Sunderland Trivia
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59 free Sunderland trivia questions with answers — sports quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
Sunderland were founded by a schoolmaster for fellow teachers, won three titles in their first five League seasons, and have spent more years in the top flight than almost anyone. This quiz walks the whole history: the Team of All Talents and Ned Doig's clean sheets, the 9-1 derby of 1908, Jimmy Thorpe's tragic death and the rule it changed, Raich Carter's 1936 champions, the Bank of England club, the 1958 first-ever relegation, Ian Porterfield and Jim Montgomery at Wembley in 1973, the Swindon back-door promotion of 1990, Peter Reid, Kevin Phillips's Golden Shoe, the 15- and 19-point seasons, Niall Quinn and Roy Keane, Netflix's 'Til I Die, League One and the 2025 play-off final. Early questions suit anyone who has sung 'Ha'way the lads'; later ones are for supporters who know their Fulwell End from their Roker End: which ground first charged admission, what stands on the crest beside the Penshaw Monument, which Dutch club Wearside shipbuilders befriended, and which Portuguese ground shares the stadium's name. Good for a supporters' club night or a Wearside pub quiz. Every answer was checked against Wikipedia's articles on the club, its grounds and its records, and each question shows its source.
30 of 59 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01Sunderland were founded in 1879 by James Allan as a club for which group of people?
Teachers
Sunderland and District Teachers A.F.C. opened up to non-teachers and dropped the name in October 1880.
Q 02William McGregor dubbed 1890s Sunderland the 'Team of All Talents' after a 7-2 win over which club?
Aston Villa
Sunderland won the title in 1891-92, only their second season in the League, and retained it the next year.
Q 03In 1892-93 Sunderland became the first team to do what in a Football League season?
Score 100 goals
Score 100 goals: Sunderland reached a century in just 30 matches while retaining the title in 1892-93, the first team to do so in the Football League; John Campbell was top scorer again.
Q 04After the 1895 title, Sunderland beat which Scottish champions in a game billed as the 'World Championship'?
Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian: the 1894-95 Scottish champions lost 5-3 to English champions Sunderland in an April 1895 friendly billed as the 'World Championship'.
Q 05Sunderland's first manager resigned in 1896 to join which club?
Liverpool
Liverpool: after leaving Wearside in 1896 he won two more titles at Anfield, in 1900-01 and 1905-06, the first manager to win the League with two different clubs.
Q 06Sunderland's record league win, in December 1908, was a 9-1 victory over which opponents?
Their Tyne-Wear derby rivals
Their Tyne-Wear derby rivals Newcastle United conceded nine at St James' Park on 5 December 1908, yet went on to win that season's League title.
Q 07Sunderland won the League in 1913 but lost that season's FA Cup final by what score?
1-0
1-0: Tommy Barber's goal at Crystal Palace settled the 1913 final, denying Sunderland a League and Cup Double in the season they claimed the title.
Q 08Whose 43 goals in 42 games in 1928-29 set Sunderland's record for a single season?
Dave Halliday
Dave Halliday: his 43 league goals in 42 games in 1928-29 set the club's single-season record, and he was the First Division's top scorer that year.
Q 09Which two Sunderland players scored 31 goals each in the 109-goal 1935-36 title season?
Raich Carter and Bobby Gurney
Raich Carter and Bobby Gurney hit 31 league goals apiece as Sunderland scored 109 to win the 1935-36 title; Gurney ended his career as the club's record scorer with 228 goals.
Q 10The 1936 death of Sunderland keeper Jimmy Thorpe, kicked after gathering a back-pass, led to what rule change?
Raising a foot to a goalkeeper in possession was banned
Raising a foot to a goalkeeper in possession was banned by the FA after Thorpe, kicked while holding the ball against Chelsea on 1 February 1936, died four days later.
Q 11Sunderland's first FA Cup win, in 1937, was a 3-1 victory over which club at Wembley?
Preston North End
Preston North End: Sunderland came from 1-0 down at half-time to win 3-1 at Wembley on 1 May 1937, Eddie Burbanks scoring the third, for the club's first FA Cup.
Q 12Sunderland's £18,000 signing of Ivor Broadis from Carlisle in 1949 was the first case of a player doing what?
Transferring himself, since he was also his club's manager
Transferring himself, since he was also his club's manager: as Carlisle's player-manager, Broadis negotiated his own £18,000 move to Roker Park, the first footballer to sell himself.
Q 13Sunderland's 1950s nickname 'the Bank of England club' referred to what?
Q 21The Stadium of Light was built on the site of what?
Monkwearmouth Colliery
Monkwearmouth Colliery, a deep pit that closed in 1993, occupied the riverside site, and a colliery wheel at the top of the 1997 club crest recalls it.
Q 22Which member of the royal family opened the Stadium of Light in 1997?
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York performed the official opening on 30 July 1997, the night Sunderland played Ajax in a friendly; the name echoes Benfica's Estádio da Luz.
Q 23Sunderland's 1999 promotion as First Division champions came with a then-record points total of how many?
105
Heavy spending in the transfer market
Heavy spending in the transfer market: Sunderland broke the British transfer record twice around 1950, and the lavish outlay on star signings earned the 'Bank of England club' tag.
Q 14Sunderland's first ever relegation, in 1958, ended a top-flight stay of how many years?
68
68: Sunderland had been in the top flight continuously since joining the League in 1890-91, and the 1958 drop came a year after a £5,000 fine for illegal payments to players.
Q 15Who volleyed the only goal of Sunderland's 1973 FA Cup final win over Leeds?
Ian Porterfield
Ian Porterfield controlled a loose ball from a corner and volleyed past David Harvey after half an hour; Sunderland beat Leeds 1-0 at Wembley on 5 May 1973.
Q 16Which two clubs have matched Sunderland's 1973 feat of winning the FA Cup as a Second Division side?
Southampton (1976) and West Ham (1980)
Southampton (1976) and West Ham (1980): Bobby Stokes' goal beat Manchester United and Trevor Brooking's header beat Arsenal, both by Second Division sides, echoing Sunderland's 1973 upset of Leeds.
Q 17In the 1973-74 Cup Winners' Cup, Sunderland lost to which club after beating Vasas?
Sporting CP
Sporting CP: after a 2-1 win at Roker Park, Sunderland lost the second leg 2-0 in Lisbon and went out 3-2 on aggregate in the second round.
Q 18Which 1985 League Cup final opponent later shared a 'Friendship Trophy' with Sunderland?
Norwich City
Norwich City beat Sunderland 1-0 in the 1985 Milk Cup final through a Gordon Chisholm own goal, and the friendly mixing of both sets of fans led to the Friendship Trophy.
Q 19Why were Sunderland promoted in 1990 despite losing the play-off final?
Swindon Town's promotion was revoked over financial irregularities
Swindon Town's promotion was revoked over financial irregularities: despite losing the Wembley final 1-0, Sunderland took Swindon's place in the First Division, then went straight back down on the last day of 1990-91.
Q 20The Stadium of Light, opened in 1997, was at the time the largest stadium built in England since when?
The Second World War
The Second World War: at 42,000 seats the Stadium of Light was the biggest stadium built in England since 1945 when it opened with a friendly against Ajax in July 1997; expansion took it to 49,000 in 2000.
105: Peter Reid's side won 31 of 46 games to take the 1998-99 First Division by 18 points, a Football League record total until Reading's 106 in 2005-06.
Q 24Which Sunderland striker won the European Golden Shoe in 1999-2000 with 30 goals?
Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips scored 30 Premier League goals in Sunderland's first season back, 1999-2000, winning the European Golden Shoe, the first Englishman to take the award.
Q 25Sunderland's 2005-06 relegation came with what then record-low Premier League points total?
15
15: Sunderland won just three games in 2005-06, undercutting their own 19-point low of 2002-03; the record fell again two seasons later when another club finished on 11.
Q 26Which former player headed the Drumaville Consortium that bought Sunderland in 2006 and hired Roy Keane?
Niall Quinn
Niall Quinn, the club's former striker, fronted the Irish Drumaville Consortium's 2006 takeover, briefly managed the side himself, then appointed Roy Keane, who won the Championship in his first season.
Q 27Which Ghana international did Sunderland sign for a then club-record £13 million in 2010?
Asamoah Gyan
Asamoah Gyan arrived from Rennes in August 2010 for around £13 million, topping the £10 million paid for Darren Bent a year earlier as the club's record signing.
Q 28Which Italian was controversially appointed Sunderland manager in March 2013?
Paolo Di Canio
Paolo Di Canio, appointed on 31 March 2013 amid protests over his political views, kept Sunderland up, but was sacked the following September after players complained about his methods.
Q 29Sunderland lost the 2014 League Cup final 3-1 to which club under Gus Poyet?
Manchester City
Manchester City came from behind at Wembley on 2 March 2014 after Fabio Borini's early goal, Yaya Touré and Samir Nasri scoring before Jesús Navas added a late third.
Q 30Which manager left Sunderland in July 2016 to take the England job?
Sam Allardyce
Sam Allardyce lasted 67 days as England manager after leaving the Stadium of Light in July 2016; David Moyes succeeded him at Sunderland and the club was relegated that season.