Total Football: Sunderland AFC 1935–37

In 1935-36, the Red and Whites won their sixth English Football League Championship, a feat that they have not repeated since. The drama of that historic season is recreated in Total Football: Sunderland AFC 1935–37.

On the 7th December 1935, Sunderland went top of the First Division and so at the start of a two year period that would bring them unprecedented success. The highs and lows of the league campaign are recalled in detail.

Included in the book are the tragic death of goalkeeper Jimmy Thorpe after a match at Chelsea. Thorpe's grief-stricken teammates went on to play their hearts out, eventually hammering Birmingham City 7-2 at St Andrews to capture the league title.

In 1936-7, Sunderland went on to lift the FA Cup at Wembley for the first time in the club's history by beating Preston North End. The Wearsiders also claimed the Charity Shield, bringing more silverware to Roker Park

Bill Shankley, who played for Preston in that final remarked: "In many ways the Sunderland team of 1937 played the same brand of Total Football as the great Holland team of the 1970's.

About the Authors

Mark Metcalf was born in County Durham in 1959 and now lives in West Yorkshire with his wife Ruth and son Charlie.

A former industrial, and later community and youth, worker Mark now works as a freelance journalist, particularly for The Big Issue in the North magazine and the various publications of the trade union, Unite.

Mark is a prolific writer of football books.