1.
Association football
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Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball. It is played by 250 million players in over 200 countries and dependencies making it the worlds most popular sport, the game is played on a rectangular field with a goal at each end. The object of the game is to score by getting the ball into the opposing goal, players are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms while it is in play, unless they are goalkeepers. Other players mainly use their feet to strike or pass the ball, the team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is level at the end of the game, the Laws of the Game were originally codified in England by The Football Association in 1863. Association football is governed internationally by the International Federation of Association Football, the first written reference to the inflated ball used in the game was in the mid-14th century, Þe heued fro þe body went, Als it were a foteballe. The Online Etymology Dictionary states that the word soccer was split off in 1863, according to Partha Mazumdar, the term soccer originated in England, first appearing in the 1880s as an Oxford -er abbreviation of the word association. Within the English-speaking world, association football is now usually called football in the United Kingdom and mainly soccer in Canada and the United States. People in Australia, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand use either or both terms, although national associations in Australia and New Zealand now primarily use football for the formal name. According to FIFA, the Chinese competitive game cuju is the earliest form of football for which there is scientific evidence, cuju players could use any part of the body apart from hands and the intent was kicking a ball through an opening into a net. It was remarkably similar to football, though similarities to rugby occurred. During the Han Dynasty, cuju games were standardised and rules were established, phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on a vase at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship Cup, athenaeus, writing in 228 AD, referenced the Roman ball game harpastum. Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence and they all appear to have resembled rugby football, wrestling and volleyball more than what is recognizable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football, the antecedent of all football codes. Non-competitive games included kemari in Japan, chuk-guk in Korea and woggabaliri in Australia, Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other games played around the world FIFA have recognised that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The modern rules of football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England
2.
Sunderland
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Sunderland is a city at the centre of the City of Sunderland metropolitan borough, in Tyne and Wear, North East England. It is a city at the mouth of the River Wear with adjoining beaches of Roker. The etymology of Sunderland is derived from Sundered-land with the river travelling through the city as opposed to sitting upon the river, historically in County Durham, there were three original settlements on the site of modern-day Sunderland. On the north side of the river, Monkwearmouth was settled in 674 when Benedict Biscop founded the Monkwearmouth–Jarrow Abbey, opposite the monastery on the south bank, Bishopwearmouth was founded in 930. A small fishing village called Sunderland, located toward the mouth of the river was granted a charter in 1179, over the centuries, Sunderland grew as a port, trading coal and salt. Ships began to be built on the river in the 14th century, by the 19th century, the port of Sunderland had grown to absorb Bishopwearmouth and Monkwearmouth. More recently, Sunderland has seen growth as a centre for the automotive industry, science & technology. A person who is born or lives around the Sunderland area is colloquially known as a Mackem. Sunderland was created a borough of County Durham in 1835. Under the Local Government Act 1888, it was given the status of a County Borough, independence from county council control. In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, the county borough was abolished and its combined with that of other districts to form the Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland in Tyne. The metropolitan borough was granted city status after winning a competition in 1992 to celebrate the Queens 40th year on the throne, the population of this city taken at the 2011 Census was 275,506. Sunderland has the motto of Nil Desperandum Auspice Deo or Under Gods guidance we may neve despair Much of the city is located on a low range of running parallel to the coast. On average, it is around 80 metres above sea level, Sunderland is divided by the River Wear which passes through the middle of the city in a deeply incised valley, part of which is known as the Hylton gorge. The two road bridges connecting the north and south portions of the city are the Queen Alexandra Bridge at Pallion, to the west of the city, the Hylton Viaduct carries the A19 dual-carriageway over the Wear. Most of the suburbs of Sunderland are situated towards the west of the city centre with 70% of its living on the south side of the river. The city extends to the seafront at Hendon and Ryhope in the south, in Millfield, the streets are all associated with plants, e. g. Chester, Fern, Rose, Hyacinth etc. At 3,874 hectares, Sunderland is the 45th largest urban area in England by measure of area, according to statistics based on the 2001 census, 60% of homes in the Sunderland metropolitan area are owner occupied, with an average household size of 2.4 people
3.
England
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England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west, the Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea lies to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east, the country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain in its centre and south, and includes over 100 smaller islands such as the Isles of Scilly, and the Isle of Wight. England became a state in the 10th century, and since the Age of Discovery. The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England, transforming its society into the worlds first industrialised nation, Englands terrain mostly comprises low hills and plains, especially in central and southern England. However, there are uplands in the north and in the southwest, the capital is London, which is the largest metropolitan area in both the United Kingdom and the European Union. In 1801, Great Britain was united with the Kingdom of Ireland through another Act of Union to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1922 the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom, leading to the latter being renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain, the name England is derived from the Old English name Englaland, which means land of the Angles. The Angles were one of the Germanic tribes that settled in Great Britain during the Early Middle Ages, the Angles came from the Angeln peninsula in the Bay of Kiel area of the Baltic Sea. The earliest recorded use of the term, as Engla londe, is in the ninth century translation into Old English of Bedes Ecclesiastical History of the English People. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, its spelling was first used in 1538. The earliest attested reference to the Angles occurs in the 1st-century work by Tacitus, Germania, the etymology of the tribal name itself is disputed by scholars, it has been suggested that it derives from the shape of the Angeln peninsula, an angular shape. An alternative name for England is Albion, the name Albion originally referred to the entire island of Great Britain. The nominally earliest record of the name appears in the Aristotelian Corpus, specifically the 4th century BC De Mundo, in it are two very large islands called Britannia, these are Albion and Ierne. But modern scholarly consensus ascribes De Mundo not to Aristotle but to Pseudo-Aristotle, the word Albion or insula Albionum has two possible origins. Albion is now applied to England in a poetic capacity. Another romantic name for England is Loegria, related to the Welsh word for England, Lloegr, the earliest known evidence of human presence in the area now known as England was that of Homo antecessor, dating to approximately 780,000 years ago. The oldest proto-human bones discovered in England date from 500,000 years ago, Modern humans are known to have inhabited the area during the Upper Paleolithic period, though permanent settlements were only established within the last 6,000 years
4.
Sunderland A.F.C.
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Sunderland Association Football Club is a professional football club based in the North East city of Sunderland in the larger metropolitan area of Tyne and Wear. The club is playing in the Premier League, the top league of English football. Since its formation in 1879, the club has won six top-flight First Division titles, a total bettered by five other clubs. The club has won the FA Cup twice and been runners-up twice, as well as winning the FA Community Shield in 1936. Sunderland have also been Football League Cup finalists in 1985 and 2014, Sunderland won their first FA Cup in 1937 with a 3–1 victory over Preston North End, and remained in the top league for 68 successive seasons until they were relegated for the first time in 1958. Sunderlands most notable trophy after the Second World War was their second FA Cup in 1973, the team has won the second tier title five times in that period and the third tier title once. Sunderland play their 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. Founded 17 October 1879 as Sunderland and District Teachers A. F. C. by schoolmaster James Allan and they replaced Stoke, who had failed to be re-elected, becoming the first new club to join the league since its inauguration in 1888. During the late 19th century, they were declared the Team of All Talents by William McGregor, Sunderland won the league championship in the 1891–92 season, one season after joining The Football League. The clubs 42 points were five clear of nearest rivals Preston North End, Sunderland successfully defended the title the following season, aided by centre forward Johnny Campbell, who broke the 30-goal mark for the second time in consecutive seasons. In the process, they became the first team to score 100 goals in a season, a feat not matched until 1919–20, Sunderland came close to winning a third successive league championship in the 1893–94 season, finishing second behind Aston Villa. However, they regained the title in the 1894–95 season, ending the five points ahead of Everton. After winning the English League Championship, Sunderland played against Heart of Midlothian, Sunderland won the game 5–3 and were announced Champions of the world. Sunderland came close to winning another title in the 1897–98 season. That season was their last at Newcastle Road, as moved to Roker Park the following season. After coming second in 1900–01, the club won their league title in the 1901–02 season. In 1904, Sunderlands management was embroiled in a payment scandal involving player Andrew McCombie, the club was said to have given the player £100 to help him start his own business, on the understanding that he would repay the money after his benefit game
5.
English Football League
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The English Football League is a league competition featuring professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in world football and it was the top-level football league in England from its foundation in the 19th century until 1992, when the top 22 clubs split away to form the Premier League. The league has 72 clubs evenly divided into three divisions, which are known as the Championship, League One and League Two, with 24 clubs in each division, the Football League has been associated with a title sponsor between 1983 and 2016. As this sponsor changed over the years the league too has been known by various names, the English Football League is also the name of the governing body of the league competition, and this body also organises two knock-out cup competitions, the EFL Cup and the EFL Trophy. The operations centre of the Football League is in Preston, while its commercial office is in London, the commercial office was formerly based in Lytham St Annes, after its original spell in Preston. The Football League consists of 70 professional association football clubs in England and 2 in Wales and it runs the oldest professional football league competition in the world. It also organises two knockout cup competitions, the Football League Cup and Football League Trophy, the Football League was founded in 1888 by then Aston Villa director William McGregor, originally with 12 member clubs. Steady growth and the addition of more divisions meant that by 1950 the League had 92 clubs, the Football League therefore no longer includes the top 20 clubs who belong to this group, although promotion and relegation between the Football League and the Premier League continues. In total,136 teams have played in the Football League up to 2013, the Football Leagues 72 member clubs are grouped into three divisions, the Football League Championship, Football League One, and Football League Two. Each division has 24 clubs, and in any season a club plays each of the others in the same division twice, once at their home stadium. This makes for a total of 46 games played each season, clubs gain three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a defeat. At the end of the season, clubs at the top of their division may win promotion to the higher division. At the top end of the competition, three Championship clubs win promotion from the Football League to the Premier League, with the bottom three Premier League clubs taking their places, reserve teams of Football League clubs usually play in the Central League or the Football Combination. Since the 2004–05 season, penalties have existed for clubs entering financial administration during the season and it is also required that a club exiting administration agree a Creditors Voluntary Agreement, and pay in full any other footballing creditors. Failure to do either of these result in a second. The other main situation in which is a club may lose points is by fielding an improperly registered or otherwise ineligible player. If a club is found to have done this, then any points earned from any match that player participated in will be deducted, the EFL organises two knock-out cup competitions, the EFL Cup and the EFL Trophy. The EFL Cup was established in 1960 and is open to all EFL and Premier League clubs, the EFL Trophy is for clubs belonging to EFL League One and EFL League Two
6.
Burnley F.C.
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Burnley Football Club is a professional association football club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed The Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, Burnley have been Football League Champions twice, in 1920–21 and 1959–60, have won the FA Cup once, in 1914, and have won the Community Shield twice, in 1960 and 1973. The Clarets also reached the 1961 quarter-finals of the European Cup and they are one of only three teams to have won all top four professional divisions of English football, along with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Preston North End. The club colours of claret and blue were adopted in 1910 in tribute to the dominant club of English football at the time and their home ground since 1883 has been Turf Moor and their current manager is Sean Dyche. During May 1882, Burnley Rovers Football Club decided to shift their allegiance from rugby union to football, in 1883 the club moved to Turf Moor and remain there, only their Lancashire rivals Preston North End having occupied the same ground continuously for longer. Burnley first appeared in the FA Cup in 1885–86 but were ignominiously beaten 11–0 when eligibility restrictions meant that their side had to be fielded against Darwen. On 13 October 1886, Turf Moor became the first ground to be visited by a member of a Royal Family, when it was decided to found the Football League for the 1888–89 season, Burnley were among the 12 founders of that competition. William Tait of Burnley scored the first ever hat-trick in League football and that season did, however, present Burnley with their first honours, winning the Lancashire Cup with a 2–0 final victory over Blackburn Rovers. Before Burnley won a trophy again, they were relegated to the Second Division in 1896–97 and they responded to this by winning promotion the next season, losing only 2 of their 30 matches along the way before gaining promotion through a play-off series then known as Test Matches. Burnley and Stoke City both entered the last match, to be played between the two teams, needing a draw for promotion. A 0–0 draw ensued, reportedly The Match without a shot at goal, Burnley needed a win against Forest in the last match of the season to escape relegation. This is the earliest recorded case of match fixing in football, Burnley changed their colours from green to the claret and sky blue of Aston Villa, the most successful club in England at the time, for the 1910–11 season. The 1912–13 season saw them win promotion to the First Division once more, as well as reaching the FA Cup semi-final, only to lose to Sunderland. The next season was one of consolidation in the top flight, but more importantly their first major honour and this cup final was historic in that King George V became the first reigning monarch to present the cup to the winning captain. The winning Burnley team also got special medals with English Cup Winners written on it instead of the usual FA Cup Winners inscription. World War I impacted the 1914–15 season, in which Burnley finished 4th in the First Division, before English football reorganised itself, Burnley struggled in English footballs second tier, narrowly avoiding a further relegation in 1931–32 by only two points. The years through to the outbreak of the Second World War were characterised by uninspiring league finishes, broken only by an FA Cup semi-final appearance in 1934–35 and the arrival of Tommy Lawton. Burnley participated in the football leagues that continued throughout the war
7.
Everton F.C.
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Everton F. C. /ˈɛvərtən/ is a football club in Liverpool, England, that currently competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The club have competed in the top division for a record 114 seasons and won the League Championship nine times, formed in 1878, Everton were founding members of The Football League in 1888 and won their first League Championship two seasons later. The mid-1980s represented their most recent period of sustained success, with two League Championships, an FA Cup, and the 1985 European Cup Winners Cup, the clubs most recent major trophy was the 1995 FA Cup. The clubs supporters are known as Evertonians, Everton have a rivalry with neighbours Liverpool, and the two sides contest the Merseyside derby. The club have been based at Goodison Park in Walton, Liverpool, since 1892, the clubs home colours are royal blue shirts with white shorts and socks. Everton were founded as St Domingos in 1878 so that people from the parish of St Domingos Methodist Church Everton could play year round — cricket was played in summer. The clubs first game was a 1–0 victory over Everton Church Club, the club was renamed Everton in November 1879 after the local area, as people outside the parish wished to participate. The club was a member of the Football League in 1888–89. Everton won the FA Cup for the first time in 1906, the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 interrupted the football programme while Everton were champions, which was something that would again occur in 1939. It was not until 1927 that Evertons first sustained period of success began, in 1925 the club signed Dixie Dean from Tranmere Rovers. In 1927–28, Dean set the record for league goals in a single season with 60 goals in 39 league games. He helped Everton win their third League Championship that season, however, Everton were relegated to the Second Division two years later during internal turmoil at the club. The club quickly rebounded and was promoted at the first attempt, on return to the top flight in 1931–32, Everton wasted no time in reaffirming their status and won a fourth League Championship at the first opportunity. Everton also won their second FA Cup in 1933 with a 3–0 win against Manchester City in the final, the era ended in 1938–39 with a fifth League Championship. Everton were relegated for the time in 1950–51 and did not earn promotion until 1953–54. The club have been a top-flight presence ever since, Evertons second successful era started when Harry Catterick was made manager in 1961. In 1962–63, his season in charge, Everton won the League Championship. In 1966 the club won the FA Cup with a 3–2 win over Sheffield Wednesday, Everton again reached the final in 1968, but this time were unable to overcome West Bromwich Albion at Wembley
8.
Charles Napier Hemy
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Charles Napier Hemy RA was a British painter best known for his marine paintings and his paintings in the Tate collections. He was born to a family in Newcastle-on-Tyne and his two brothers, Thomas and Bernard, were also painters. He trained in the Government School of Design, Newcastle, followed by the Antwerp Academy and he returned to London in the 1870s and in 1881 moved to the coastal town of Falmouth in Cornwall. He produced painted figure and landscapes, but is best known works are Pilchards, john Singer Sargent painted a portrait of Hemy on a visit to Hemys Falmouth home, Churchfield, in 1905. The visit highlighted the importance of the circle of artists that surrounded the great marine artist in the town and he died in Falmouth on 30 September 1917. His younger brothers Bernard Benedict Hemy and Thomas Madawaska Hemy were also painters and this article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, Chisholm, Hugh, ed. Hemy, Charles Napier. Tate Collection Three Hemy pictures illustrated, with notes, exhibition at Falmouth Art Galley Hemy and friends 24 November 2012 to 2 February 2013. The Falmouth Art Gallery website illustrates nine of Hemys works, the BBC Your Pictures website displays 69 of Hemys pictures. Bob Speels website has additional information, Cornwall Artists Index was more biographical information Works by or about Charles Napier Hemy at Internet Archive
9.
Stadium of Light
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The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England and home to Sunderland A. F. C. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the eighth-largest capacity of any English football stadium and is the sixth-largest capacity Premier League stadium, the stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A. F. C. home matches. According to Sir Bob Murray then chairman of Sunderland F. C, a Davy lamp monument stands at the entrance to reflect the coal mining industry that brought prosperity to the town. As well as hosting Sunderland games, the stadium has hosted three matches for the England national football team, as well as one England under-20 football team match. With an original capacity of 42,000, it was expanded in 2002 to seat 48,707 and its simple design is apparently to allow for redevelopments up to a capacity of 66,000 though this is unlikely to ever be required. The attendance record at the Stadium of Light is 48,353 set on 13 April 2002, along with hosting football matches, the stadium has played host to performers such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Oasis, Take That, Kings of Leon and Coldplay. The ground also holds conference and banqueting suites, the Black Cats Bar, following the release of the Taylor Report in January 1990, Sunderland was obliged to make plans to turn their Roker Park home into an all-seater stadium. Roker Park was a ground that mainly consisted of standing terraces, enclosed by residential streets on all sides, expansion was practically impossible. So, by 1991, Sunderland chairman Bob Murray began investigating the possibility of relocation to a new stadium, the front-runner that emerged was a proposed stadium located on an area of land adjacent to the Nissan car plant. The 49,000 all-seater ground was labelled the Wembley of the North by Sunderland fans, the plans did not come to fruition. Shortly after the plans were announced in 1992, Nissan launched an official objection, in 1995, Sunderland put forward a plan to build a stadium on the former site of Wearmouth Colliery, which had closed in December 1993. The area, on the bank of the River Wear in the Sheepfolds district of Sunderland, was only a few hundred yards from Roker Park. In 1993, Sunderlands planned new stadium was on the shortlist for Euro 96 venues, however, it soon become clear that a new stadium in Sunderland would not be ready in time for the tournament. On 13 November 1995, the Sunderland chairman Bob Murray announced that the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation had approved plans for Sunderland to build a 34, 000-seater stadium on the site. Ballast Wiltshier plc, a company that had built the Amsterdam Arena, was contracted to build the stadium at an initial cost of £15 million. In June 1996, as the capacity rose to more than 40,000. The capacity was revised again in early 1997, and the stadium was completed on time, during construction, the stadium had not adopted an official name, and had been known colloquially as the Wearside Stadium and New Roker Park. The name was revealed as the Stadium of Light, a reference to a miners lamp
10.
Roker Park
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Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A. F. C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small part of the stadium being seated. The stadiums capacity had been higher in previous years, attracting a crowd of 75,118. In the 1890s, the then Sunderland chairman and his brother decided to build a ground for the club. The club had negotiated to buy farmland that belonged to a Mr. Tennant, until this house was built, Sunderland still had to pay rent on the land. Within a year of the land being bought, Roker Park had been built, the Clock Stand had 32 steps, no seats and a crush barrier for safety. The turf was brought from Ireland, and lasted for 38 years, the pitch was designed to have a slight drop of about one foot from the centre of the pitch to each corner to help with drainage. On 10 September 1898 Roker Park was officially opened by Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, the first match at Roker Park was a friendly against Liverpool which Sunderland won 1–0, with Jim Leslie scoring the stadiums first ever goal. The Roker End was concreted in 1912, and by 1913 the capacity had risen to 50,000, the work on the new Main Stand nearly bankrupted the club. By this time the capacity of Roker Park was 60,000. More work continued in the 1930s and in 1936 the Clock Stand was rebuilt, the 114 m long structure was officially opened by Lady Raine, whose husband was Sir Walter Raine, the Chairman of Sunderland AFC at the time. A bomb landed in the middle of the pitch during the Second World War, in 1952, Roker Park was fitted with floodlights, being only the second ground in the country to do so after Arsenals Highbury stadium. The lights were only an addition, and were replaced by permanent structures at the end of the season after proving to be a success. When England hosted the 1966 World Cup, improvements were made to the Clock Stand, involving the addition of seats, during the 1970s, there were even more improvements to Roker Park. These improvements included installing underground sprinklers, upgrading the floodlights to European Standard Lux Value, installing electronic crowd monitoring systems, in the 1980s, with a downturn in the clubs fortunes, Roker Park started to decline. The capacity was reduced following the report in the Hillsborough Disaster of 1989. The site was too confined for expansion so chairman Bob Murray decided to look for a site for a new stadium, instead, five years later in 1997, Sunderland moved to the Stadium of Light, in nearby Monkwearmouth, on the site of the closed Monkwearmouth Colliery
11.
History of Sunderland A.F.C.
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Sunderland Association Football Club are an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. They were formed in 1879, and played several years in the FA Cup and they played in the top league in England until the 1957–58, season when they were relegated into the Second Division. Sunderland are Englands sixth most successful club of all time, having won the English League championship six times, in 1892,1893,1895,1902,1913 and, most recently, in 1936. They have also been runners-up on a further five occasions, in 1894,1898,1901,1923 and 1935, Sunderland have also won the FA Cup twice, in 1937 against Preston North End and in 1973 against Leeds United. They were finalists in 1913 and 1992, where they were beaten respectively by Aston Villa and they were finalists in the 1985 and 2014 Football League Cup Final, where they were beaten respectively by Norwich City and Manchester City. Their other honours include two Charity Shields, in 1902 and 1935, Sunderland AFC began life as Sunderland & District Teachers Association Football Club, founded in 1879 by James Allan, a teacher at Hendon Board School. His object was to provide amusement for the areas schoolteachers. Their first recorded game was against Ferryhill Athletic on 13 November 1880. Their first kit was an all blue strip, a contrast to the red and their first ground was the Blue House Field in Hendon, close to James Allans school, and they would change their home four times in seven years before settling at Newcastle Road in 1886. In 1881 the clubs name was changed to Sunderland Association Football Club and they turned professional in 1885, the same year that the club recruited a number of Scotsmen, their first internationally capped players. Founder James Allan left Sunderland in 1888 because of his dislike for the professionalism that had been creeping into the club, tom Watson became Sunderlands first manager when he was appointed in 1888. On 5 April 1890, the Football Leagues founder, William McGregor, Sunderlands games consisted of local competitions and the FA Cup. Additionally, they participated in friendlies with Football League clubs, they beat the League champions Preston North End on 28 April 1889, as their popularity grew, they applied for admission into the Football League. At the Leagues annual meeting that considered this application, Sunderland offered to pay towards other clubs travelling costs and this offer secured their place in the Football League. They replaced Stoke, one of the original League founding members, in their second season in the Football League, Sunderland won the title, by five points over Preston North End. This success was repeated in the season, when Sunderland won their second League title. That season also included an 8–1 win over West Bromwich Albion and they came close to winning three successive League championships in the 1893–94 season, when they finished as runners-up to Aston Villa. The game was played on 27 April 1895, and was described as the Championship of the World title match, Sunderland won the game 5–3 and were crowned Champions of the World
12.
Academy of Light
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The Academy of Light is the name of the UEFA five star certified training facilities and youth academy for English football club Sunderland A. F. C. Officially opened in March 2003, the Academy of Light is a training facility located in 220 acres of land in Cleadon - just north of Sunderland. It replaced the aging Charlie Hurley Centre, located nearby, the site is used as the primary training facility for the first team, but is also used to train the youngsters in Sunderlands youth system. Costing over £10 million to build, the site was the focus of protests from residents who were angered at the development on a green belt. The club gained academy status despite not having a training pitch onsite. These requirements are wide-reaching, and include indoor and outdoor training facilities, education provisions, Academy status means that the club can take part in the FA Premier Youth Leagues and play against other academy teams. This ensures youngsters are playing against the best players in the country in their age group, Academy teams also take part in the FA Youth Cup. Sunderland have won the FA Youth Cup twice, although the last time was in 1969, the Academy was to be built on acquired land opposite Sunderlands current training ground, on disused farmland. From the outset, the proposals were beset with problems, Sunderlands training ground was on the green belt between Sunderland and South Shields. Planning permission for building on the belt is only granted in exceptional circumstances. Sunderlands original plans were ambitious - amongst them, the club planned to build a training centre. Local opposition was fierce, claiming that an area of wildlife would be destroyed. Sunderland were forced to withdrawn the submission and investigate alternative sites in the region, new lighting technology would reduce the effect of floodlights on the local area, and extensive re-seeding would benefit wildlife on the site. In total, the Academy would have a 12% smaller footprint than the farm buildings. Following the ruling, the Green Belt Action Group continued to protest against the plans and they felt the landscaping plans would ruin the rural appearance of the area, and the fencing and mounding would create a visual barrier. One of their biggest criticisms was that Sunderland were moving the goalposts, in 2001, detailed building plans were rejected by South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Councils planning committee, again on grounds on green belt encroachment. Sunderland appealed, and a month later planning permission was given, however, only a month later in December, Sunderland enraged the site protesters by resubmitted plans for further amendments to the site. The addition of a training barn and an on-site hostel were seen by Sunderland to be essential requirements to keeping the site at Academy status
13.
Sunderland A.F.C. Ladies
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They play their home games at The Hetton Centre in Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne and Wear, North East England. Sunderland won the FA Womens Premier League Northern Division in 2004–05 to reach the top tier National Division, after relegation in 2007, they returned to the National Division in 2009 and also lost that seasons FA Womens Cup final, 2–1 to holders Arsenal at Pride Park Stadium. The clubs bid to join the FA WSL for the initial 2011 season was rejected in favour of the relatively newly formed. This decision led to the departure of star players and is thought to have damaged the development of the womens game in the North East for years to come. In 2014 Sunderland were accepted into the division of a newly expanded FA WSL. They won the league on the day of the season and were promoted into FA WSL1 for 2015. The club began in 1989 as a team called The Kestrels and won the Womens Football Association Yorkshire. Over the next decade they competed in the Northern Premier as Cowgate Kestrels, RTM Newcastle Kestrels, the new club was originally financed as part of the established professional Sunderland A. F. C. Mens club, but following financial troubles in 2004, the side was forced to become financially independent. Sunderland A. F. C. only provided some kit, in 2001–02 Sunderland won one league game all season and were relegated back to the Northern Division. On Sunday 10 April 2005 they won promotion from the Northern Division as champions, in the 2005–06 season, they finished 9th in the league, but stayed up after tying a promotion/relegation playoff against Southern runners-up Bristol City W. F. C. With the emergence of Jill Scott and Steph Houghton, the club began to develop a reputation for producing England womens national team players. On 6 May 2007, with all their games finished and only having 11 points, in Season 2007–08 Sunderland finished in 3rd position in The Womens Premier League, Northern Division, behind Champions Nottingham Forest and Lincoln City. The top 3 were almost in a league of their own as Sunderland finished 17 points ahead of 4th placed Newcastle – who only finished 15 points ahead of bottom-of-the-table Crewe Alexandra. On 22 March 2009, Sunderland WFC reached the final of the FA Womens Cup after beating Chelsea 3–0, goals from Williams and Gutteridge ensured their place in the final against holders Arsenal at Pride Park Stadium, home of Derby County on 4 May. In the final, favourites Arsenal beat Sunderland 2–1, despite dominating possession and creating several chances, Arsenal found it difficult to convert their opportunities. Arsenals Katie Chapman scored in the first half, their second coming in extended 2nd half injury-time from Kim Little, however, Sunderland never gave up and scored a consolation goal from Kelly McDougall just before the final whistle. Lucy Bronze gave a display at right-back, earning herself the Player of the Match Award for the Black Cats
14.
Sunderland A.F.C. Reserves and Academy
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Academy are the youth team of Sunderland Association Football Club. It is a member of the Professional Development League and they have won the FA Youth Cup in 1960,1961,2010 and were runners-up in 1958,2008. As of 8 March 2017 Note, Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules, players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Note, Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules, players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Note, Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules, players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality
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Sunderland A.F.C. league record by opponent
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Sunderland Association Football Club, an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, was founded in 1879. They joined The Football League in the 1890–91 season replacing Stoke who had failed to be re-elected and they have remained in the Premier League since the 2007–08 season. Sunderlands first team, nicknamed the Black Cats, have competed in a number of nationally contested leagues, sunderlands first league game was against Burnley in the 1890–91 Football League season. They met their 87th and most recent different league opponent, Colchester United, the team that Sunderland have played most in league competition is Aston Villa, against whom they have contested 168 league matches. Villa, as well as Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion, have contested the most draws with Sunderland, the Black Cats have won 65 of the league matches against Everton which represents the most they have won against any club. Everton are also the teams to defeat Sunderland the most with 73 wins over them, general Sunderland football club, record v other sides. The Definitive Statistical History of Sunderland AFC
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Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
