Michael Chopra: Difference between revisions

In July 2007, newly promoted [[Premier League]] side [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] agreed a deal worth up to £5&nbsp;million, activating a release clause, to sign Chopra on a four-year contract.<ref>{{Cite news| title = Sunderland wrap up Chopra signing| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/6291244.stm|publisher=BBC Sport| date = 13 July 2007| accessdate =13 July 2007}}</ref> His [[Geordie]] roots and high price-tag caused unrest among some Sunderland fans.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2318757/Geordie-Chopra-wins-over-Sunderland-faithful.html|title=Geordie Chopra wins over Sunderland faithful|last=White|first=Duncan|date=13 August 2007|work=The Daily Telegraph |accessdate=15 May 2009 | location=London}}</ref> He scored on his debut for the "Black Cats" on the opening day of the [[2007–08 Sunderland A.F.C. season|2007–08]] season at the [[Stadium of Light]], when Chopra came on as a substitute late in the second half and scored the winning goal against [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] in injury time.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sunderland 1–0 Tottenham|url=http://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/aug/11/newsstory.sunderland|accessdate=16 March 2015|work=The Guardian|date=11 August 2007}}</ref> He scored in the next game at [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Birmingham 2–2 Sunderland|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6941801.stm|accessdate=16 March 2015|work=BBC Sport|date=15 August 2007}}</ref> but then went 15 games without scoring before he converted a penalty at [[Reading F.C.|Reading]] on 23 December.<ref>{{Cite web| last = Alexander| first = Nick| title = Reading 2 Sunderland 1| date=23 December 2007| url=http://www.safc.com/fixtures-and-results/fixtures/first-team/2007/reading-vs-sunderland| publisher = [[Sunderland A.F.C.]]| accessdate=3 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=13849&fixture=2847972&t=3 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080325121241/http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=13849&fixture=2847972&t=3 |archivedate=25 March 2008 |title=Reading 2 Sunderland 1| first=Nick | last=Alexander |publisher=[[Sunderland A.F.C.]]|date=23 December 2007|accessdate=3 December 2013}}</ref> He went on to score the only goal of a 1–0 win over [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] at [[Villa Park]],<ref>{{Cite news| first = Phil| last = McNulty| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7298167.stm| title = Aston Villa 0–1 Sunderland| accessdate =24 March 2008|publisher=BBC Sport| date=22 March 2008}}</ref> before he scored his sixth and final goal of the season in Sunderland's 3–2 win over [[Tees–Wear derby]] rivals [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7356054.stm|title=Sunderland 3–2 Middlesbrough|last=Taylor|first=Julian|date=26 April 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=20 September 2008}}</ref> finishing as the second highest scorer at the club, being just one goal behind [[Kenwyne Jones]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/Goalscorers/0,,10794~200710281~7,00.html|title=Sunderland goalscorers in 2007/08|publisher=The Football League|accessdate=3 December 2013}}</ref> After missing the initial matches for "personal problems", he scored two goals in his second game of the [[2008–09 Sunderland A.F.C. season|2008–09]] season as Sunderland beat Middlesbrough 2–0 on 20 September.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7613921.stm|title=Sunderland 2–0 Middlesbrough|last=Phillips|first=Owen|date=20 September 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=20 September 2008}}</ref>

 

 

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