The 1909/10 campaign would see Sunderland end 8th, mainly as a result of a poor away record, we lost 11 out of 19. By now Sunderland had signed 2 excellent players. First of all Frank Cuggy had arrived from Willington Athletic and secondly right back Bill Troughear from Workington. The latter would famously be known as "tough lugs" on Wearside.

The season opened at Roker Park against Tottenham Hotspur and a 3 v 1 victory, with Holley notching twice was just the start we needed. The Spurs captain Steel had missed a penalty. Things got better. The second match we against triumphed, this time 2 v 1 against Preston north End.

On 18 September 1909 the league encounter with Newcastle United on Wearside was remembered for all the wrong reasons. At the Fulwell End the crowd spilled onto the pitch, there were some 40,000 present, a Roker Park record at that time. As the playing area was being cleared, which took 15 minutes to do so, a police horse was stabbed. The match was repeatedly delayed and at one point abandonment was definitely on the cards.

United won the match 2 v 0 after the referee, fearing for everyone’s safety dispensed with the half time break and both teams immediately changed around at the end of the first period of 45 minutes. Sunderland wound up their "September campaign" with a trip to Anfield, and dished out a 4 v 1 hiding. Interestingly enough the referee was a Mr Robertson from Glasgow. With just one defeat in the opening 5 games we couldn’t really have asked for more. However from October onwards our away hoodoo struck.

During October we did however have 2 outstanding home victories. The 16th of the month saw Woolwich Arsenal travel to Wearside and won 6 v 2. Incredibly 4 of the 8 goals were scored in as many minutes. Holley helped himself to a hat trick. 14 days later Chelsea’s arrived on Wearside and were soundly spanked 4 v 0, with Holley, now in fine form, netting a brace.

As if to emphasise Arthur Bridgett’s religious beliefs the Sheffield United match day programme of 9 October 1909 carried an announcement that the international outside left would be leading the Annual Football Sunday Service in the Sheffield Victoria Hall at 3pm. At 6.30pm the Reverend HG Oyston delivered an address based on the subject "the ethics of fair sportsmanship".

4 December and Manchester United arrived on Wearside as FA cup winners, having defeated Bristol city 1 v 0 the previous May. Their first trophy. It wouldn't be their last. It made no odds to us as we despatched them 3 v 0. Back to back games with Bristol city at the turn of the year resulted in 2 victories, the 28 December game a rare away success.

It was now English/FA cup time and the first round paired us with the up and coming Leeds city side. The Yorkshire team played very well and Sunderland scraped home by the narrowest of margins 1 v 0, thanks once more to George Holley. A home league defeat by Notts County was followed by a second round cup victory over Bradford Park Avenue, with all 3 goals, 2 from Harry low, being scored in a 13 minute period. Sunderland had trained for the game in Harrogate, a lucky place. Every time they had done so over the years they had won the subsequent game.

With our minds now firmly on breaking the hoodoo we succumbed to defeat at Aston Villa, although Sunderland were handicapped by the absence of Roose, and travelled to Goodison Park for what was hoped would be a successful third round tie. Once more we failed, this time 0 v 2, and the several hundred supporters who had made the then long journey from Wearside to Liverpool were bitterly disappointed.

This season was strange because for perhaps the first season since its formation Sunderland never played one friendly match. As we turned to league action, it was with some resolve and we embarked upon our best run of the season, 4 successive victories. One of the triumphs 2 v 1 over Woolwich Arsenal took place at there new ground at Manor Field.

If we thought that an assault on the league championship was possible we were sadly mistaken as we crumbled. The writing was on the wall after a 1 v 5 drubbing at white Hart Lane. For this game Arthur Bridgett had "cried off" injured, his place take by Esh winning amateur Gibson.

5 defeats in the last 6 games saw us plummet. We still ended up in the top 10 but it could have been so much better and everyone knew it. To rub salt into the wounds Newcastle United did the double over us.

The game at Manchester United had an interesting twist. Making the journey to the fixture by train, delays meant that we arrived 40 minutes later than scheduled and had to run to the ground for the allotted 3pm kick off. Hardly the best preparation for a match. We unsurprisingly lost 0 v 2.

The end of season annual report resulted in the now customary meeting on Wednesday 29 June. The report was unsatisfactory, showing a loss to the revenue account of some £205. This was mainly attributable to the hard times faced by the people of the area, a depression being evident on Wearside. Attributable to the poor financial performance were the following additional factors:

- George Holley’s benefit match
- The continental tour, and
- Repairs to the Roker Park

Once more Roose, the exceptional goalkeeper played without wages on a voluntary/amateur basis and for this he was again thanked.

Another decade for Sunderland AFC and its supporters came to a close and in truth it had been one of transition. We had another championship under our belts, but had also endured some hard times. The English cup continued to be a thorn in our side and we hoped that the next chapter in our history would in some way produce better luck, in the most famous cup competition of them all. Our luck would change but the actual trophy would still prove elusive.