Having already visited for a friendly game in April, Bradford City were back on Wearside – only this time, there were points now up for grabs.
The Football League was back up and running following The Great War, and Sunderland went into the fixture in high spirits having enjoyed a trip to Merseyside the previous weekend.
Peace had brought joy to millions, but the country was still in a state of shock. The government needed to rebuild while society as a whole looked to overcome the horrors it had endured, but the processes were complicated and there was plenty to sort out.
An attempt by politicians to reduce wages agreed during the conflict prompted a rail strike in the autumn, and whilst the situation highlighted the issued being faced nationwide, it did have the odd, unexpected benefit too.
Due to take on Everton but unable to travel via the usual means, the Lads instead went on charabancs.
Leaving the club house at 08:00 the day before the game and arriving at approximately 19:00, their journey was later described in the Sunderland Echo and Shipping Gazette as “glorious, through beautiful country” and was “thoroughly enjoyed” by the players, despite the fact that at one point they were forced to swerve and avoid a dog and a cow that were in the road.
Sadly, there were no more details provided regarding this intriguing aside, but the group arrived feeling full of vigour and were able to make an equally pleasant return journey afterwards on the back of an impressive 1-3 win.
Now able to take that confidence into their clash with the Bantams and not worrying about transport arrangements, the general bonhomie at Roker was increased further ahead of kick off courtesy of a pitch side performance from the Wearmouth Colliery Brass Band. The playing conditions were prefect also, with bright sunshine replacing the overnight rain that had softened up the surface and made it more suitable for the Lads’ passing style.
The only blot was the absence of Charlie Buchan, who was in Cardiff on England duty.
Hosts Wales won what was classed as an unofficial ‘Victory International’ the same day, but with skipper Buchan and vice-captain Harry Ness both missing, it was Jackie Mordue that lead the Sunderland team out for Bob Kyle. The secretary had recently dropped Ness and brought Bob Young in at left back, but Sunderland ending up dominating possession so much that it almost didn’t matter who was playing in defence.
It took the hosts time to break down City’s resistance but before finally making the breakthrough it was virtually one way traffic, with the match report in the Sunday Sun the following morning claiming that of the seventy four minutes played, “at the very lowest estimate, fifty had been occupied by Sunderland attacks”.
Goalkeeper Tommy Allen didn’t get to handle the ball until shortly before half time, and even when Bradford did create an opening, Oscar Fox missed the target by such a distance the stopper may as well have been watching the attempt from the sidelines.
However, just as fears were beginning to set that time would run out, Sunderland finally converted one of their own chances.
Charlie Crossley, in for Buchan and looking sharp, glided through the Bradford defence and passed to Bobby Best, who scored “a really pretty goal” from a difficult angle to make it 1-0.
Barney Travers then extended the lead shortly after with another clever finish, feigning to blast a shot but then instead hitting a delicate chip into the net after good build up play by Mordue. Sunderland could’ve won by a greater margin but had still gone one better than they had when Bradford last visited – a clean sheet on this occasion building on the 2-1 friendly win achieved six months earlier.
*In the April fixture, Sunderland had been asked to switch into white strips for the second half as there was a perceived colour clash with their guests. For the league encounter, it was Bradford that changed kits, and the Lads went back to their traditional red and white.
Saturday 11 October 1919
Football League Division One
Roker Park
Attendance: 25,000
Sunderland 2 (Best 74’, Travers 83’)
Bradford City 0
Sunderland: Allen; Hobson, Young, Cuggy; Kasher, Poole, Best; Crossley, Travers, Mordue; Martin
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