By Martin Walker
Former Sunderland defender Dickie Ord will miss out on a dream Wembley trip again this weekend.
The 43-year-old – who played 285 games for Sunderland between 1987 and ’98 – had his FA Cup dreams shattered in 1992 when injury ruled him out of his boyhood club’s final v Liverpool.
And Ord, who’s set to appear at a Three Legends event in Newton Aycliffe on Friday 28th March, has told Aycliffe Today how he, like a lot of fans, has missed out on getting tickets for Sunderland’s Capital One Cup Final against Manchester City on Sunday.
“I didn’t make the ’92 final,” recalls Ord, in a Video Interview with us.
“I played in the quarter-final against Chelsea at Roker Park, when Gordon (Armstrong) scored the header, and that was the best atmosphere I’ve ever heard at Roker.
“Being a local lad and knowing what it meant to people, it was a tremendous achievement.
“Unfortunately I got injured leading up to the cup final, I didn’t even make the final squad, but for Brian (Atkinson) to play in a cup final as a young lad was a massive achievement and I was over the moon for him.”
Ord will be have to make do with watching Sunday’s game from home, adding: “I went to the Manchester United second leg with my two sons, and it was one of the best nights of my life.
“There was 9,000 fans there singing their hearts out, and it made you realise what it means to be a Sunderland supporter.
“I was just over the moon the club got there for the city and the supporters. It’s great for the city, the whole place is buzzing.”
Ord is set to appear at Aycliffe WMC, along with Boro and Newcastle legends Bernie Slaven and Malcolm Macdonald, for a footy fundraiser on Friday 28th March – click here for more details.
The event is being jointly organised by the town’s Northern League club, Newton Aycliffe, and Newton Aycliffe Juniors FC, with the proceeds being split between the two.
• To buy tickets (£15 each) from Aycliffe FC, call or text Dan Lewis on 07581 784726, or email [email protected]
• To buy tickets from Aycliffe Juniors FC, call Vicky Carr 07717 752594 or email [email protected]
Click here to see Ord’s Video Interview with us.