The First World War had started in June 1914, but this didn’t stop the football until the end of the 1914/15 season.  Sunderland wouldn’t play another game until August 1918, a friendly match against Newcastle United which was won 4 v 0.  Four more games were played over the Christmas period, home and away against both the Magpies and Middlesbrough.

In recognition of The Armistice, 11 November 1918, the Victory League was formed. This basically involved friendly fixtures against teams such as South Shields, Middlesbrough, Durham city and Scotswood. It commenced in January 1919 and expired April 1919.

Sunderlands first game was at the University Ground against Durham city on 11 January, and ended in defeat. One week later and a home game against Middlesbrough saw one or two old favourites make it back. Players such as Best, Hobson and Mordue featured. An exciting derby game with Newcastle United then took place, with the Magpies ending up 4 v 3 winners. Then to Roker and a 3 v 3 draw with South Shields, with Cuggy and Buchan included. Thornley opened the scoring for the visitors after 20 minutes, before Travers equalised 9 minutes from the interval. It was end to end stuff and Gascoigne once more netted for shields, before a mazy solo run from Buchan tied things up once more.

So without a win, Sunderland travelled to Darlington forge, and eventually came back with the points. Buchan scoring the winner. A bit like buses the wins then came together, with a 6 v 2 romp over Hartlepool United on Wearside. It took 18 minutes to score the first goal, but after that we never looked back.

There was a record gate at Blaydon road for the game with Scotswood, for a game played in thick fog. Sunderland made all of the early running and in fact were ahead after only 2 minutes. But the Tynesiders recovered to force a 2 v 2 draw.

7,000 spectators paid gate receipts of £256 to watch a 2 v 0 win over Southwick, before we maintained our record of the only team to beat Middlesbrough so far in the victory League as we travelled to Ayresome and won 2 v 1.A defeat of Newcastle United was followed by a match at Horsley Hill on 29 March, in which once more South Shields held us, this time 1 v 1. Sunderlands equaliser coming from Charlie Buchan after 55 minutes. The Durham Senior cup was also played and South Shields visited Roker Park, but left empty handed, drubbed 4 v 1. A crowd of 18,000 paid £770 in gate receipts.

A friendly with Bradford City on 18 April also ended in triumph 2 v 1. Mordue gave us the lead, Norton equalised, but Williams crashed the ball past Baverstock for the winner. By now we were in the semi final of the Durham Senior cup and progressed into the final easily by demolishing Felling colliery 8 v 1. The red and whites scored 4 goals in each half, with a brace a piece for Best, Holley, Travers and Buchan.

Old favourites Third Lanark were amongst the friendly visitors and travelled back to Scotland with a 3 v 2 victory under there belts. Scotswood were thrashed, the red and whites scoring 6, before we took the Durham Senior cup with an 8 v 0 whitewash of Crook at Feethams, Darlington.

The Sunderland AFC annual meeting was held on 23 July with Sam Wilson in the chair. We had made a profit for the season of some £2,000 but money would be required to put the ground back into its pre war shape, so a deficit loomed large. WH Bell, chairman of the finance committee stated that since The Armistice the club had got down to its last £200 but through a guarantee fund of £690 funded by Sam Storey and the late John Raine the club had found its financial feet.

League football started in earnest in August 1919.