Sunderlands 4rth season as a league club would end in "disaster" - runners up.

For the only time in 5 seasons (from 1891/92 to 1895/96) they would lose a home game. Aston Villa would be champions, 6 points clear of Sunderland. League, cup and friendly fixtures would see Sunderland play 68 games, winning 42 and scoring 185 goals in the process. Johnny Campbell would have a "poor" season and for once gave up the goalscorers mantle to Millar.

Sunderland started the season without playing any friendlies and went straight into league action at Olive Grove, the home of Sheffield Wednesday. A 2 v 2 draw resulted with J Hannah on target twice. Sunderland lined up as follows: Doig, Porteous, Walker, Wilson, Dalton, Gibson, Gillespie, D Hannah, Campbell, Millar, J Hannah

A friendly defeat on the banks of the Clyde by Queens Park was followed by the very first game against Newcastle United at St James Park on 6 September 1893. A crowd of about 3,000 watched with great interest, in pouring rain, as Sunderland played well to win 3 v 1.

3 days later the "A" team took on Gateshead NER to celebrate the opening of their new ground at Bensham which adjoined the Railway station. The Gateshead Brass Band appeared to give it a very festive feel. Sunderland joined in the party mood and lost 0 v 2. The same day Aston Villa travelled to Newcastle Road and gained a creditable 1 v 1 draw in glorious sunshine. Viscount Castlereagh unfurled the championship flag before the game, with Lord Londonderry’s son in attendance.

Sunderland then remained unbeaten in their next 4 league and friendly games, contests which included a trip to Edinburgh to play old friends Heart of Midlothian. A 4 v 2 Wearside success resulted. We then had a "dodgy spell" where there were 3 defeats in 4 games. A 2 v 3 defeat at Parkhead, in which Johnny Campbell scored a brace, was followed by Sunderlands very first league thrashing, 1 v 7 on Merseyside. This defeat was inexplicable, what had happened. We don’t know, but the next league game against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane resulted in another reverse 0 v 1.

7 October witnessed the "A" team against Jarrow Presbyterians in the Durham cup. Progression was smooth 4 v 1. The Sheffield defeat saw Sunderland plummet to 14th in the division, with only 5 points from the first 6 games. A trip to London then followed and at Plumstead on 8 October Sunderland defeated Woolwich Arsenal 4 v 1. A trip to Leyton then witnessed another confidence boosting victory, this time against the Corinthian Casuals 5 v 1.

Poor league performances to date were partially dismissed with a good 4 v 0 hammering of Stoke City, but then the topsy turvy season continued with a 3 v 4 defeat at Ewood Park. As if to emphasise this lack of consistency, the above defeat was then followed up with 2 comprehensive home victories, 5 v 0 against Derby County and 6 v 0 with opponents Wolves. On 9 December Sunderland lost at Newcastle Road 2 v 3 to Blackburn Rovers. This was the red and whites first league Wearside defeat since 15 September 1890.

A mini tour of Scotland was undertaken in the New Year. Glasgow Rangers were held to a 2 v 2 draw at Ibrox and the tough schedule began to tell at Tynecastle where we went down 1 v 5. On 6 January 1894 Sunderland were defeated 1 v 2 by then English cup holders, Wolverhampton Wanderers, without Teddy Doig in the line-up. This brought the Scotsman’s proud 108 consecutive league and cup game record to an end.

3 March saw Sunderland play Newton Heath. The match took place at Bank Lane, Clayton, near Manchester. This was of course one of Manchester United’s homes before settling at Old Trafford. However the wolves defeat was a turning point in the season. Over the next 5 months we would play 34 games, and lose only 6, but one of these defeats was at the hands of bogey cup side Aston Villa, who ended our participation in the FA Cup.

The last 16 games of the season involved no fewer than 14 friendlies.