Sunderland: 10 Most Costly Mistakes In Black Cats History
3. Axing Peter Reid
The appointment of Peter Reid at the back end of March 1995 was a brilliant decision. Given seven games to save Sunderland from the dreaded drop down to the third tier for only the second time in the club's history, Reid flourished with only a single defeat. Later, the timing of his axing somewhat beggars belief, as the manager who for six years had existed on a shoestring budget was finally given money to spend but after a bad start to the season was quickly fired. Thanks to the stabilising effect he had on the club, it was expected Reid would have a job for life, but then there is nothing so fickle as football fans or chairmen. When the Sunderland fans began to turn, Chairman Murray began to worry and it would be Reid who would pay the ultimate price. Perhaps, it was Peter Reids fault: there had been times when Sunderland had been crying out for investment but he was too slow to act or afraid to rock the boat by asking for finance. Ultimately, that was his and Sunderlands downfall that would take some years before Sunderland would be on a sound footing established in the Premier League again. While, looking at Reidys record in the first eight matches of that season, he actually picked up more points than the two men who succeeded him. That in itself probably shows how unwise his sacking was.
