Sunderland A.F.C. facts for kids
![]() |
|||
Full name | Sunderland Association Football Club | ||
---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | The Black Cats | ||
Short name | SAFC | ||
Founded | 1879 (as Sunderland and District Teachers) |
||
Ground | Stadium of Light | ||
Capacity | 49,000 | ||
Owner | Stewart Donald | ||
Manager | Phil Parkinson | ||
League | League One | ||
|
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. Sunderland play in League One, the third tier of English football. Since its formation in 1879, the club has won six top-flight (First Division, now the Premier League) titles (1892, 1893, 1895, 1902, 1913 and 1936), a total only bettered by five other clubs, and has finished runners-up five times. The club has also won the FA Cup twice (1937 and 1973) and been runners-up twice (1913 and 1992), as well as winning the FA Charity Shield in 1936 and being finalists the following year. Sunderland have also been Football League Cup finalists in 1985 and 2014.
Sunderland play their home games at the 49,000-capacity all-seater Stadium of Light having moved from Roker Park in 1997. The original ground capacity was 42,000 which was increased to 49,000 following expansion in 2000. Sunderland have a long-standing rivalry with their neighbouring club Newcastle United, with whom they have contested the Tyne–Wear derby since 1898.
Images for kids
-
One of the earliest football paintings in the world, Thomas MM Hemy's "Sunderland v. Aston Villa 1895" depicts a match between the two most successful English teams of the decade.
-
The Stadium of Light has been Sunderland's home ground since 1997.