Sunderland AFC
In 1985 he moved to Sunderland for £150,000 on a wave of optimism on Wearside following the appointment of Lawrie McMenemy as manager. Gates debut came on the opening day of the season at Roker Park on the 17th August 1985 in front of a 21,208 crowd that witnessed a 2-0 victory for the visitors Blackburn Rovers. His first goal for The Black Cats came in a 3-3 draw at home to Grimsby Town on the 7th September 1985. That first season for Gates at Roker Park however proved to be an unhappy one with Sunderland finishing 18th only two places above the relegation zone.
If Gates first season had been an unhappy one his second proved to be a disaster as Sunderland where relegated to the third tier of English football for the only time in their history following a play-off defeat to Gillingham F.C. Gates had found the net twice in the second leg, ultimately to no avail.
Gates Third season at Sunderland under new manager Denis Smith was anything but an unhappy one, Sunderland strolled to the league title with over 90 points and 90 goals Gates scored 19 of those league goals missing only 4 league games alongside his new strike partner Marco Gabbiadini who had followed manager Denis Smith from York City earlier that summer. That strike partnership is known in Wearside folklore as The G-Force. Highlights for Gates that season included scoring four goals in a 7-0 victory over Southend United at Roker Park on the 3rd November 1987, a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory over Rotherham United again at Roker Park on the 20th December 1987 and a goal in a 3-1 victory over Northampton Town which clinched the title for Sunderland in front of a crowd of 29,454 at Roker Park on the 2nd May 1988.
Gates penultimate season at Sunderland saw him only finding the net 4 times in the league as Sunderland finished the season in 11th place.
The final season for Gates on Wearside proved to be a one of success. Gates played 39 times scoring 7 goals helping Sunderland to promotion back to the top flight. Gates scored two goals twice that season helping Sunderland to crucial league wins, however the thing Gates is most remembered for at Roker Park is scoring the opening goal in the biggest Tyne-Wear derby in history on the 16th May 1990, which helped Sunderland clinch a 2-0 play-off second leg victory over Newcastle United at St. James Park in the process securing Sunderland's third Wembley appearance.
Gates final appearance for The Wearsiders would come at Wembley against Swindon Town in the play-off final on the 28th May 1990 in front of a crowd of 72,873. Although Swindon Town won the game 1-0 through a Gary Bennett own goal, Sunderland went on to claim their place in the First Division as Swindon were refused entry due to a series of financial irregularities by the Swindon Town board.
In total Eric Gates made 219 appearances, 20 of which from the bench, scoring 55 goals at an average of 1 goal every 3.98 games.
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