Profile of Alan Sunderland on Famous Like Me

Alan Sunderland (born July 1, 1953) is an English former football player.

Sunderland was born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, and began his career at Wolves in 1970; initially a midfielder, he eventually switched positions to centre forward. He made over 200 appearance for the Midlands side, and won the League Cup in 1974 and the Second Division in 1977. In November 1977 he joined Arsenal for £220,000 and immediately became a regular, playing in the 1978 FA Cup final (which Arsenal lost to Ipswich Town).

Sunderland's most famous moment came in the FA Cup final of 1979; Arsenal had gone 2-0 up against Manchester United, with goals from Brian Talbot and Frank Stapleton, and looked set for victory with only five minutes remaining. However, United scored twice in three minutes, with goals from Gordon McQueen and Sammy McIlroy, and extra time loomed. In the very last minute of the match however, Arsenal pushed forward in a desperate counter-attack; Liam Brady fed Graham Rix on the left wing, and his cross was converted by Sunderland at the far post to make the score 3-2, and win Arsenal the cup.

Sunderland stayed at Arsenal for another five years, forming an impressive partnership with Frank Stapleton; he was the club's top scorer in 1979-80 and 1981-82, and featured in the Arsenal sides that lost the 1980 FA Cup and Cup Winners' Cup finals. He also won a solitary England cap, against Australia. However, after a spate of injuries, and the arrival of Charlie Nicholas, Sunderland found himself pushed out of the first team. He joined Ipswich Town on loan in February 1984, and made the move permanent later in the summer. He played for Ipswich until 1986, then had a brief stint at Irish club Derry City, before calling it a day.

Following retirement, he opened a pub in Ipswich, before emigrating to Malta.

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