Sunderland AFC And The 1951 Festival Of Britain
In 1951 towns and cities across Britain still bore the devastating scars of the Second World War which had ended only six years earlier. After more than a decade of rationing, austerity and making-do, gloomy post-war Britain needed a lift. The government’s antidote was ‘The Festival of Britain’, a national…
On Tour With The Lads: Millwall 1979
Millwall 0 v 1 Sunderland AFC The Den, Bermondsey, London, 3 March 1979 Having witnessed by firat Sunderland AFC game in October 1971, a 2 v 2 draw with Luton Town, my first away game with The Lads was towards the end of 1976 and a trip to Middlesbrough. Undoubtedly…
Sunderland AFC 0 v 0 Stoke City FC, 4 September 2018, Checkatrade Trophy
What started out as a fairly mundane game ended up as an enjoyable evening as Sunderland did what they rarely seem to do, win a penalty shootout, this time 4 v 2 following a 0 v 0 draw after 90 minutes against Stoke City's under 21 side, featuring an evergreen…
Sunderland AFC 1 v 1 Oxford United, Saturday 1 September 2018
An overall poor display from Sunderland saw us come from behind to gain a point at home to Oxford United, who were always the better team and deserved to go away with something. Once more however we mustered the commitment to pull it back, scoring during our best spell of the…
Sunderland AFC 3 v 0 Scunthorpe United, 19 August 2018
We've heard it said before that "Sunderland were lucky to get nil" but the boot was on the other foot today as Sunderland won probably about as comfortably as any side could hope to win a football match. Although no team ever has 100% of the game this was as…
Sunderland AFC; The Team Of All The Talents
The Team Of All The Talents - Sunderland AFC 1889 to 1895 League Champions - 1891/92, 1892/93, 1894/95 World Champions - 1894/95 In the long history of Sunderland AFC there is one team that stands head and shoulders above them all; The Team Of All The Talents. It was alleged…
Harry Martin, Sunderland AFC 1912 to 1922
Harry Martin was born in Selston, Nottinghamshire on 5 December 1891 and started his footballing career with the local Sutton Junction club in 1909. He joined Sunderland in January 1912 making his debut in a 1 v 2 defeat at Anfield, where he scored after 15 minutes to give Sunderland…
Sunderland v Sheffield Wednesday, 16 August 2018
On a momentous day where the world said farewell to Aretha Franklin, the ultimate cultural icon, Sunderland AFC said farewell to this years edition of the League Cup, losing 0 v 2 to second division Sheffield Wednesday. For long periods of the game the home side enjoyed possession but…
Sunderland Albion’s First Game, 5 May 1888
The announced formation of Sunderland AFC in September 1880 was directly attributed to one man, James Allan. Whilst Allan is rightly revered as the founder of The Black Cats some won’t know that he ultimately left SAFC in acrimonious circumstances and formed a rival club, Sunderland Albion. The events surrounding…
George Holley; Sunderland AFC’s “Shining Star”
Sunderland AFC players training at Roker Park circa 1913. Charlie Buchan and goalkeeper George Anderson, back row; Harry Ness, Frank Cuggy and George Holley front row. George Holley was born in Seaham Harbour on 25th November, 1885 and according to the 1891 census, George was the youngest of five children…