Sunderland FA Cup hero Porterfield dies of cancer

By Damian Spellman
Published: 12 September 2007

The man whose goal produced one of the greatest FA Cup final shocks has died at the age of 61. Ian Porterfield, who fired Second Division Sunderland to victory over Leeds at Wembley Stadium in 1973, died at a hospice in Surrey last night.

Porterfield was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year, but carried on with his duties as manager of Armenia's national team until just before his death. His widow Glenda said: "He may have been a football man all his life, but I know him best as a wonderful human being who was liked by everyone he came in contact with."

Dunfermline-born Porterfield made 266 appearances for Sunderland and scored 19 goals before leaving for Sheffield Wednesday in 1977. He later went into management, including a 20-month spell in charge of Chelsea.