The day Peterlee schoolkids joined Sporting Lisbon’s training session | OneFootball

In 1973, Sporting Lisbon attempted a training run on a Peterlee school pitch, only for local children to join in alongside them.

As reported by Sunderland Echo, local pupil Paul Barron recalled waiting with friends at the Norseman Hotel to see the Portuguese visitors.

He remembers a lobby packed with youngsters collecting player postcards, then an attempted workout at North Blunts School. He believes it petered out as seemingly hundreds of kids joined the star jumps and a jog on the field.

Elsewhere in that campaign, Sunderland’s first leg against Vasas Budapest in Hungary formed part of a bizarre double header, with Ferencváros facing Gwardia Warsaw in a separate UEFA Cup tie beforehand.

Sunderland won their first ever European match against Vasas at the Népstadion. Only 500 travelling supporters made it to Communist Hungary, most going by rail.

European rules then allowed up to five substitutes, but Sunderland named only four, Mick McGiven, John Lathan, Trevor Swinburne and David Young.

The return at Roker Park drew a little over 22,000 and finished 1-0 to Sunderland, with bad weather and ticket prices blamed for the modest turnout.

Source: Sunderland Echo