Sunderland A.F.C. seasons

Sunderland Association Football Club was founded in 1879 as Sunderland & District Teachers Association Football Club by James Allan. [cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/history/?page_id=2716|title=Sunderland History|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-08-10] They turned professional in 1885. [Days, p15] Sunderland won their first Football League championship in the 1891–92 season two years after joining the league . They won the Football League First Division on three occasions in four seasons; in 1892, 1893 and 1895, separated by a runner-up spot in 1894. In the 1901–02 season, Sunderland won their fifth Football League First Division championship. They came close to completing the "league and cup double" in the 1912–13 season, winning the league but losing to Aston Villa in the 1913 FA Cup Final. The team's next success came in the 1935–36 season when they won the League Championship and also the Charity Shield. They had not won the FA Cup until the 1936–37 season when they defeated Preston North End in the 1937 FA Cup Final. Sunderland entered The Football League in 1890 and were not relegated from the top division until the 1957–58 season; a total of 58 seasons in the highest division of England. Their next trophy came in the 1973 FA Cup Final as they beat Leeds United 1–0. They reached the 1985 Football League Cup Final but finished as runners-up to Norwich City after being beaten 1–0. In the 1986–87 season Sunderland were relagated to the Football League Third Division for the first time in their history under the management of Lawrie McMenemy, they however, returned to the second division the following season. Their first appearance in the Premier League came in the 1999–2000 season after being promoted as champions from Division One. In winning promotion the club gained 105 points, which was a record at the time. Sunderland gained just 15 points in the 2005-06 season, which set the record for the lowest number of points in a Premier League season, which has since been eclipsed by Derby County. [cite web|url=http://www.premierleague.com/page/sunderland|title=Sunderland A.F.C.|publisher=Barclays Premier League|accessdate=2008-09-02]

Sunderland have won the League Championship six times, the FA Cup twice, and the Charity Shield three times (including the Sheriff of London Charity Shield). They have been runners-up in the League Championship five times, in the FA Cup twice and in the League Cup once. In European competitions, Sunderland have reached the second round stage of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. The table details the club's achievements in all national and European first-team competitions, and records their top league goalscorer, for each completed season.

Key

Key to league record:
*P = Played
*W = Games won
*D = Games drawn
*L = Games lost
*F = Goals for
*A = Goals against
*Pts = Points
*Pos = Final positionKey to divisions:
*FL = Football League
*Div 1 = Football League First Division
*Div 2 = Football League Second Division
*Div 3 = Football League Third Division
*Prem = Premier League
*Chmp = The Championship
*n/a = Not applicableKey to rounds:
*DNE = Did not enter
*Disq = Disqualified
*QR = Qualifying round
*Grp = Group stage
*R1 = Round 1
*R2 = Round 2
*R3 = Round 3
*R4 = Round 4
*R5 = Round 5

*QF = Quarter-finals
*SF = Semi-finals
*AQF = Area quarter-finals
*ASF = Area semi-finals
*AF = Area final
*RU = Runners-up
*WS = Shared
*W = Winners

Footnotes

:A. : The League Cup competition started in the 1960–61 season.:B. Sunderland were disqualified from the FA Cup after beating Middlesbrough 4–2 in a third qualifying round replay, Middlesbrough protested that Sunderland had paid three of their players, they were disqualified for "professionalism". [cite web|url=http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Imatchdets/IMD4740.asp|title=Sunderland 4-2 Middlesbrough|publisher=The Stat Cat|accessdate=2008-08-11] :C. Sunderland were relagated two points due to fielding Ned Doig, an ineligible player, finishing the season on 23 points.cite web |url=http://www.fchd.info/SUNDERLA.HTM|title=Sunderland Association Football Club |work=Football Club History Database |publisher=Richard Rundle |accessdate=2008-09-05] :D. The Football League expanded to two divisions in 1892, absorbing most of the teams from the Football Alliance. The league previously known simply as the Football League became the Football League First Division.:E. Sunderland retained their place in Division One by winning one and drawing two of four test matches, playing home and away against Notts County and Newton Heath. [cite web |url=http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Mseasons/MSG18.asp|title=Sunderland AFC Season Details - 1896-97|publisher=The Stat Cat |accessdate=2008-09-05] :F. The Sheriff of London Charity Shield was a football competition in England, which lasted from 1898 to 1907, it was last won by Newcastle United. It was made defunct, and succeeded by the Charity Shield.cite web|first=James|last=Ross|date=2007-07-21|url=http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engsupcuphist.html|title=England - List of FA Charity/Community Shield Matches|publisher=RSSSF|accessdate=2008-07-27] :G. Holley was joint-top Division One scorer with Harry Hampton and David McLean of Aston Villa and Sheffield Wednesday respectively. :H. Club record for most league goals (43) scored in a season.:I. The Charity Shield was first played for in 1908. In its early years, the match took place at the end of the season, but was subsequently moved to September or October of the following season. From 1959 onwards it has been played in August, prior to the beginning of the league programme. It was renamed the FA Community Shield in 2002.:J. The 1939–40 season was abandoned in early September and all results annulled. Sunderland's record at the time of the annulment was W1 D0 L2 F6 A7 Pts2. [cite web|url=http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Mseasons/MSG61.asp|title=Sunderland AFC Season Details - 1939-40|publisher=The Stat Cat|accessdate=2008-08-11] :K. The FA Cup was contested in 1945–46 but the Football League did not resume until the following season.:L. Sunderland qualified for the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup after winning the 1973 FA Cup Final, they made it to the Second Round where they won the first leg of their match against Sporting Clube de Portugal 2–1. They were beaten 2–0 in the second leg, and were knocked out, beaten 3–2 on aggregate. [cite web|url=http://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/European/Clubs/Sunderland1973-74.htm|title=Sunderland ECWC results 1973/74|publisher=Football Site|accessdate=2008-08-11] :M. The 1981–82 season saw the introduction of three points for a win.:N. Lost to Norwich City 1–0 in final at the old Wembley Stadium.:O. Relegated through promotion relegation play-offs, after being beaten on the away goals rule in a 6–6 draw over two legs against Gillingham. This was also the first time they had been relegated to the third tier of English football. [cite web|url=http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Mseasons/MSG108.asp|title=Sunderland AFC Season Details - 1986-87|publisher=The Stat Cat|accessdate=2008-09-05] :P. Swindon Town were initially promoted to Division One through the play-offs after beating Sunderland 1–0 at the old Wembley Stadium. However, Sunderland were instead promoted as Swindon had made illegal payments that season.:Q. With the advent of the Premier League, the second tier of English football became known as the First Division.:R. Lost 7–6 on penalties, after being level at 4–4 after extra time, to Charlton Athletic in the play-off final at the old Wembley Stadium.:S. Lost 5–4 on penalties after finishing 4–4 on aggregate in play-off semi-finals to Crystal Palace.:T. In 2004–05 the Football League First Division had been renamed the Football League Championship as part of a re-branding exercise by the Football League.

References

;General
*cite book|last=Days|first=Paul|title=Sunderland AFC: The Official History 1879-2000 |publisher=Business Education Publishers Ltd|date=August 1999|pages=1-336|isbn=0953698416|url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sunderland-AFC-Official-History-1879-2000/dp/0953698416|accessdate=2008-07-10
*All statistics for seasons are retrieved from individual seasons pages, and top scorers, from appearances section on their individual season page. cite web|url=http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/default.asp|title=Sunderland AFC - Statistics, History and Records|publisher=The Stat Cat|accessdate=2008-08-10

;Specific