Sunderland Association Football Club, are a professional football club based in Sunderland, North East England. They were announced to the world by the local newspaper, The Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette on 27 September 1880 as Sunderland & District Teachers Association Football Club following a meeting of the Teachers at Rectory Park school in Sunderland on 25 September 1880. The football club changed their name to the current form on 16 October 1880, just 20 days after the September announcement. They were elected into The Football League in the 1890–91 season, becoming the first team to join the league since its inauguration in the 1889–90 season, replacing Stoke F.C.

Transfers

All figures are based on the maximum potential fee and are correct as at 20 August 2025.

In

DatePos.PlayerFromFeeReport1 July 2025MF Habib Diarra Strasbourg£30 million10 July 2025LW Simon Adingra Brighton & Hove Albion£21 million9 July 2025RW Chemsdine Talbi Club Brugge£19.5 million3 June 2025MF Enzo Le Fée Roma£19 million4 July 2025MF Noah Sadiki Union Saint-Gilloise£17.5 million31 August 2016MF Didier Ndong Lorient£13.8 million31 August 2010FW Asamoah Gyan Rennes£13 million24 August 2012FW Steven Fletcher Wolverhampton Wanderers£12 million29 June 2011FW Connor Wickham Ipswich Town£12 million (£8M up front)5 August 2014MF Jack Rodwell Manchester City£10 million23 August 2012MF Adam Johnson Manchester City£10 million5 August 2009FW Darren Bent Tottenham Hotspur£10 million31 August 2015FW Fabio Borini Liverpool£10 million (£8M up front)1 August 2015MF Ricky Álvarez Inter Milan£9 million 30 January 2016MF Wahbi Khazri Bordeaux£9 million8 August 2007GK Craig Gordon Heart of Midlothian£9 million (£7M up front)15 July 2015MF Jeremain Lens Dynamo Kyiv£8 million27 August 2013DF Anton Ferdinand West Ham United£8 million (£6.75M up front)5 August 2016DF Papy Djilobodji Chelsea£8 million30 August 2002FW Tore André Flo Rangers£6.75 million16 July 2013MF Emanuele Giaccherini Juventus£6.5 million30 June 2013MF Jozy Altidore AZ£6 million30 June 2011MF Craig Gardner Birmingham City£6 million29 August 2007FW Kenwyne Jones Southampton£6 million12 August 2009FW Lee Cattermole Wigan Athletic£6 million29 January 2011FW Stéphane Sessègnon Paris Saint-Germain£6 million1 September 2008DF George McCartney West Ham United£5.5 million (£4.5M up front)16 July 2007MF Kieran Richardson Manchester United£5.5 million31 January 2013FW Danny Graham Swansea City£5 million30 July 2008MF Steed Malbranque Tottenham Hotspur£5 million26 July 2009MF Lorik Cana Marseille£5 million13 July 2007FW Michael Chopra Cardiff City£5 million7 July 2011DF John O'Shea Manchester United£5 million

Out DatePos.PlayerToFeeReport10 June 2025MF Jobe Bellingham Borussia Dortmund£32 million (£27.8M up front)15 June 2017GK Jordan Pickford Everton£30 million (£25M up front)18 January 2011FW Darren Bent Aston Villa£24 million (£18M up front)9 June 2011MF Jordan Henderson Liverpool£20 million (£16.25M up front)24 August 2024MF Jack Clarke Ipswich Town£20 million (£15M up front)30 January 2017DF Patrick van Aanholt Crystal Palace£14 million (£9M up front)25 June 2013GK Simon Mignolet Liverpool£11.25 million (£9M up front)1 June 2025FW Tom Watson Brighton & Hove Albion£10 million1 September 2023FW Ross Stewart Southampton£10 million (£8M up front)3 August 2015FW Connor Wickham Crystal Palace£9 million (£7M up front)17 July 2018MF Wahbi Khazri Saint-Étienne£9 million (£6M up front)12 August 2010FW Kenwyne Jones Stoke City£8 million31 August 2013FW Stéphane Sessègnon West Bromwich Albion£6.5 million9 July 2012FW Asamoah Gyan Al-Ain£6 million (added to £6M loan fee received previously)1 June 2018MF Jeremain Lens Beşiktaş£6 million (including £6M loan fee)30 June 2017FW Fabio Borini Milan£5.3 million (£1M up front)30 August 2001MF Don Hutchison West Ham United£5.25 million8 July 2010MF Lorik Cana Galatasaray£5.1 million24 July 2009MF Dean Whitehead Stoke City£5 million23 July 1999FW Michael Bridges Leeds United£5 million26 June 2018DF Paddy McNair Middlesbrough£5 million

Honours and achievements Sunderland have won a total of six Football League Championships including three in the space of four seasons, along with being runners-up five times. Sunderland have also experienced success in the FA Cup, winning it twice; in 1937 and 1973. They have never won the League Cup but finished as finalists in 1985 and 2014.

League First Division (level 1): Winners (6): 1891–92, 1892–93, 1894–95, 1901–02, 1912–13, 1935–36 Runners-up (5): 1893–94, 1897–98, 1900–01, 1922–23, 1934–35 Football League Championship (level 2): Winners (2): 2004–05, 2006–07 Second Division (level 2): Winners (1): 1975–76 Runners-up (2): 1963–64, 1979–80 Promotion (1): 1989–90 First Division (level 2): Winners (1): 1995–96, 1998–99 Third Division (level 3): Winners (1): 1987–88

Cup FA Cup: Winners (2): 1937, 1973 Finalists (2): 1913, 1992 Football League Cup: Finalists (2): 1985, 2014 FA Charity Shield: Winners (1): 1936 Finalists (1): 1937 Sheriff of London Charity Shield: Winners (1): 1903 Football League War Cup: Finalists (1): 1942 Durham Challenge Cup: Winners (4): 1884, 1887, 1888, 1890, Northern Temperance Festival Cup: Winners (1): 1884, Durham and Northumberland Championship: Winners (1): 1888 British Cup: Runners Up (1): 1902 Dewar Sheriff of London Shield: Winners (1): 1903 Newcastle and Sunderland Hospitals Cup: Winners (3): 1912, 1913, 1914 Runners Up (1): 1911 Durham Senior Cup: Winners (11): 1919, 1923, 1924, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939 Runners Up (3): 1925, 1926, 1928 Northern Victory League: Runners Up (1): 1919 North East Counties Cup: Winners (2): 1920, 1921 Northumberland and Durham Challenge Cup: Runners Up (1): 1883

Player records

Appearances Youngest first-team player: Derek Forster, 15 years 185 days (vs Leicester City, 22 August 1964).Mason, p 456. Oldest first-team player: Jermain Defoe, 39 years 163 days (vs Lincoln City, 19 March 2022).Charles Thompson was 41 when he played his last game for Sunderland in 1919

Most appearances Competitive matches only. Each column contains appearances in the starting eleven, followed by appearances as substitute in brackets.Mason, p 458. RankPlayerYearsLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherThe "Other" column constitutes goals and appearances (including those as a substitute) in the FA Charity Shield, the European Cup Winners' Cup, the Football League Trophy, the Anglo-Italian Cup, the Anglo-Scottish Cup, the Texaco Cup and relegation/promotion play-offs.Total1 537 (0) 41 (0)33 (0)16 (0)627 (0)2 1957–197126 (0)23 (0)0 (0)3 1890–1904417 (0)35 (0)0 (0)5 (0)457 (0)4 1951–1963402 (0)34 (0)11 (0)0 (0)447 (0)5 1984–199521 (0)6 1964–197914 (0)21 (0)7 1983–199619 (0)8 1911–1925379 (0)32 (0)0 (0)0 (0)411 (0)9 1990–20042 (0)10 1957–196926 (0)17 (0)0 (0)

Goalscorers

Top goalscorers Competitive matches only, appearances including substitutes appear in brackets.Mason, p 457. RankPlayerYearsLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal1 205 (348)23 (40)0 (0)2 1911–1925209 (379)13 (32)0 (0)0 (0)222 (411)3 1925–1929156 (166)9 (9)0 (0)0 (0)165 (175)4 1904–1919150 (280)9 (35)0 (0)0 (0)159 (315)5 1890–1997135 (186)25 (19)0 (0)0 (0)154 (215)

Most hat-tricks: Dave Halliday – 12 (11 league and 1 cup)"Dave Halliday" qosfc.com

Managerial records

First full-time manager: Tom Watson managed the club for 191 matches, from August 1888 to August 1896.Mason, p 203. Longest serving manager: Bob Kyle managed the club for 817 matches, from August 1905 to May 1928, a total of 23 years.Mason, p 204.

Club records

Goals Most league goals scored in a season: 109 (in 42 matches in the 1935–36 season, First Division). Fewest league goals scored in a season: 21 (in 38 matches in the 2002–03 season, Premier League). Most league goals conceded in a season: 97 (in 42 matches in the 1957–58 season, First Division). Fewest league goals conceded in a season: 26 (in 34 matches in the 1900–01 season, First Division).

Points Most points in a season: Two points for a win: 61 (in 42 games in the 1963–64 season, Second Division). Three points for a win: 105 (in 46 games in the 1998–99 season, First Division). Fewest points in a season: Two points for a win: 23 (in 22 games in the 1890–91 season, The Football League) and (in 30 games in the 1896–97 season, First Division). Three points for a win: 15 (in 38 games in the 2005–06 season, Premier League).

Matches

Firsts First match: Sunderland 0–1 Ferryhill, 13 November 1880.Days, p 10. First competitive match: Sunderland 2–2 Burnopfield in the Durham Challenge Cup, 11 December 1880. First league match: Sunderland 2–3 Burnley, 13 September 1890.Mason, p 224. First FA Cup match: Redcar 3–1 Sunderland, 8 November 1884.Mason, p 444. First League Cup match: Brentford 4–3 Sunderland, 26 October 1960.Mason, p 346. First European match: Vasas Budapest 0–2 Sunderland, 19 September 1973, UEFA Cup Winner's Cup.

Record wins Record Football League win: 9–1 (v. Newcastle United, 5 December 1908) Record FA Cup win: 11–1 (v. Fairfield, 2 February 1895) Record League Cup win: 7–0 (v. Cambridge United, 1 October 2002) Record Football League Trophy win: 8–1 (v. Aston Villa U21, 8 September 2020) Record friendly win: 23–0 (v. Castletown, 20 December 1884)

Record defeats Record league defeats: 0–8 (v. Sheffield Wednesday, 26 December 1911).Mason, p 443. 0–8 (v. West Ham United, 19 October 1968). 0–8 (v. Watford, 25 September 1982) 0–8 (v. Southampton, 18 October 2014) Record FA Cup defeat: 1–5 (v. Manchester United, 9 March 1964) Record League Cup defeat: 0–6 (v. Derby County, 31 October 1990) Record Football League Trophy defeat: 0–3 (v. Scunthorpe United, 12 November 2019)

Attendances

Overall Highest overall attendance: 75,118 v. Derby County, FA Cup Sixth Round Replay, 8 March 1933 at Roker Park (Sunderland 0–1 Derby County) Highest league attendance: 68,004 v. Newcastle United, 4 March 1950 at Roker Park (Sunderland 2–2 Newcastle United) Lowest recorded attendance: 880 vs Millwall, Friendly, 28 July 1969 at Roker Park (Sunderland 0–1 Millwall) Lowest recorded league attendance: 3,841 v. Manchester City, 11 April 1934 at Roker Park (Sunderland 0–0 Manchester City) Lowest approximate competitive attendance: c. 1,500 v. Birtley Town, Durham Challenge Cup First Round, 20 November 1886 at Newcastle Road (Sunderland 2–0 Birtley) Lowest recorded competitive attendance: 3,498 v. Oldham Athletic, EFL Trophy Second Round, 1 December 2021 at Stadium of Light (Sunderland 0–1 Oldham Athletic)

Competitive Attendance Records by Ground Attendances at Sunderland's grounds prior to Newcastle Road were rarely recorded. Attendances at Newcastle Road, and in the seasons prior to 1925 at Roker Park were usually approximations. +GroundHighestLowestLeagueOtherLeagueOtherNewcastle Roadc. 24,000 v. Sheffield United, 5 March 1898c. 23,000 v. Aston Villa, FA Cup, 10 February 1894c. 2,000 v. Blackburn Rovers, 19 December 1896c. 1,500 v. Birtley Town in the Durham Challenge Cup, 20 November 1886Roker Park68,004, v. Newcastle United, 4 March 195075,118 v. Derby County, FA Cup, 8 March 19333,841 v. Manchester City, 11 April 1934c. 1,500 v Darlington in the Durham Senior Cup, 21 October 1931Stadium of Light48,355 v. Liverpool, 13 April 200247,543 v. Manchester United, EFL Cup, 28 November 200022,167 v. Wigan Athletic, 2 December 20033,498 v. Oldham Athletic in the EFL Trophy, 1 December 2021

European statistics

Record by season Below is Sunderland's record in European competitions. They have only appeared once in European competition, during the 1973–74 season where they reached the second round. They qualified for the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup after winning the 1973 FA Cup Final over Leeds United.

Season Competition Round Country Club Home result Away result Notes1973–74European Cup Winners' CupR1Vasas Budapest2–01–0R2Sporting CP2–10–2 Key PR = Preliminary round 1R = First round 2R = Second round