Huddersfield boss Mick Buxton, a lifelong Sunderland fan, returned to Roker Park in late September 1985. Fewer than 20,000 attended, Sunderland beat his side, and that week Jack Ditchburn left the vice-chairmanship to become club president amid boardroom unrest.
Recovering from bypass surgery, Ditchburn said he accepted the presidency partly because sitting in exposed areas was bad for his health, and said he knew of no boardroom squabbles. Long-serving director Ted Evans had recently been removed after an extraordinary general meeting; one reported explanation was that he opposed Lawrie McMenemy’s unexpected appointment to the board.
The club announced that the Roker End and Clock Stand would close for an upcoming cup tie for financial reasons. Owner Tom Cowie said there was no immediate successor to Ditchburn as vice-chairman and the board would discuss the role later. He praised Ditchburn’s loyalty, including his decision to retain his director’s-box seats and bank guarantees.
