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OTD: ANDY MELVILLE SIGNED - BY JACK WALDRON - 22 hours ago - 3 min read On this day in 1993, Andy Melville signed for Sunderland from Oxford United. The defender was one of our players involved in the infamous car crash in pre-season. The Welshman, who started out as midfielder but soon became known for his defensive attributes, would go on to make 213 appearances for his local team, Swansea City. He was a key member of the team that gained promotion from the old Fourth Division (now League Two) in the 1987/88 season. The season after, Melville would captain Swansea to a famous Welsh Cup final victory against Kidderminster Harriers, a win which secured the Swans a place in the following season’s European Cup Winners’ Cup. In Summer of 1990, Melville was sold to Oxford United for a fee of £275k and would go on to make 135 appearances for Oxford over three seasons, scoring 13 goals. The Swansea native would also go on to be a first team coach at United after his playing days had finished. After three years at The U's the defender was signed by Terry Butcher’s Sunderland, in a deal worth £500k, with full back Anton Rogan departing the Lads to join Oxford as part of the transfer. The six foot centre back joined Sunderland at a turbulent time in the club’s history, playing under three managers in his first two seasons on Wearside. However, one thing that was consistent about the Lads was Melville’s place in the matchday squad, being a regular in our starting line-up during his first two seasons at the club. After a pre-season friendly at Middlesbrough, new teammate Derek Ferguson offered to give a few players a lift home. In the car were Ferguson and Melville, as well as fellow new signings Phil Gray and Ian Rodgerson. Ferguson allegedly went the wrong way around a roundabout, writing off his own car and the other car involved in the ensuing crash. Gray was rushed to hospital for an emergency operation (glass from the windshield had to be removed from his eye) and Rodgerson dislocated his shoulder. Meanwhile, Melville suffered whiplash from the crash. He probably came out of the accident with the least damage, whilst his teammates were out of action for a while, Melville was able to make his debut in August as we were battered 5-0 by Derby County. Melville was a decent central defender and, at six foot, had the physical attributes to be a regular starter in our defence and was also good with the ball at his feet, with good distribution from the back to our midfield and forwards. The centre back remained a permanent starter for Sunderland up until the 1997/98 season when Peter Reid decided to shake-up the starting XI due to a poor start to the season. First-team action became limited and the Welshman joined Bradford on loan to get some regular first-team football. Melville did well in West Yorkshire and had The Bantams have matched the clubs £1 million valuation of the defender, it could’ve been the end of Melville’s chances of any sort of future at Sunderland. However, Bradford failed to match the valuation and the Wales international returned to Wearside determined to win back his place in the Sunderland backline. After some hard work in pre-season, Melville would get the chance to be part of the first team once again after Jody Craddock picked up an injury. He ended up forming a formidable partnership with Paul Butler. However, Sunderland’s most capped Wales player would turn down the opportunity to extend his contract at the Stadium of Light for another year, instead opting to join Fulham where he would play alongside former Sunderland player Paul Bracewell, as well as future SAFC boss Chris Coleman and Kit Symons in a very Welsh Fulham defence. From 1993-1999 Melville made a total of 236 appearances for us, scoring 14 times. On the international front, Melville made 65 appearances for the Wales national side, scoring six goals. The standout moment for Melville in a Wales shirt would probably be a 2-1 victory over Italy in a Euro 2004 qualifier at the Millennium Stadium.