1876
Andrew McCombie (165 apps, 6 goals) is born at Inverness
1938
Mike Hellawell (46 apps, 3 goals) is born at Keighley
1979
Ken Knighton (94 games, 34 wins) is appointed manager
Record in 1st Class Competitions
Up to and including match v. Sheffield United on 24/5/2025
Matches Played
5,656
Number of...
Number of different players to...
Matches won
2,263
Matches drawn
1,389
Matches lost
2,004
Goals scored
8,659
Goals conceded
7,923
Matches scored in
4,252
Matches not conceded in
1,546
Make an appearance
1,163
Start a match
1,121
Come on as a substitute
516
Be substituted
600
Never appear but be a sub
55
Score a goal
640
Be sent off
142
Club Formation
Sunderland AFC formed on October 1879, at the British School in Norfolk Street, Sunderland. This is a given for all Sunderland fans and the club itself. Yet there is no factual evidence to support it. To believe it is to believe error-strewn anecdotes and stories published many years later.
There is now a substantial collection of primary source evidence, reported in newspapers from 1879 to 1883, that simply does not support the 1879 date. Furthermore, it provides a consistent set of facts from which the only logical conclusion is that Sunderland AFC formed on 25th September 1880 at Rectory Park School, Sunderland.
All the evidence we have concerning the formation is available on this website for anyone with an interest to examine. In our view, 25th September 1880 is the formation date of SAFC and should be celebrated.
Match Data Status
Basic Match Details
All seasons
Sunderland Team, Manager and Scorers
All seasons
Opposition Team, Manager and Scorers
All seasons
Goal Sequences and Times
All seasons
Grounds and Attendances
All seasons