith saw the team win the league title with over 90 points and 90 goals. Gates scored 19 of those league goals, missing only four league games alongside his new strike partner Marco Gabbiadini . That strike partnership is known in Wearside folklore as The G-Force. Highlights for Gates that season included scoring four goals in a 7–0 victory over Southend United at Roker Park on 3 November 1987, a hat-trick in a 3–0 victory over Rotherham United again at Roker Park on 20 December 1987 and a goal in a 3–1 victory over Northampton Town which clinched the title for Sunderland in front of a crowd of 29,454 at Roker Park on 2 May 1988. Gates' penultimate season at Sunderland saw him only finding the net 4 times in the league as Sunderland finished the season in 11th place. The final season for Gates on Wearside proved to be one of success. Gates played 39 times scoring 7 goals helping Sunderland to promotion back to the top flight. Gates scored two goals twice that season helping Sunderland to crucial league wins, however the thing Gates is most remembered for at Ro — Wikipedia