--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a little spell when we had no…" description: "\"There was a little spell when we had no real leadership at the top but we've always had quality people here, lovely characters to whom Sunderland means..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/lee-cattermole-27138_leadership_there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no_2474116.jpg" --- # There was a little spell when we had no real leadership at… ![“There was a little spell when we had no real leadership at the top but we've always had quality people here, lovely characters to whom Sunderland means an awful lot.” quote by Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/lee-cattermole-27138_leadership_there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no_2474116.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/lee-cattermole-27138_leadership_there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no_2474116.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/lee-cattermole-27138_leadership_there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no_2474116.jpg) > “There was a little spell when we had no real leadership at the top but we've always had quality people here, lovely characters to whom Sunderland means an awful lot.” [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even without top leadership, strong individuals can sustain a community's character and purpose. **In simple terms:** Good people sustain groups despite weak leadership. Key Takeaway Leverage quality members to maintain culture. Themes leadership community culture Mood pragmatic thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - sports clubs - workplaces - nonprofits - volunteer groups Key Concepts team dynamics organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can you develop shared leadership? - What supports keep quality members engaged? A Different Perspective Reliance on individuals may cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characters Sunderland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-sunderland-791764/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Lovely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-lovely-747966/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-people/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real Leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-leaders/) [Sunderland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunderland-398596/) [Sunderland Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunderland-means-791765/) ## Related quotes > [How to have a lovely day.. Smile at strangers Slow down Say thankyou Give Lots of compliments Dress nicely Wear perfume Observe and listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-to-have-a-lovely-day-smile-at-strangers-slow-down-say-thankyou/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't get recognized all the time, but it tends to happen more in America, and people are so lovely when they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-don-t-get-recognized-all-the-time-but-it-tends-to-happen-more-in/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [I love people. People are lovely creatures. I'm one myself, so I love to see people happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hardy/i-love-people-people-are-lovely-creatures-i-m-one-myself-so-i-love-to/) [Tom Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hardy/) > [There were people there lovely as you'd ever care .Tonight, baby, you can start again laughing in the open air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-flothere-were-people-there-lthere-were-people-there-lwers/there-were-people-there-lovely-as-you-d-ever-care-tonight-baby-you/) [Brandon Flothere Were People There Lthere Were People There Lwers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-flothere-were-people-there-lthere-were-people-there-lwers/) > [There's not many Premier League clubs as big as Sunderland, with their fanbase and stadium and facilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coleman/there-s-not-many-premier-league-clubs-as-big-as-sunderland-with-their/) [Chris Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coleman/) > [It is hard to leave your local club. All my family are Sunderland fans, and it is pretty tough because I have had some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-henderson/it-is-hard-to-leave-your-local-club-all-my-family-are-sunderland-fans/) [Jordan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-henderson/) > [I don't know if that result's enough to life Birmingham off the bottom of the table, although it'll certainly take them above Sunderland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-ingham/i-don-t-know-if-that-result-s-enough-to-life-birmingham-off-the/) [Mike Ingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-ingham/) > [I learnt a lot at Bolton. At Sunderland I had six months. When I arrived they were bottom of the table and we got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/i-learnt-a-lot-at-bolton-at-sunderland-i-had-six-months-when-i/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [When I was very young, coming into the Sunderland side, if we got beaten, I'd be very down. I'd go home, and it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-henderson/when-i-was-very-young-coming-into-the-sunderland-side-if-we-got/) [Jordan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-henderson/) > [It was through the Hammerheads that I got a route into the professional game, via a trial at Sunderland from Mick McCarthy and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-murray/it-was-through-the-hammerheads-that-i-got-a-route-into-the/) [Glenn Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-murray/) > [Sunderland was a turning point where I changed from a boy to a man. It was definitely the right thing for me to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-welbeck/sunderland-was-a-turning-point-where-i-changed-from-a-boy-to-a-man-it/) [Danny Welbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-welbeck/) > [I joined Sunderland, a great club, to be successful, to feel at home again. It hasn't worked out, but that's not through lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-rodwell/i-joined-sunderland-a-great-club-to-be-successful-to-feel-at-home/) [Jack Rodwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-rodwell/) > [I've loved my time at Sunderland. It's benefited me so much, as I've just gained invaluable experience playing week-in, week-out in the Premier League…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-welbeck/i-ve-loved-my-time-at-sunderland-it-s-benefited-me-so-much-as-i-ve/) [Danny Welbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-welbeck/) > [Roy Keane can talk eloquently about the game. I was hoping he would take the Sunderland job when he was last in the frame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-neill/roy-keane-can-talk-eloquently-about-the-game-i-was-hoping-he-would/) [Martin O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-neill/) > [As a Sunderland fan, I loved Tommy Sorensen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-pickford/as-a-sunderland-fan-i-loved-tommy-sorensen/) [Jordan Pickford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-pickford/) ## More by Lee Cattermole > [I've always enjoyed playing there. As you drive into Newcastle you see the stadium and you get a buzz. It's a good feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/i-ve-always-enjoyed-playing-there-as-you-drive-into-newcastle-you-see/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [Every footballer enjoys having the ball at their feet. There are times in training you find yourself without the ball. I enjoy that side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/every-footballer-enjoys-having-the-ball-at-their-feet-there-are-times/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [The main reason I went on Twitter was to look at golfers like Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy and see what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/the-main-reason-i-went-on-twitter-was-to-look-at-golfers-like-lee/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [I'll always hold Middlesbrough close to my heart. I'll always remember my time there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/i-ll-always-hold-middlesbrough-close-to-my-heart-i-ll-always-remember/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [That is what I love about golf, you can go play somewhere where all the greats have played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/that-is-what-i-love-about-golf-you-can-go-play-somewhere-where-all/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [I always give my all and I don't like losing. In fact, I hate losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/i-always-give-my-all-and-i-don-t-like-losing-in-fact-i-hate-losing/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [Sometimes you forget that you are people's hero as well. People do look up to you and I'd forgotten that because, to me, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/sometimes-you-forget-that-you-are-people-s-hero-as-well-people-do/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [There was a rule for the under-13s at Middlesbrough that you were never allowed to swear. If you did, the manager had to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/there-was-a-rule-for-the-under-13s-at-middlesbrough-that-you-were/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [If things don't go well, the manager is on his way because it's such a blow if you drop into the lower divisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/if-things-don-t-go-well-the-manager-is-on-his-way-because-it-s-such-a/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [Gutless is a strong word, do you know what I mean? It doesn't take a lot of guts to sit behind a laptop at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/gutless-is-a-strong-word-do-you-know-what-i-mean-it-doesn-t-take-a/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [As I got older I started doing what I wanted. I enjoy my life now. Age helped; people change a lot between 17 and 30.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/as-i-got-older-i-started-doing-what-i-wanted-i-enjoy-my-life-now-age/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [I've got goals I want to achieve in my career and I'm working towards them every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/i-ve-got-goals-i-want-to-achieve-in-my-career-and-i-m-working-towards/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [There's two sides to the game, and you have to do the ugly side as well. If you're getting beat, and you're conceding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/there-s-two-sides-to-the-game-and-you-have-to-do-the-ugly-side-as/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [When I was a kid at Middlesbrough, we had the best captain ever in Gareth Southgate who was absolutely brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/when-i-was-a-kid-at-middlesbrough-we-had-the-best-captain-ever-in/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) > [Playing in front of 40,000-plus crowds will be brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/playing-in-front-of-40-000-plus-crowds-will-be-brilliant/) [Lee Cattermole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) [Explore all 21 Lee Cattermole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/) ## More Leadership quotes > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [It is absolutely necessary... for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-me-to-have-persons-that-can-think-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“Under the treaty of Sevres in 1920 Greece had been given Smyrna, and by 1922 the Greek army was trying to push its way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-faulks/under-the-treaty-of-sevres-in-1920-greece-had-been-given-smyrna-and/) [Sebastian Faulks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-faulks/) > [“If you're focused, you can't get bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/if-you-re-focused-you-can-t-get-bored/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [Some people you speak to you speak into their heads. It's logical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/some-people-you-speak-to-you-speak-into-their-heads-it-s-logical/) [Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [You can have Asians being leading men that are sex symbols. You can have leading women powering through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-golding/you-can-have-asians-being-leading-men-that-are-sex-symbols-you-can/) [Henry Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-golding/) > [“A man who saw has turned blind, A hearer deaf, A leader now leads astray!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-lichtheim/a-man-who-saw-has-turned-blind-a-hearer-deaf-a-leader-now-leads-astray/) [Miriam Lichtheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-lichtheim/) [Browse all 20,954 Leadership quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was a little spell when we had no real leadership at the top but we've always had quality people here, lovely characters to whom Sunderland means an awful lot.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lee Cattermole" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no-real-leadership-at-the-top/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Leadership" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no-real-leadership-at-the-top/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/lee-cattermole-27138_leadership_there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no_2474116.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/lee-cattermole-27138_leadership_there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no_2474116.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/lee-cattermole-27138_leadership_there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no_2474116.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There was a little spell when we had no real leadership at the top but we've always had quality people here…” — Lee Cattermole", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lee Cattermole", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-cattermole/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There was a little spell when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no-real-leadership-at-the-top/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-cattermole/there-was-a-little-spell-when-we-had-no-real-leadership-at-the-top/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```