Championship Team Preview: Sunderland

Photo: Sunderland AFC Women

Sunderland AFC Women is one of many professional women’s football teams in the second tier of Women’s football in England. The team are currently at a steady sixth place in the close points of the top of the league table.

Sunderland are often nicknamed “The Lasses” or the “Black Cats” and are tied on 24 points with Bristol City, with close neighbours Newcastle United just one point behind. 

Sunderland is a very unique club as when they first formed as “The Kestrels” in 1989, they were a 5-a-side team and had many name changes. However, in 2000, they soon became known as Sunderland AFC Women following a merger with Sunderland AFC Men’s team and an independent ladies' team of the city. 

Many of the WSL players began their journeys here such as Lucy Bronze and Jordan Nobbs who left due to the Lasses’ failure to join the FA WSL when it first formed. 

The Black Cats first joined the FA Women’s Championship in June of 2021 meaning that the team would make their debut in the league for the 2021-22 season.  

By this time, Sunderland had spent four years with their Head Coach Melanie Reay who has been at the club since March of 2017. 

The current 24/25 season has been rocky for Sunderland as despite maintaining sixth place in the Women’s Championship, they have a chance of being overtaken by Newcastle United who are 2 games behind them, yet Sunderland are only one point ahead. 

A notable point of Sunderland’s season was their participation in the Women’s FA Cup where they reached the quarter-final before losing to WSL side Manchester United in a 3-1 defeat. 

One of Sunderland's best-known players is 26-year-old Louise Griffiths who was the goalscorer for her side during the FA Cup match. The full-back has been at Sunderland for eight years and has maintained her spot in the team for a long time. 

Another player to watch out for is Eleanor Dale who joined Sunderland in the summer from Everton. In only 15 matches with the team, she has scored 11 goals proving herself clearly as she wears the number 9 shirt. At only 23, Dale is starting to prove herself as a prominent player as she improves. 

Fixtures to come:  

Sunderland’s next match will be held by Portsmouth as the team will travel to attempt to repeat their prior away match where they beat Portsmouth 0-2 in the FA Cup’s sixth round. The high-tension match will be one t watch as Portsmouth will fight to avoid relegation as they sit in last place only one point behind Sheffield United. 

Finally, Sunderland’s last match of the season will be held at their home ground against Sheffield United who are currently in the penultimate spot at the brink of relegation. With the team’s final matches, they will have to push to climb the league table in hopes of the promotion.