MORE TALENTS!
ALMOST THE DOUBLE

In 1912/13, Sunderland A.F.C. once again performed exceptionally well in a season, establishing themselves after a poor start, when it looked like they would be relegated. Gradually, the team came together and played impressive football, winning the admiration of many spectators. Since there was an increase in the number of teams competing in the First Division, a team had not reached the number of points that Sunderland achieved in that specific season. In the early days of the First Division, Sunderland A.F.C. had in its rankings a team truly endowed with high game culture: The Team Of All The Talents. Almost two decades after the exceptional performances of the team of John Campbell and James Auld, The Black Cats achieved the feat of winning the championship. 

The season, however, saw Sunderland lose the FA Challenge Cup to Aston Villa.



The month of October was the turning point. Consequently, the team entered a sequence befitting a sovereign team, a dominant side in its territory. Already in the first half of the season, the team showed signs of impressive recovery, presenting sublime football, especially through both inside forwards, Charlie Buchan and George Holley. The team, moreover, had a strong defensive block, reflected especially in Charlie Thomson.

A equiPerhaps the apogee of his could was the match against Liverpool F.C., on 12/07/1912, in which it ended 7:0, with Charlie Buchan scoring five goals.


CHARLES BUCHAN: I scored five goals against Kenneth Campbell, Scottish international goalkeeper then playing for Liverpool. Four of them I just touched into the net. Holley had beaten the defence and even drawn Campbell out of position before giving me the goals on a plate.


Another notable aspect of the team was its tour in May, in which continental Europe, especially Central Europe, had the privilege of witnessing the high playing culture of the Sunderland side. Winning and demonstrating their power, through great results, the English side, moreover, still defeated the Blackburn Rovers F.C. in a meeting played in Budapest.


MATCH REPORT (AUSTRIA): Those who have not seen this Eldorado of technical prowess for themselves will not understand it; but those who have seen it will realise that for a long time all our native greatnesses will be nothing but ephemeral miniatures of an ideal within our reach.

» The team's performances are the best that have been seen in Vienna so far and certainly represent the most perfect technique that can be offered in football.

MATCH REPORT (HUNGARY): We can safely say that we have never seen a team as great as Sunderland. No English team has ever played in such a bouncy condition in Budapest.


This team was consistently ranked among the best — in the opinion of many, the best side ever assembled — by those who saw them perform in Central Europe. Therefore, serving as a point of comparison between formidable sides. This point of view, however, was refuted in 1913, when it was pointed out by a correspondent that Sunderland had never reached a similar level playing in England.

Opinions about their general level being put aside, there is no doubt that this was the main club side during the whole schedule of the seasons.