Poll Could Have Saved Gullit's Job! I Don't Think So!
He was in charge at St James' Park as torrential rain added to the drama of a dramatic derby clash with arch-rivals Sunderland on August 25, 1999.Gullit had left star striker Alan Shearer and big-name partner Duncan Ferguson on the bench and asked youngster Paul Robinson to lead the line.
Kieron Dyer put the Magpies in front, but goals from Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips won the night for the visitors and the Dutchman's reign ended within days.
Poll: "I refereed a derby game at Newcastle against Sunderland in similar conditions - the one when Ruud Gullit left Alan Shearer on the bench until late in the game - and I would have abandoned it if any of the players had asked me to. They didn't."
Shearer later admitted his days at his hometown club would have been numbered had the Dutchman remained in charge, but he went on to enjoy almost seven more years at St James' and broke Jackie Milburn's club scoring record.
MATCH REPORT:-
NEWCASTLE UTD 1 SUNDERLAND 2
NEWCASTLE: Wright, Barton, Goma, Dabizas, Domi, Solano, Dyer, McClen, Speed, Maric (Shearer 72), Robinson (Ferguson 57).
Subs Not Used: Green, Hughes, Harper.Booked: Domi, McClen.
SUNDERLAND: Sorensen, Makin, Butler, Bould, Gray, Rae, Schwarz (Ball 69), McCann, Summerbee, Quinn, Phillips.
Subs Not Used: Oster, Dichio, Helmer, Marriott.
Att: 36,600
Ruud Gullit's Newcastle United reign was hanging by a thread tonight as his side went down 2-1 to arch-rivals Sunderland with skipper Alan Shearer forced to sit out most of the game on the bench.For the fourth game in succession, the Magpies threw away a lead after Kieron Dyer had put them a goal up on 27 minutes.
But a Niall Quinn header put the visitors back on level terms on 64 minutes and strike partner Kevin Phillips clinched the points and the 117th Tyne-Wear derby honours 15 minutes from time.
The home fans left in understandably angry mood as United's return extended to just one point from a possible 15.
Shearer's relegation to the bench alongside Duncan Ferguson was one of several surprise selections in a team which was greeted with amazement by the arriving Magpies fans.
Former United keeper Tommy Wright, currently on loan from Manchester City, was thrown straight into the starting line-up in place of the injured John Karelse, with Steve Harper, who played in last season's FA Cup Final, among the substitutes.
Croatian midfielder Silvio Maric, who last week asked for a move over a contract wrangle, won a return, while Greek international defender Nicos Dabizas was handed his first game of the season.
Dabizas shouldered much of the blame for the Wembley defeat by Manchester United in May, and thought his days at St James's Park were over, but the absence of Spaniard Marcelino through injury gave him a second chance.
Sunderland, who had been facing the prospect of doing without both first-choice central defenders Steve Bould and Paul Butler, were able to name both, with Gavin McCann keeping his place on the left-hand side of midfield.
It was the visitors who started the brighter as Alex Rae and Stefan Schwarz made the early running in central midfield, and Wright had to leave his line to deny Phillips with just two minutes gone after Alain Goma was caught in possession.
Phillips had a penalty appeal turned down as he tumbled to the ground under Dabizas's challenge, but it was the Magpies who were first to test either keeper when Gary Speed let fly from 25 yards to warm Sorensen's hands.
The thunderstorm which had obligingly arrived to mark Gullit's biggest test to date soaked both the pitch and the spectators unfortunate enough to be sitting in the roofless two stands currently undergoing redevelopment, and life was becoming increasingly difficult for the players.
That the home fans would roar on their team was never in doubt, but the alternating chants of "Ruud Gullit" and "Shearer, Shearer" suggested that they were struggling with divided loyalties.
The visitors came within inches of snatching the lead on 14 minutes when Phillips cashed in on Maric's slack play to drive a cross into the middle where Quinn just failed to get a decisive touch.
But as Gary Speed and Jamie McClen started to gain the upper hand in the middle of the field, Newcastle fashioned the opening which lifted a huge weight from their shoulders.
McClen's quick break on 27 minutes allowed him to link with Robinson and Maric, and when Robinson again intervened to feed Dyer, the former Ipswich winger lifted his shot over Sorensen for his first goal for the club.
The celebrations continued unabated until the break as Sunderland lost their way somewhat, Phillips and Butler both going into the book for dissent in quick succession.
Robinson just failed to get on the end of Barton's long ball within two minutes of the restart as the Sunderland defence slept, but the former Wimbledon man had to get in a vital block two minutes later as Quinn found Phillips unmarked inside the penalty area.
Ferguson arrived in place of Robinson on 57 minutes, but it was the visitors who were looking the more dangerous, and the equaliser duly arrived seven minutes later.
Summerbee's free-kick from the left was met by Quinn with a glancing header and the ball dropped neatly inside Wright's right post.
Shearer belatedly joined the fray on 72 minutes but it was just three minutes before Reid's side took the lead as Phillips ran on to a long ball and although Wright blocked his initial shot, he curled the rebound over the keeper and into the net.
But as the conditions worsened, the chances of an equaliser receded and the disillusioned home fans turned instead to chanting the name of Gullit reject Robert Lee.
Nolberto Solano shot into the side-netting in the dying seconds, but there was to be no late face-saver.