Sunderland Association Football Club: Introduction

Sunderland Association Football Club (often simply referred to as Sunderland) is a professional football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. The club is steeped in history, with a passionate fan base and a rich legacy in English football.

Sunderland AFC currently plays football in the English Championship. The staff at the Fanbase hope that SAFC and its supporters have every success in the future. With this in mind, here is our overview of Sunderland AFC:

Before we continue, here is a link to the club’s official website.

Foundation and Early History

• Founded: 1879
• Nickname: The Black Cats, The Mackems, The Wearsiders and The Rokerites
• Stadium: Stadium of Light (Capacity: ~49,000)
• Club Colours: Red and white stripes

Schoolteacher James Allan founded Sunderland AFC and initially joined the Football League in 1890. The club quickly rose to prominence, winning the First Division title (the top tier of English football at the time) six times by 1936. This early success helped establish Sunderland as one of the most formidable teams in English football during that era.

Sunderland was once known as the “Bank of England” club. However, their long-suffering supporters have seen many good and bad times.

Sunderland Association Football Club: Golden Era and League Titles

Sunderland’s golden era was in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The club won the Football League First Division six times:

• 1891–92
• 1892–93
• 1894–95
• 1901–02
• 1912–13
• 1935–36

These titles made Sunderland one of the most successful English clubs during the early years of the Football League. Indeed, only five other football clubs can better this.

• Football World Championship Winners: (1895)
• England 1st tier Winners: (1891-92, 1892-93, 1894-95, 1901-02, 1912-13, 1935-36) 
• English 2nd tier Winners: (1975-76, 1995-96, 1998-99, 2004-05, 2006-07)
• BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year Award: Winners in 1973 (due to their success in the FA Cup)

Sunderland Association Football Club: FA Cup Success

Sunderland has won the FA Cup twice:

• 1937: The club’s first FA Cup victory came with a 3-1 win over Preston North End.
• 1973: This victory is one of the most famous in the club’s history. Sunderland, a Second Division team at the time, defeated the First Division’s Leeds United 1-0 in the final. Ian Porterfield scored the winning goal, and goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery made a legendary double save to secure the win.

So, the club has a lot of decent honours. However, the club has lost a little glory recently by not reaching its full potential.

Recent History

• Premier League Era: Sunderland has had several stints in the Premier League, the most recent being from 2007 to 2017. During this time, the club often battled relegation but managed to stay up for a decade before finally being relegated to the Championship in 2017.
• Double Relegation: After being relegated from the Premier League in 2017, Sunderland suffered a further relegation to League One (the third tier of English football) in 2018.
• League One and Return to the Championship: Sunderland spent four seasons in League One, where they reached the playoffs multiple times but failed to secure promotion. However, in the 2021-22 season, they won the League One Play-Off Final, defeating Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 at Wembley, which earned them promotion back to the Championship.

Sunderland Association Football Club: Rivalries

• Sunderland’s most intense rivalry is with Newcastle United. The matches between the two, known as the Tyne-Wear derby, are some of the most passionate and fiercely contested in English football.
• Other local rivals are Middlesbrough FC but this is not too intense.

Friendship Clubs

• In contrast to club rivalry, when Sunderland play Norwich City, the teams compete for “The Friendly Cup” (Friendship Trophy). This dates back to 1985, when the fans struck up a friendship in the League Cup Final (Milk Cup).
• Dutch club Feyenoord and Sunderland AFC also share a mutual friendship after Wearside shipbuilders found jobs in Rotterdam during the 1970s and 80s. That friendship remains to this day.

Sunderland Association Football Club: Fan Base

Sunderland boasts a large and loyal fan base. The club consistently attracts large crowds, even during its time in the lower divisions. The supporters are known for their passionate backing and deep connection to the club, with “Ha’way the Lads” being a popular chant.

Before every game, you’ll hear the crowd singing “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley (“Wise Men Say.”)

Notable Players and Managers

• Charlie Buchan: One of Sunderland’s early stars, who was a prolific scorer in the 1910s and 1920s.
• Raich Carter: A key player in the 1936 league title and 1937 FA Cup-winning teams.
• Kevin Phillips: A fan favourite, Phillips won the European Golden Shoe in 1999-2000 while playing for Sunderland, scoring 30 Premier League goals.
• Niall Quinn: Both a player and later chairman, Quinn played a crucial role in the club’s history on and off the field.
• Peter Reid: Managed the club to two seventh-place finishes in the Premier League in the early 2000s, one of the club’s best periods in recent history.

Sunderland Association Football Club: Stadium of Light

The Stadium of Light has been Sunderland’s home since 1997, replacing the old Roker Park. It’s one of the largest football stadiums in England and is known for its vibrant atmosphere, especially when the team is performing well.

Before their move to the new stadium, the club played at Roker Park. The famous Roker Roar also made the move with the team. The atmosphere is electric and can create the “twelfth man,” such is the noise. It may be intimidating to visiting teams, but the Mackems are well known for their friendly nature. Visiting supporters can mingle with the home supporters easily.

Current Status

As of the 2023-2024 season, Sunderland competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club is working towards regaining its status in the Premier League, building on the momentum from its promotion from League One.

Sunderland AFC remains a club with a storied past, a passionate fan base, and ambitions of returning to the top flight of English football.

Sunderland AFC Promotion!

Now, you can promote Sunderland yourself! The Football Fan Base is here for you to promote your favourite football team, of course.

How can you promote Sunderland at the Football Fan Base? Well, that’s the easy bit.

Our Football Forum is the biggest of its type on the internet. With this in mind, you can give Sunderland AFC some further exposure by writing on our blogs and forum.

Finally, you can enjoy the banter in the Football Forum and promote SAFC there. In other words, the Football Fan Base is a place where you control how wish to promote Sunderland AFC

** Information updated on September 3, 2024.