Dabizas powered through the Mackem defence in 2002 at the Stadium of Light to head home the goal which secured a 1-0 win for Sir Bobby Robson’s Magpies to help United on their way to the Champions League.
Nikos Dabizas: “Everybody reminds me about THAT goal.
“Even if I wanted to forget about it I would not be able to.
“Wherever I go people want to talk about this goal, it is amazing but it just shows what it means to people.
“I left Newcastle in 2003, eight years ago.
“I was walking in the street with my son and almost every Newcastle fan came up to me and asked me about this goal!
“They ask me about my time in Newcastle – they are so passionate they remember you for that type of thing.
“All you can say back is it is just a special place which you have to live in to understand properly.
“That goal was the greatest moment of my Newcastle career.
“It was the winning goal against the Mackems – as you Geordies say – and it was an awesome feeling.
“In my house in Greece I have a huge banner of me celebrating the goal against Sunderland half naked!
“It is great as it shows all of the lads jumping on my back in front of the Newcastle fans.
“It will always be on my mind, and when I come back everybody wants to talk about it.
“You never get tired of talking about beating Sunderland.
“When you have 50,000 fans coming every week and you already have quality players at the club, you have to build on this.
“The club this season in my view should not be think of the top five or six but laying those strong foundations for the future.
“You can do that if you make the right decisions and have the right mentality.
“After that you will be judged on results.
“You have to look long-term with Newcastle now, but I think that future can be good if they keep on producing their own players like Andy Carroll and Steven Taylor and can add a few good signings as well.
“There are good players there already.
“After you have been promoted, it is about laying the right foundations, but you need to get them right and have a philosophy.
“If you get one of those decisions wrong you pay for it in the future which is why the team ended up relegated last time, there was no real plan.
“The financial demands of the game have changed now and you have to bear that in mind.
“You have to have the right mix.
“You know the spine of the team should be British to have the right mentality in this league.
“The way the football is played here has to be right for the fans.
“You need local lads, but you need to blend it with a bit of overseas quality like we had under Sir Bobby.
“It is all about having players who can adapt.
“They need to be able to handle the elements of the Premier League and you need to get the right combination.
“The spine must be Geordie because nobody understands the game better than the people who have grown up with that mentality at Newcastle.
“It is important to have good players from abroad too, but to keep players with a local background involved.
“We saw the demolition of Sunderland earlier this season. If they can conjure up a similar result this time, great.”