April 1888, Sunderland’s First Floodlit Football Match
Sunderland AFC line up before their game with Blackburn Rovers, November 1887 We know that Sunderland AFC installed floodlights at Roker Park in 1952 and it was always assumed that SAFC played their first game under floodlights in a friendly match against Dundee on 10 December of that year (Sunderland won 5 v…
Sunderland 6 – 0 Millwall, (Saturday 9 December 1995)
1995/96 Endsleigh Insurance League Division 1, Roker Park, Sunderland 6 - 0 Millwall, (Saturday 9 December 1995) Attendance 18,951 Having scored for the reserves midweek, Craig Russell continued his scoring form, notching 4; the first time a Sunderland player had scored 4 goals in a league match since November 1987, and the first hat trick since January…
Sunderland AFC; Daily Express 5 A Side Winners 1979/80
Many older Sunderland fans will remember the annual Daily Express 5 a side tournament that used to take place at Wembley Arena every year. Always a highlight of the football season the matches were televised on the BBC Sportsnight programme that was broadcast midweek. The tournament carried some prestige and was…
Sunderland AFC Team 1978/79
A blast from the past as Ryehill Football presents two team images from the 1978/79 season. the first one is a first team shot from the close season with Sunderland still wearing their Jubilee Strip, in acknowledgement of HM Queen's 25 years on the throne. The strip was originally seen…
1976/77, Robbed?
Having been promoted as champions of the second division the previous season Sunderland went into the campaign with their legendary manager Bob Stokoe in charge. In truth whilst everyone was excited at the prospect of being back up few of us really knew what was in store. Although it would…
Sunderland AFC 1911/12
With a virtual identical home record to the previous season it was disappointing to finish in 8th place. This was on the back of a pretty poor away campaign, where we lost no fewer than 10 times. But patience with the new players would give its rewards next season. By…
The Strange Case Of Barney Travers
Barney Travers, Sunderland AFC Born Sunderland 1894 Barney Travers started his footballing career with Sunderland Co-op, playing in the local Wednesday League. From there he moved to Oak Villa and Lambton Star, then Sunderland West End, before signing for Sunderland AFC in July 1919. He fought during WW1 and was taken prisoner, remaining a…
1973 FA Cup Final: A Win Against The Odds
"I should pack it all in. there'll never be another moment like it". All of Wearside agreed with the above sentiments of Bob Stokoe as Sunderland took on the best teams England had to offer and deservedly beat them all to lift the FA Cup. After 36 long years the…
Legendary Sunderland Fans
For a football club with famed supporters it is hardly surprising that certain fans become deeply ingrained in the Sunderland AFC story. At Sunderland two fans became legendary because of the zeal with which they followed the Black Cats. John Tennick and Billy Simmons were both early and founding members of the Sunderland AFC Supporters Association. Both now deceased,…
The Roker Roar, Nomads Unite
"Tell all the Mags you know, that they'll never win 6 in a row From Borini on Wearside, Di Canio's knee slide and best of them all was Defoe" The Roker Roar pays homage to Sunderland's unique feat in the history of Tyne-Wear derby games In the build up to the…