Sunderland Association Football Club was founded in 1879 as Sunderland & District Teachers Association Football Club by James Allan. 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 next 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 relegated 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 as champions–their lowest position in the English football league system until 2019. Their first appearance in the Premier League came in the 1996–97 season after being promoted as champions from Division One. They were relegated after a single campaign but won promotion as Champions again in the 1998–99 season acquiring 105 points on the way, a second tier 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 top flight season for 3 points for a win, which has since been eclipsed by Derby County.

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 twice. 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: Pld = Matches played W = Matches won D = Matches drawn L = Matches lost GF = Goals for GA = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position

Key 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 = Championship One = League One n/a = Not applicable

Key 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

WinnersRunners-up3rd placePlay-offsTest matchesSemi-finalsPromotedRelegatedCurrent Season Divisions in bold indicate a change in division. Players in bold indicate the top scorer in the division that season. Players in italics indicate the top scorer in Europe that season.

Seasons SeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupEurope / OtherTop league goalscorer(s)Division (tier)PldWDLGFGAPtsPosPlayer(s)Goals1884–85There was no league football until 1888–89QR1885–86QR1886–87QR1887–88Disq1888–89Sunderland did not join The Football League until 1890–91QR1889–90R11890–91FL (1)2210575131237thSFJohnny Campbell191891–92FL (1)2621059336421stSFFootball World ChampionshipWJohnny Campbell321892–93Div 1 (1)30224410036481stQFFootball World ChampionshipWJohnny Campbell311893–94Div 1 (1)3017497244382ndR2Jimmy Millar201894–95Div 1 (1)3021548037471stSFFootball World ChampionshipWJohnny Campbell221895–96Div 1 (1)3015785241375thR2Johnny Campbell151896–97Div 1 (1)30791434472315thR2Football League Test Matches2ndJames GillespieJimmy Hannah81897–98Div 1 (1)3016594330372ndR1John BrownJim LeslieHughie Wilson81898–99Div 1 (1)34156134141367thR2Jim Leslie91899–1900Div 1 (1)34193125035413rdR2Colin McLatchie101900–01Div 1 (1)34151365726432ndR1Geordie Livingstone121901–02Div 1 (1)3419695035441stR2Jimmy GemmellBilly Hogg101902–03Div 1 (1)3416995136413rdR1Sheriff of London Charity ShieldWJimmy GemmellJoe HewittJimmy Millar71903–04Div 1 (1)34175126349396thR1Jack CraggsBilly Hogg121904–05Div 1 (1)34168106044405thR1George HolleyWalter Watkins91905–06Div 1 (1)381551861703514thR3Arthur Bridgett171906–07Div 1 (1)381491565663710thR3Arthur Bridgett251907–08Div 1 (1)381631978753516thR1George Holley231908–09Div 1 (1)38212157863443rdQFGeorge Holley181909–10Div 1 (1)38185156651418thR3George Holley201910–11Div 1 (1)38151586748453rdR1Tim Coleman191911–12Div 1 (1)381411135851398thR3George Holley251912–13Div 1 (1)3825498643541stRUCharlie Buchan271913–14Div 1 (1)38176156352407thQFGeorge Holley151914–15Div 1 (1)38185158172418thR1Charlie Buchan23The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the First World War.1919–20Div 1 (1)42224167259485thR3Charlie Buchan211920–21Div 1 (1)4214131557604112thR1Charlie Buchan271921–22Div 1 (1)421681860624012thR1Charlie Buchan211922–23Div 1 (1)422210107254542ndR2Charlie Buchan301923–24Div 1 (1)42229117154533rdR1Charlie Buchan261924–25Div 1 (1)421910136451487thR2Bobby Marshall181925–26Div 1 (1)42216159680483rdR5Dave Halliday381926–27Div 1 (1)42217149870493rdR3Dave Halliday361927–28Div 1 (1)421591874763915thR4Dave Halliday351928–29Div 1 (1)42207159375474thR3Dave Halliday431929–30Div 1 (1)42187177680439thR5Bobby Gurney151930–31Div 1 (1)421691789854111thSFBobby Gurney301931–32Div 1 (1)4215101767734013thR4Bobby Gurney161932–33Div 1 (1)4215101763804012thQFBobby Gurney151933–34Div 1 (1)421612148156446thR4Bobby Gurney211934–35Div 1 (1)42191679051542ndR4Bobby Gurney301935–36Div 1 (1)422561110974561stR3Raich CarterBobby Gurney311936–37Div 1 (1)42196178987448thWCharity ShieldWRaich Carter261937–38Div 1 (1)421416125557448thSFCharity ShieldRURaich Carter131938–39Div 1 (1)4213121754673816thR5Raich Carter151939–40Div 1 (1)3102672——The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the Second World War.1945–46n/aR51946–47Div 1 (1)42188166566449thR3Jackie RobinsonCliff Whitelum171947–48Div 1 (1)4213101956673620thR3Dickie Davis121948–49Div 1 (1)421317124958438thR4Dickie Davis101949–50Div 1 (1)422110118362523rdR4Dickie Davis251950–51Div 1 (1)4212161463734012thQFTrevor Ford161951–52Div 1 (1)4215121570614212thR3Trevor FordLen Shackleton221952–53Div 1 (1)421513146882439thR4Trevor Ford201953–54Div 1 (1)421482081893618thR3Tommy Wright181954–55Div 1 (1)42151896454484thSFKen Chisholm181955–56Div 1 (1)42179168095439thSFCharlie Fleming291956–57Div 1 (1)421282267883220thR4Charlie Fleming251957–58Div 1 (1) 4210122054973221stR3Alan O'Neill131958–59Div 2 (2)421681864754015thR3Don Kichenbrand211959–60Div 2 (2)4212121852653616thR3Ian Lawther171960–61Div 2 (2)421713127560476thQFR2Ian Lawther241961–62 Div 2 (2)42229118550533rdR4QFBrian Clough291962–63Div 2 (2)422012108455523rdR5SFBrian Clough241963–64Div 2 (2) 42251168137612ndQFR2Johnny Crossan221964–65Div 1 (1)421491964743715thR4R4Nick Sharkey181965–66Div 1 (1)421482051723619thR3R3Neil MartinGeorge Mulhall81966–67Div 1 (1)421482058723617thR5R2Neil Martin201967–68Div 1 (1)4213111851613715thR3R4Colin Suggett141968–69Div 1 (1)4211121943673417thR3R2Colin Suggett91969–70Div 1 (1) 426142230682621stR3R2Anglo-Italian CupGrpGordon Harris71970–71Div 2 (2)4215121552544213thR3R2Joe Baker101971–72Div 2 (2)42171696757505thR4R2Anglo-Italian CupGrpDennis TueartDave Watson131972–73Div 2 (2)421712135949466thWR2Billy Hughes151973–74Div 2 (2)42199145844476thR3R3UEFA Cup Winners' CupR2Vic Halom181974–75Div 2 (2)421913106535514thR4R2Texaco CupGrpPop Robson191975–76Div 2 (2) 42248106736561stQFR2Anglo-Scottish CupGrpPop Robson131976–77Div 1 (1) 4211121946543420thR3R3Bob Lee131977–78Div 2 (2)421416126759446thR3R2Gary Rowell181978–79Div 2 (2)42221197044554thR4R2Anglo-Scottish CupGrpGary Rowell211979–80Div 2 (2) 42211296942542ndR3R4Anglo-Scottish CupGrpPop Robson201980–81Div 1 (1)421472152533517thR3R2Gary Rowell101981–82Div 1 (1)4211112038584419thR4R3Gary Rowell91982–83Div 1 (1)4212141648615016thR3R3Gary Rowell161983–84Div 1 (1)4213131642535213thR4R3Colin West91984–85Div 1 (1) 4210102240624021stR3RUClive Walker101985–86Div 2 (2)4213111847615018thR4R2Full Members' CupASFEric Gates91986–87Div 2 (2) 4212121849594820thR3R1Full Members' CupR2David BuchananMark Proctor81987–88Div 3 (3) 42271279248931stR2R1Associate Members' CupAQFMarco Gabbiadini211988–89Div 2 (2)4616151560606311thR3R2Full Members' CupR2Marco Gabbiadini181989–90Div 2 (2) 462014127064746thR3QFFull Members' CupSecond Division Play-offsR1RUMarco Gabbiadini211990–91Div 1 (1) 388102038603419thR3R3Full Members' CupR3Marco Gabbiadini91991–92Div 2 (2)4614112161655318thRUR2Don Goodman111992–93Div 1 (2)4613112250645021stR4R1Anglo-Italian CupGrpDon Goodman161993–94Div 1 (2)461981954576512thR4R3Anglo-Italian CupGrpPhil Gray141994–95Div 1 (2)4612181641455420thR4R2Phil Gray121995–96Div 1 (2) 46221775933831stR3R2Craig Russell131996–97Prem (1) 3810101835534018thR3R3Craig RussellPaul Stewart41997–98Div 1 (2)46261288650903rdR4R3First Division Play-offsRUKevin Phillips291998–99Div 1 (2) 463112391281051stR4SFKevin Phillips231999–2000Prem (1)381610125756587thR4R3Kevin Phillips302000–01Prem (1)381512114641577thR5QFKevin Phillips142001–02Prem (1)3810101829514017thR3R2Kevin Phillips112002–03Prem (1) 38472721651920thR5R4Kevin Phillips62003–04Div 1 (2)462213116245793rdSFR2First Division Play-offsSFMarcus Stewart142004–05Chmp (2) 46297107641941stR4R2Marcus Stewart162005–06Prem (1) 38362926691520thR4R3Liam LawrenceAnthony Le TallecTommy MillerDean Whitehead32006–07Chmp (2) 46277127647881stR3R1David Connolly132007–08Prem (1)381162136593915thR3R2Kenwyne Jones72008–09Prem (1)38992034543616thR4R4Djibril CisséKenwyne Jones102009–10Prem (1)3811111648564413thR4R4Darren Bent252010–11Prem (1)3812111545564710thR3R3Asamoah Gyan102011–12Prem (1)3811121545464513thQFR2Nicklas Bendtner82012–13Prem (1)389121741543917thR3R4Steven Fletcher112013–14Prem (1)381082041603814thQFRUPremier League Asia TrophyRUAdam Johnson82014–15Prem (1)387171431533816thR5R3Steven FletcherConnor Wickham52015–16Prem (1)389121748623917thR3R3Jermain Defoe152016–17Prem (1) 38662629692420thR3R4Jermain Defoe142017–18Chmp (2) 467162352803724thR3R3Lewis Grabban122018–19One (3)46221958047855thR2R1EFL TrophyLeague One Play-offsRU RUJosh Maja152019–20One (3)36161194832598thR1R4EFL TrophyGrpChris Maguire102020–21One (3)46201797042774thR1R1EFL TrophyLeague One Play-offsWSFCharlie Wyke262021–22One (3) 462412107953845thR1QFEFL TrophyLeague One Play-offsR2WRoss Stewart262022–23Chmp (2)461815136855696thR4R1Championship Play-offsSFAmad Diallo132023–24Chmp (2)461682252545616thR3R1Jack Clarke152024–25Chmp (2) 462113125844764thR3R1Championship Play-offsWWilson Isidor132025–26Prem (1)381412124248547thR5R2Brian Brobbey7

Overall Seasons spent at Level 1 of the football league system: 88 Seasons spent at Level 2 of the football league system: 33 Seasons spent at Level 3 of the football league system: 5 Seasons spent at Level 4 of the football league system: 0 (as of 2025–26 season)

Footnotes

References General

All statistics for seasons are retrieved from individual seasons pages, and top scorers, from appearances section on their individual season page.

Specific