Serious or daft, In the 1900/1901 season, SAFC were top of the league after winning their final match 2-0 away at the skunks. (which was today April 24). However Liverpool still had 2 games remaining, of which they won both, and took the title.
In the FA cup in 1951 Sunderland and Newcastle swapped shirts for one of the rounds, meaning SAFC wore black and white v Ston, while NUFC wore red and white v Bolton. http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Newcastle_United/Newcastle_United-change-kits.html
Sunderland were the 27th best supported team in Europe last season !, Chelsea and Rangers were above us but not this season as we will have averaged over 43,000. Barca only managed 75,000 on average, 80,000 was the best by Dortmund (I think).
I wasn't aware of that - thanks, Commo. But Milburn's second goal that year was probably the greatest FA Cup Final goal of them all. A cheeky back-heel from Ernie Taylor was right in Jackie's path and he let rip with a screamer from about 25 yards.. George Farm, the Blackpool and Scotland goalkeeper later said no goalkeeper in the world would have stopped that. Stanley Mortensen's historic third in 1953, and Steven Gerrard's winner against West Ham (can't remember the year) were great goals, but Jackie Milburn's second in '51 takes an awful lot of beating.
Sunderland became the first club to sign someone’s manager. In 1949 we made a bid for Carlisle United player-manager Ivor Broadis. Broadis handled negotiations himself, accepted the bid for himself and he was over to Sunderland for a fee of £18,000.
Good one, FD, I believe Broadis was the youngest manager in league history. He was posted to Cumberland with Bomber Command. When Carlisle heard of it, they offered him the player-manager's job. I think he was about 23 at the time.
Though you'd like this type of thread, In the 1937 FA C up win against Preston when we had players like Raich Carter, Preston had a player you later went onto become on of the best managers ever..Bill Shankly.
The "Game of Three Halves" was the name given to an extraordinary football match played between Sunderland and Derby County on the opening day of the 1894–95 English football season. Derby had travelled to Sunderland on the 1st of September for their first round fixture in the new First Division season. The nominated referee, a Mr Kirkham, was running late, so the game started with a replacement referee, John Conqueror, in charge. After 45 minutes play, with Sunderland leading 3-0, Mr Kirkham arrived. He made an incredible decision, asking Derby if they wanted to start the game from scratch, thus annulling the 45 minutes that had already been played. Derby accepted, and two more halves followed, thus allowing three halves to be played. The decision to start the match again did not help Derby. They conceded three further goals in the "second half" and five goals in the "third half" to lose the match 8-0.
Random question, as i can't find the answer anywhere. What is the longest distance goal that SAFC have scored and by who?
I don't where I'd find that fella. But I do remember Phil Gray scoring a 40 odd yard drive away to Grimsby. Grass cutter that went across the keeper into the bottom corner. Sure there's commentary of that goal in the day dream believer song. Yep 3:40 in
Another random Sunderland's team were the only FA Cup winners of the 20th century not to field any full internationals, although some of their players were capped later.
In 1895, after winning the English League Championship, Sunderland played against Heart of Midlothian, the champions of the Scottish League, in a game described as the Championship of the World title match.[11] Sunderland won the game 5–3 and were announced "Champions of the world".[12]
Mix 'n' match this with Funky Dick's post mate. When Broadis moved to Sunderland, Carlisle gave a chance to an unproven manager - Bill Shankly. Broadis has - even today - lived in the same semi-detached bunglaow he bought in Carlisle in 1955. He asked Sunderland if he could train during the week with Carlisle, and Shanks laid the law down. If you're training with us, you'll train my way. And both of them reckoned that Broadis became a better player because of it. Incidentally, England lost 7 - 1 to the 'Magical Magyars' - Puskas, Hideguiti, Grosics & co. - in Budapest in 1954. England's only goal that day was socred by ... Ivor Broadis.
