Eric Gates pictured playing for Sunderland against Middlesbrough
in a 2-1 home win.
1973–1985 Ipswich Town 296 (73)
1985–1990 Sunderland 185 (46)
1990–1991 Carlisle United 38 (8)
Eric 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 where relegated to the third tier of English
football for the only time in their history following a play-off defeat
to Gillingham F.C. Gates had found the net twice in the second leg,
ultimately to no avail.
Gates Third season at Sunderland under new manager Denis Smith was
anything but an unhappy one, Sunderland strolled to the league title
with over 90 points and 90 goals Gates scored 19 of those league goals
missing only 4 league games alongside his new strike partner Marco
Gabbiadini who had followed manager Denis Smith from York City earlier
that summer. 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 Roker Park is scoring the opening goal in the biggest
Tyne-Wear derby in history on 16 May 1990, which helped Sunderland
clinch a 2-0 play-off second leg victory over Newcastle United at St.
James Park in the process securing Sunderland's third Wembley
appearance.
Gates final appearance for The Wearsiders would come at Wembley against
Swindon Town in the play-off final on 28 May 1990 in front of a crowd of
72,873.
Although Swindon Town won the game 1-0 through a Gary Bennett
own goal, Sunderland went on to claim their place in the First Division
as Swindon were refused entry due to a series of financial
irregularities by the Swindon Town board.
In total Eric Gates made 219 appearances, 20 of which from the bench,
scoring 55 goals at an average of 1 goal every 3.98 games.
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