In 1904 and 1905 both Manchester City and Newcastle United had been within a whisker of winning the elusive league and cup double. Sunderland were to become the next team to witness heartbreak as they chased this momentous achievement. The 1912/13 season was perhaps the best season the Wearsiders ever had. Again the FA Cup proved to be the Holy Grail that would disappoint.

The season started terribly, with 5 defeats and only 2 draws in the first 7 games. With 18 goals conceded relegation looked a sure bet. However an astonishing turnaround saw Sunderland not only go on to win the title but do so with record points. Add to this an FA cup final appearance, and it was truly a season to remember.

The "A" team also started badly, with 2 defeats in the first 3 games, but like their senior counterparts would rally.

The first game of the season was at St James Park, Newcastle and in front of over 54,000 Sunderland gained a draw 1 v 1. Shepherd had given the Magpies the lead, crashing a shot home off the underside of the bar before Mordue shot past Lawrence in the black and white goal. The game was a "family affair" with the Low brothers facing each other. Then the defeats.

A 0 v 4 reverse at Ewood Park, initially put down to the exertions against Newcastle, 2 home defeats by Derby and Blackburn, in the former game the Rams goalkeeper Scattergood was outstanding. Oldham beat us, a north East double, having disposed of Newcastle earlier in the season. Then Tottenham came North and drew. We travelled to the Capital and against Chelsea got drubbed 0 v 3, Whittingham scoring the opener just 30 seconds before the interval. Then the turning point.

12 October and Roker Park, saw the lads whitewash Middlesbrough 4 v 0. It was the first victory of the season at Roker Park, and was played in "pea soup" like fog. We remained unbeaten for the rest of October and won the hospital cup against Newcastle United too boot.

Part of the reason for the upturn in fortune had been 2 astute purchases. Joe butler from Glossop took over in goal from Anderson, and Blackpool’s Charlie Gladwin came further North. The right back weighed in at a hefty 14 stone and stood 6 ft 1in...He took no prisoners and even had the audacity to boss Charlie Thomson about no mean feat.

Mordue and Holley then started to score freely, as the wing halves decided, that with Gladwin behind them they could start to take liberties. With Gladwin in the side we won 25 of the next 31 league games, and ended the season as champions with 54 points. This was the highest points total ever, until the 42 games season was introduced.

Notts county were beaten 4 v 0, Buchan scored a brace, Sunderland gained there 4rth successive win at Valley Parade, 5 v 1, Buchan scored after 7 minutes and we never looked back.

For the Manchester United game at Roker Holley was unable to play, but it didn’t stop the Lads running out 3 v 1 victors. This made it 5 wins in a row, 6 if you count the hospital cup. There was a temporary blip, with 2 defeats in 3 games, the match at Hyde road, and Manchester City was lost to a penalty, and they also had a Taylor goal disallowed for offside. Then we played Liverpool and a record tumbled.

The date was 7 December, the score 7 v 0. It was our highest win since the 9 v 1 defeat of Newcastle United at St James Park in 1908 and for Charlie Buchan it was a personal triumph. Strangely the man of the match was the Livers goalkeeper Campbell who was outstanding, but for him it would have been double figures.

Buchan scored after 17 minutes, Martin on 23, Mordue after a great solo run on 32. Buchan then made it 4 v 0 on 43, and the rout wasn’t over. Charlie scored a second half hat trick and was the hero. We then played the other half of Merseyside at Goodison and completed a memorable double 4 v 0. There was a sensational start as Richardson slotted home in the very first minute, and from thereon in The Toffees had no answer.

The Sunderland team had shown 2 changes. Gladwin, recovered from rheumatism "attack" was in, as was Richardson, who took Halls place. The "greatest game" played at Roker that season was against Bolton Wanderers, with never a dull moment. The first half was a treat to watch and even though Sunderland triumphed 2 v 1, the winner was the game of football itself. The winning goal had come from a Mordue penalty in the last minute, after Whiteside had handled in the box.

Having beaten Sheffield Wednesday at Owlerton on Xmas day we then succumbed to them at home on Boxing Day, our first home defeat since 18 September. What a Christmas present for the Roker faithful. Still, we consoled ourselves with a 2 v 0 success over the Magpies on the 28th. Buchan ran riot, and but for the sterling "vanguard" play of Wilson it would have been a bigger defeat for the black and whites.

The 4 v 1 victory on New Years Day over Woolwich Arsenal was completed without the services of Holley, but for the visitors Payne it was a return home. The Wearsider was The Gunners centre forward. In fact he set up the visitors’ only goal for Lewis. This season registered a first for Sunderland, an FA cup Final.

Whilst for the club that may have been so, for the town it certainly wasn’t. Charles Alcock, elected to the committee of the Football Association in 1866, played for the Wanderers in the very first FA cup final of 1871/72, gaining a winners medal at the expense of The Royal Engineers. He also refereed the Royal Engineers v Old Etonians in 1874/75 and the 1978/79 game between Old Etonians and Clapham rovers.

The next league game at Roker was against Oldham, who for the first time left Wearside with a point. By the time we defeated spurs at white Hart Lane, we were 4rth in the table. Spurs had taken the lead through Minter, after a "capital" cross by Middlemiss.

We then disposed of Chelsea 4 v 0, avenging our earlier defeat at Stamford Bridge, before travelling to Teesside and registering a 2 v 0 at Ayresome Park. In defeating Derby County at The Baseball Ground we moved to the top of the table, and basically that’s where we stayed. At Old Trafford we came away with a 3 v 1 win and then it was The Blades at home. The game was designated as a benefit for stalwart Harry low, and the 25,000 crowd was needed as he had been guaranteed £500.

As with the Sheffield United game, we defeated Manchester city 1 v 0, the only goal being scored by Buchan. The championship was on and everybody in England knew it. In advance of the FA cup tie with Burnley, Sunderland made considerable changes to the team but it didn’t matter as we overcame Sheffield United, for the second time in 3 days.

By now we were in the FA cup final and whilst you might have expected the lads to be distracted, they had the league championship on there minds. Thomson and Holley were absent for the game against West Bromwich but it didn’t matter. We won 3 v 1 and gained 2 valuable points. We were closing in on the title.

And so Everton decided that they’d try and beat us, fat chance. We were in full stride and even though Fleetwood, the Toffees striker was off for the last 20 minutes, it didn’t matter, the damage had been done. 3 v 1 was the margin of victory. Even without Holley, Cuggy, Gladwin and Milton we still won 5 v 2 at Anfield.

Defeated in the FA cup final, our next league game was ironically against Aston villa in Birmingham. We still couldn’t beat them, and drew 1 v 1. Tinsley scored our only goal and cracked the ball off the woodwork 3 times. The crowd numbered some 70,000.

The game which secured the red and whites the league championship was at Burnden Park and Bolton wanderers. From the time Mordue scored a penalty kick after 5 minutes to the end of the game we had it sown up. We were worthy champions, no doubt about it.

And so to the final game of the season, the homecoming and Roker Park. Whilst the game wasn’t exactly thrilling we on 1 v 0. The Bantams defended well but it was Buchan, who else who scored our last, and wining goal of the season.