Hardman Holton would not be out for second half - or so I thought.

THERE used to be a terrace chant: "Six foot two, eyes of blue, big Jim Holton is after you."

Well, actually it was a warning. A health warning. The big fella would kick you into the middle of next week.

Holton's fearsome reputation was best highlighted at Manchester United, but here in a Tyne-Wear derby he was playing centre-half to Paul Cannell's centre-forward. It all started so well too.

"Gordon Lee pulled me to one side before kick-off," Cannell told me. "He said, 'You know what Holton's like. So put yourself about a bit, if you know what I mean, and I guarantee he'll get himself sent off.' "There was five minutes left to half-time, I had scored and we were winning 1-0, when our keeper Mike Mahoney booted the ball high downfield.

"Holton and I rose to head the ball midway inside Sunderland's half and I 'accidentally' smashed him in the mouth with my elbow.

"He collapsed to the ground, there were teeth and claret all over the grass. If it had happened nowadays with slowmotion action replays I'd have done time!

"Holton was stretchered off and the whistle went for the interval."

Gordon Lee put his arm round his centre-forward. Great goal, great result with Holton, now he's gone go and score another. Only as Cannell walked out 10 feet tall for the resumption so did Holton, third in the Sunderland line.

"I played onetouch football like never before," recalled Cannell. "I played the second half as if my life depended on it - and it probably did.

"The papers the following day commented on our change of tactics 'with Cannell playing on the right wing.' Do you blame me?"

CAPTION(S):

TARGET Jim Holton