Sunderland A.F.C.

association football club in Sunderland, England

Sunderland Association Football Club is an English football club. They are from the city of Sunderland.

Sunderland A.F.C.
Full nameSunderland Association Football Club
Nickname(s)The Black Cats
Short nameSAFC
Founded1879; 145 years ago (1879)
(as Sunderland and District Teachers)
GroundStadium of Light
Capacity49,000
OwnerKyril Louis-Dreyfus (majority)
ChairmanKyril Louis-Dreyfus
Head coachLee Johnson
LeagueChampionship
2021–22League One, 5th of 24 (promoted via play-offs)
WebsiteClub website
Current season

The club played in the Premier League in the 2005/2006 season, they finished bottom. They played in the Football League Championship in 2006/2007, but were promoted back to the Premiership for 2007/08 under manager Roy Keane.

Sunderland AFC were created in 1879 and joined the Football League in 1891. They have won the league six times. The last time Sunderland won the league was in 1936. Sunderland have won the FA Cup two times, in 1937 and 1973.

For 99 years, Sunderland played their home games at Roker Park. In 1997 they moved, and now play their home games at the Stadium of Light. The stadium holds 49,000 people.

Seasons

SeasonLeagueFA CupEFL Cup[a]Europe / OtherTop league goalscorer(s)[1]
Division (Tier)PldWDLGFGAPtsPosName(s)Goals
1884–85There was no league football until 1888–89QR
1885–86QR
1886–87QR
1887–88Disq[b]
1888–89Sunderland did not join The Football League until 1890–91QR
1889–90R1
1890–91FL (1)221057513123[c]7thSFJohnny Campbell19
1891–92FL (1)2621059336421stSFJohnny Campbell32
1892–93Div 1[d] (1)30224410036481stQFJohnny Campbell31
1893–94Div 1 (1)3017497244382ndR2Jimmy Millar20
1894–95Div 1 (1)3021548037471stSFFootball World ChampionshipWJohnny Campbell22
1895–96Div 1 (1)3015785241375thR2Johnny Campbell15
1896–97Div 1 (1)30791434472315th[e]R2Football League Test Matches2ndJames Gillespie
Jimmy Hannah
8
1897–98Div 1 (1)3016594330372ndR1John Brown
Jim Leslie
Hughie Wilson
8
1898–99Div 1 (1)34156134141367thR2Jim Leslie9
1899–1900Div 1 (1)34193125035413rdR2Colin McLatchie10
1900–01Div 1 (1)34151365726432ndR1Geordie Livingstone12
1901–02Div 1 (1)3419695035441stR2Jimmy Gemmell
Billy Hogg
10
1902–03Div 1 (1)3416995136413rdR1Sheriff of London Charity Shield[f]WJimmy Gemmell
Joe Hewitt
Jimmy Millar
7
1903–04Div 1 (1)34175126349396thR1Jack Craggs
Billy Hogg
12
1904–05Div 1 (1)34168106044405thR1George Holley
Walter Watkins
9
1905–06Div 1 (1)381551861703514thR3Arthur Bridgett17
1906–07Div 1 (1)381491565663710thR3Arthur Bridgett25
1907–08Div 1 (1)381631978753516thR1George Holley23
1908–09Div 1 (1)38212157863443rdQFGeorge Holley18
1909–10Div 1 (1)38185156651418thR3George Holley20
1910–11Div 1 (1)38151586748453rdR1Tim Coleman19
1911–12Div 1 (1)381411135851398thR3George Holley[g]25
1912–13Div 1 (1)3825498643541stRUCharlie Buchan27
1913–14Div 1 (1)38176156352407thQFGeorge Holley15
1914–15Div 1 (1)38185158172418thR1Charlie Buchan23
The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the First World War.
1919–20Div 1 (1)42224167259485thR3Charlie Buchan21
1920–21Div 1 (1)4214131557604112thR1Charlie Buchan27
1921–22Div 1 (1)421681860624012thR1Charlie Buchan21
1922–23Div 1 (1)422210107254542ndR2Charlie Buchan30
1923–24Div 1 (1)42229117154533rdR1Charlie Buchan26
1924–25Div 1 (1)421910136451487thR2Bobby Marshall18
1925–26Div 1 (1)42216159680483rdR5Dave Halliday38
1926–27Div 1 (1)42217149870493rdR3Dave Halliday36
1927–28Div 1 (1)421591874763915thR4Dave Halliday35
1928–29Div 1 (1)42207159375474thR3Dave Halliday43[h]
1929–30Div 1 (1)42187177680439thR5Bobby Gurney15
1930–31Div 1 (1)421691789854111thSFBobby Gurney30
1931–32Div 1 (1)4215101767734013thR4Bobby Gurney16
1932–33Div 1 (1)4215101763804012thQFBobby Gurney15
1933–34Div 1 (1)421612148156446thR4Bobby Gurney21
1934–35Div 1 (1)42191679051542ndR4Bobby Gurney30
1935–36Div 1 (1)422561110974561stR3Raich Carter
Bobby Gurney
31
1936–37Div 1 (1)42196178987448thW[i]Charity Shield[j]WRaich Carter26
1937–38Div 1 (1)421416125557448thSFCharity ShieldRURaich Carter13
1938–39Div 1 (1)4213121754673816thR5Raich Carter15
1939–40Div 1 (1)3102672[k]
The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the Second World War.
1945–46n/a[l]R5
1946–47Div 1 (1)42188166566449thR3Jackie Robinson
Cliff Whitelum
17
1947–48Div 1 (1)4213101956673620thR3Dickie Davis12
1948–49Div 1 (1)421317124958438thR4Dickie Davis10
1949–50Div 1 (1)422110118362523rdR4Dickie Davis25
1950–51Div 1 (1)4212161463734012thQFTrevor Ford16
1951–52Div 1 (1)4215121570614212thR3Trevor Ford
Len Shackleton
22
1952–53Div 1 (1)421513146882439thR4Trevor Ford20
1953–54Div 1 (1)421482081893618thR3Tommy Wright18
1954–55Div 1 (1)42151896454484thR4Ken Chisholm18
1955–56Div 1 (1)42179168095439thSFCharlie Fleming29
1956–57Div 1 (1)421282267883220thR4Charlie Fleming25
1957–58Div 1 (1) ↓4210122054973221stR3Alan O'Neill13
1958–59Div 2 (2)421681864754015thR3Don Kichenbrand21
1959–60Div 2 (2)4212121852653616thR3Ian Lawther17
1960–61Div 2 (2)421713127560476thQFR2Ian Lawther24
1961–62Div 2 (2)42229118550533rdR4QFBrian Clough29
1962–63Div 2 (2)422012108455523rdR5SFBrian Clough24
1963–64Div 2 (2) 42251168137612ndQFR2Johnny Crossan22
1964–65Div 1 (1)421491964743715thR4R4Nick Sharkey18
1965–66Div 1 (1)421482051723619thR3R3Neil Martin
George Mulhall
8
1966–67Div 1 (1)421482058723617thR5R2Neil Martin20
1967–68Div 1 (1)4213111851613715thR3R4Colin Suggett14
1968–69Div 1 (1)4211121943673417thR3R2Colin Suggett9
1969–70Div 1 (1) ↓426142230682621stR3R2Anglo-Italian CupGrpGordon Harris7
1970–71Div 2 (2)4215121552544213thR3R2Joe Baker10
1971–72Div 2 (2)42171696757505thR4R2Anglo-Italian CupGrpDennis Tueart
Dave Watson
13
1972–73Div 2 (2)421712135949466thW[m]R2Billy Hughes15
1973–74Div 2 (2)42199145844476thR3R3UEFA Cup Winners' CupR2[n]Vic Halom18
1974–75Div 2 (2)421913106535514thR4R2Texaco CupGrpPop Robson19
1975–76Div 2 (2) 42248106736561stQFR2Anglo-Scottish CupGrpPop Robson13
1976–77Div 1 (1) ↓4211121946543420thR3R3Bob Lee13
1977–78Div 2 (2)421416126759446thR3R2Gary Rowell18
1978–79Div 2 (2)42221197044554thR4R2Anglo-Scottish CupGrpGary Rowell21
1979–80Div 2 (2) 42211296942542ndR3R4Anglo-Scottish CupGrpPop Robson20
1980–81Div 1 (1)421472152533517thR3R2Gary Rowell10
1981–82Div 1 (1)42111120385844[o]19thR4R3Gary Rowell9
1982–83Div 1 (1)4212141648615016thR3R3Gary Rowell16
1983–84Div 1 (1)4213131642535213thR4R3Colin West9
1984–85Div 1 (1) ↓4210102240624021stR3RU[p]Clive Walker10
1985–86Div 2 (2)4213111847615018thR4R2Full Members' CupASFEric Gates9
1986–87Div 2 (2) ↓4212121849594820th[q]R3R1Full Members' CupR2David Buchanan
Mark Proctor
8
1987–88Div 3 (3) 42271279248931stR2R1Associate Members' CupAQFMarco Gabbiadini21
1988–89Div 2 (2)4616151560606311thR3R2Full Members' CupR2Marco Gabbiadini18
1989–90Div 2 (2) 462014127064746th[r]R3QFFull Members' Cup
Second Division Play-offs
R1
RU
Marco Gabbiadini21
1990–91Div 1 (1) ↓388102038603419thR3R3Full Members' CupR3Marco Gabbiadini9
1991–92Div 2 (2)4614112161655318thRUR2Don Goodman11
1992–93Div 1[s] (2)4613112250645021stR4R1Anglo-Italian CupGrpDon Goodman16
1993–94Div 1 (2)461981954576512thR4R3Anglo-Italian CupGrpPhil Gray14
1994–95Div 1 (2)4612181641455420thR4R2Phil Gray12
1995–96Div 1 (2) 46221775933831stR3R2Craig Russell13
1996–97Prem (1) ↓3810101835534018thR3R3Craig Russell
Paul Stewart
4
1997–98Div 1 (2)46261288650903rd[t]R4R3First Division Play-offsRUKevin Phillips29
1998–99Div 1 (2) 463112391281051stR4SFKevin Phillips23
1999–2000Prem (1)381610125756587thR4R3Kevin Phillips30
2000–01Prem (1)381512114641577thR5QFKevin Phillips14
2001–02Prem (1)3810101829514017thR3R2Kevin Phillips11
2002–03Prem (1) ↓38472721651920thR5R4Kevin Phillips6
2003–04Div 1 (2)462213116245793rd[u]SFR2First Division Play-offsSFMarcus Stewart14
2004–05Chmp[v] (2) 46297107641941stR4R2Marcus Stewart16
2005–06Prem (1) ↓38362926691520thR4R3Liam Lawrence
Anthony Le Tallec
Tommy Miller
Dean Whitehead
3
2006–07Chmp (2) 46277127647881stR3R1David Connolly13
2007–08Prem (1)381162136593915thR3R2Kenwyne Jones7
2008–09Prem (1)38992034543616thR4R4Djibril Cissé
Kenwyne Jones
10
2009–10Prem (1)3811111648564413thR4R4Darren Bent25
2010–11Prem (1)3812111545564710thR3R3Asamoah Gyan10
2011–12Prem (1)3811121545464513thQFR2Nicklas Bendtner8
2012–13Prem (1)389121741543917thR3R4Steven Fletcher11
2013–14Prem (1)381082041603814thQFRU[w]Premier League Asia TrophyRUAdam Johnson8
2014–15Prem (1)387171431533816thR5R3Steven Fletcher
Connor Wickham
5
2015–16Prem (1)389121748623917thR3R3Jermain Defoe15
2016–17Prem (1) ↓38662629692420thR3R4Jermain Defoe14
2017–18Chmp (2) ↓467162352803724thR3R3Lewis Grabban12
2018–19One (3)46221958047855th[x]R2R1EFL Trophy
League One Play-offs
RU[y]
RU
Josh Maja15
2019–20One (3)36161194832598th[z]R1R4EFL TrophyGrpChris Maguire10
2020–21One (3)46201797042774th[aa]R1R1EFL Trophy
League One Play-offs
W

SF
Charlie Wyke26
Notes

References