PU PREVIEW 55: SUNDERLAND

Sunderland was founded by a schoolmaster in October 1879 as Sunderland and District Teachers AFC. The club joined the Football League in 1890 and won the League title one season after joining. Winning the title for a second time the next season, they became the first side to score 100 goals in a season. A third title followed in 1895. Sunderland moved to Roker Park in 1898 and won their fourth League title in 1902. The club was embroiled in a payment scandal in 1904, with the manager and six directors being suspended as a result. In December 1908, Sunderland defeated local rivals Newcastle United 9-1, their highest ever win in this fixture. A fifth League title followed in 1913, before the club lost in the FA Cup final against Aston Villa. League title number six came in 1936, and the following season saw the club finally win the FA Cup with a 3-1 victory over Preston North End. Another financial scandal arose in 1957, with the club found guilty of paying their players more than the maximum wage, leading to a fine and the chairman and three directors being suspended. Sunderland's stay in the top flight ended in 1958, but they returned in 1964. In 1973, as a Second Division club, Sunderland famously defeated Leeds United 1-0 to win the FA Cup for the second time in the club's history. As a result, the club qualified for the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, but lost to Sporting Lisbon in the second round. In 1985, Sunderland reached the League Cup final but lost to Norwich City. The club was relegated to the Third Division in 1987 but was promoted the following season. In 1990, Sunderland returned to the First Division when Swindon Town were found guilty of financial irregularities, but only stayed there for one season. In 1992, they reached another FA Cup final but lost to Liverpool. After 99 years at Roker Park, the club moved to the Stadium of Light in 1997. The club was promoted to the Premier League in 1999. Two relegations from the Premier League, in 2003 and 2006, were with record low numbers of points, although this ignominious record was later beaten by Derby County. Sunderland reached the League Cup final again in 2014 but lost to Manchester City. The club suffered back-to-back relegations from 2017 to find itself in League One.

Sunderland are known as The Black Cats and are managed by Phil Parkinson (appointed October 2019). The club finished fifth in League One in 2018-19.

Pompey and Sunderland have met on 108 (one hundred and eight) occasions. Each club has won one FA Cup match and Sunderland one League Cup match with the other drawn. The first League meeting came in August 1927 at Roker Park and ended 3-3. The last meeting in the League came in December 2018 in League One and ended 3-1 to Pompey. Of the 101 (one hundred and one) League games, Pompey have won thirty-two and Sunderland thirty-six, with thirty-three drawn. The clubs met in March 2019 in the Football League Trophy final at Wembley, which Pompey won 5-4 on penalties after the game finished 2-2 after extra-time. The last League meeting was in August 2019 at the Stadium of Light and finished 2-1 to Sunderland. The clubs faced each other in the League One play-offs at the end of the 2018-19 season, with Sunderland winning the first game 1-0 and the second game at Fratton Park finishing 0-0.

(Information via Wikipedia and www.11v11.com)