Sunderland fell out with the Durham FA over the way their protest was dealt with following the 1884-85 Challenge Cup Final defeat. Consequently they did not enter the Challenge Cup nor did they provide players for county matches. However, some of the Sunderland team found a way to play in the Challenge Cup (see below) and three of them ended up with runner-up medals! The only local competition entered was the end-of-season Temperance Festival Cup, Sunderland finishing runner-up to Shankhouse Black Watch.

The decision to concentrate on the FA Cup backfired quickly as they again went out to Redcar in the First Round; Redcar made it to the Quarter-Finals before bowing out to Small Heath (later Birmingham City) in a tournament won by Blackburn Rovers for the 3rd year in a row.

On the friendly front, Sunderland were proving themselves to be the best team in the Northumberland and Durham area, remaining unbeaten in several games against all of the Tyneside teams (East End, West End, North-Eastern, Tyne, Cathedral and Heaton). Further afield, they enhanced their reputation with closely contested games with major Scottish sides Port Glasgow, Linthouse and Hearts, travelling to Scotland for the latter match.

SCHEDULED FIXTURES FOR WHICH NO REPORT CAN BE FOUND:

18/11/1885 v. Durham Training College (H). This match was previewed the day before in the Sunderland Echo, where it is was stated that Sunderland were expected to put out a near full strength team.

28/12/1885 v. Port Clarence (H) and 4/1/1886 v. Glasgow Rangers (H). These games were expected to take place as part of Sunderland’s ambitious Christmas holiday programme, but it appears that arrangements could not be finalised.

9/1/1886 v. Castle Eden (H). This match had been arranged for some time, however Castle Eden had a cup replay against Birtley that day at Fulwell.

16/1/1886 v. Newcastle West End (H). This match was previewed in the Newcastle press on the day, however it seems to have been a mistake. West End had other appointments, and it is a likely mix up with East End travelling to play Wearmouth that day.

The season record given at the AGM was Played 34, Won 24, Drawn 3, Lost 7, Goals For 108, Against 40. We have Plyd 34, W 23, D 3, L 8, F 97, A 41. We suspect the 1-0 defeat to Shankhouse in the Temperance Festival Final has been omitted at the AGM as the day turned into a bit of a farce (see match details). The extra win is probably the unreported Durham TC game, maybe by 11-0!

DURHAM CHALLENGE CUP MATCHES INVOLVING SUNDERLAND PLAYERS:

12/12/1885 1st Rd: BIRTLEY (Jimmy Allan) 2 CASTLE EDEN (Jack Kirtley, Jock McDonald) 2

19/12/1885 1st Rd Replay: CASTLE EDEN (possibly Kirtley, McDonald) 2 BIRTLEY (Jimmy Allan) 2

9/1/1886 1st Rd 2nd Replay @Fulwell: BIRTLEY (Jimmy Allan) 2 CASTLE EDEN (possibly Kirtley, McDonald) 2

16/1/1886 1st Rd 3rd Replay @Chester-Le-Street: BIRTLEY (possibly Allan) 5 CASTLE EDEN (possibly Kirtley, McDonald) 4

30/1/1886 2nd Rd: BIRTLEY (Ted Watson, James Hunter, Jimmy Allan) 7 TANFIELD LEA 0

20/3/1886 S/F @Fulwell: BIRTLEY (Jim McMillan, James Hunter, Jimmy Allan plus possibly William Kirkley and Isaac Elliott) 5 WHITBURN 3

27/3/1886 Final @Feethams: BIRTLEY (Jim McMillan, James Hunter, Jimmy Allan) 1 BISHOP AUCKLAND CI 3