On this day (19 May 2001) Hutch sees red against his old club, as Sunderland end season with a draw

Sunderland’s signing of Don Hutchison in the summer of 2000 seemed to mark a firm next chapter in our evolution. After taking all comers by storm the previous campaign, the signing of Hutchison – the captain of Everton – showed our standing in the game was now of a club that had to be taken seriously.

And, after finishing seventh in our first season back up, we’d eventually got into our stride after a slow start to 2000-01, and were sitting second come January.

Thoughts of a certain Champions League spot quickly evaporated, however, thanks to a turgid run of one win in 12 games, before victories over Southampton and Charlton meant we were able to equal our seventh placed achievement from the previous campaign.

Everton were struggling, and Walter Smith’s team were scratching around the bottom end of the table – they finished 16th this season, six points ahead of relegated Manchester City on 34.

So, the season drew to a close with a dead rubber against Peter Reid’s former team. Reid was continuously linked with a managerial return to Goodison, although it never really seemed close to happening. An offer from Blackburn was the nearest he came to exiting the Stadium of Light of his own volition, and as a manager his stock was still very high. In truth, it was probably already hit its heights.

After winning the golden boot with 30 Premier League goals the previous campaign, Kevin Phillips had struggled to replicate that goalscoring form. England snubs had resulted in him changing his game a bit – after all, if being Europe’s top scorer couldn’t get you a run in the international team, something – logically – needed to change.

That something was actually the removal of Kevin Keegan and the neutering of Alan Shearer’s undue influence, not SKP’s goalscoring game, but Kev was determined to become a better ‘footballer’ and spent far more time coming deep than in the box. His game suffered, as 10 open play goals in 33 games before the season’s final game testifies.

However, Kevin Phillips was firmly back in ‘Super’ territory on the final outing of the season. Hutchison was surprisingly named on the bench for his return to Merseyside, Julio Arca preferred in midfield for the lads, with Quinny partnering SKP up front.

At the back, Patrice Carteron, the French full back, made his final appearance in red and white having etched his name into Wearside folklore thanks to his goal against the mags.

An entertaining game saw Everton come out the blocks more quickly than Sunderland; Thomas Gravesen’s close-range volley was blocked by Emerson Thome, before Idan Tal scored direct from a free kick, with the aid of a deflection.

The lads responded well, however. Niall Quinn headed over the bar from McCann’s cross, before Phillips almost caught out Paul Gerrard with a cheeky lob.

Carteron challenges Danny Cadamateri

Photo by Barrington Coombs/EMPICS via Getty Images

Undeterred, however, Phillips equalised shortly after, picking up Julio’s lovely through-ball and slotting past Gerrard. Schwarz almost put us in the lead shortly after, his drive saved by the Everton keeper.

Just before the half time break, Arca picked up and injury and was replaced by Hutchison, who wasn’t the most popular fella in the stadium.

Phillips had another chance to put us ahead just after the break; Gerrard denied the striker who was sent clean through, while Scott Gemmill, son of Archie, rattled the crossbar.

The game turned just after the hour mark, however, when Hutchison saw red. In what had been a fiesty game, Don received his marching orders for a professional foul on David Unsworth, who then saw his penalty saved by Tommy Sorensen.

Against ten men, Everton exerted some control and won a second penalty 15 minutes later after Naysmith was fouled by Craddock. Michael Ball took the responsibility on, and this time put the hosts in the lead.

Naysmith’s fouled by Craddock

Photo by Barrington Coombs/EMPICS via Getty Images

However, the game had a final sting in its tail, as Phillips, who was having his best game for a while, scored a lovely close-range goal into the top corner, to earn a share of the spoils.

Of course, Hutchison’s red meant he’d miss the new season’s opener, and two games and a contract wrangle later, he was gone.

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