Sunderland Association Football Club formed by schoolteachers
- When
- 1879–1880
- Where
- Sunderland; Hendon
- Episodes
- 3
Sunderland Association Football Club originated as Sunderland and District Teachers A.F.C., founded by schoolmaster James Allan in October 1879. Historical evidence suggests formal creation occurred on 25 September 1880, with the club opening to non-teachers in October 1880. The club's first ground was Blue House Field in Hendon, near Hendon Board School, where rent was £10.
Episodes
- First Ground at Blue House Field
The club's first ground was Blue House Field in Hendon in 1879, near Hendon Board School, with a rent of £10.
- Formation as Teachers A.F.C.
Sunderland and District Teachers A.F.C. was founded by schoolmaster James Allan in October 1879, commonly believed to be the club's origin.
- Formal Creation and Opening
Evidence suggests formal creation occurred on 25 September 1880, with the club opening to non-teachers in October 1880.
Background and detail
Background. Sunderland Association Football Club is a professional club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. It originated as Sunderland and District Teachers A.F.C., founded by schoolmaster James Allan. The club's early years are defined by its formation in 1879, though formal creation evidence points to 1880. The club's first ground was Blue House Field in Hendon, close to Hendon Board School, with a rent of £10.
Formation and Early Development. The club was founded as Sunderland and District Teachers A.F.C. by schoolmaster James Allan in October 1879. However, evidence suggests formal creation occurred on 25 September 1880. In October 1880, the club was renamed Sunderland A.F.C. and became open to more than just school teachers. The first ground was Blue House Field in Hendon, near Hendon Board School, with a rent of £10.
Early Rivalry. In the 1880s and 1890s, Sunderland were rivals with fellow Sunderland-based team Sunderland Albion. This breakaway club was formed by Sunderland's founder James Allan. The rivalry continued until Sunderland Albion was made defunct. This period marked the club's early competitive landscape in the region.
People involved
- James Allan · Founder (new person candidate; not resolved to an existing person record)
Sources
- Sunderland A.F.C. Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-07
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.