# 1994–95 Sunderland A.F.C. season

During the 1994–95 English football season, Sunderland A.F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

In the 1994–95 season, although a reasonable defensive record was maintained, Sunderland were lacking goals and as a result got entangled in a relegation battle which cost Buxton his job in March 1995. The board then appointed Peter Reid as temporary manager, in the hopes of keeping the Black Cats clear of relegation. That objective was achieved within weeks, and Reid was rewarded with a permanent contract.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 18 | Portsmouth | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 53 | 63 | −10 | 58 | |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 51 | 57 | −6 | 58 | |
| 20 | Sunderland | 46 | 12 | 18 | 16 | 41 | 45 | −4 | 54 | |
| 21 | Swindon Town (R) | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 54 | 73 | −19 | 48 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 22 | Burnley (R) | 46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 49 | 74 | −25 | 46 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## Results

Sunderland's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 13 August 1994 | Bristol City | A | 0–0 | 11,127 | |
| 20 August 1994 | Millwall | H | 1–1 | 17,296 | Goodman |
| 27 August 1994 | Stoke City | A | 1–0 | 15,159 | P Gray |
| 30 August 1994 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–2 | 15,788 | Goodman (pen), P Gray |
| 3 September 1994 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 15,111 | P Gray |
| 11 September 1994 | Middlesbrough | A | 2–2 | 19,578 | Russell (2) |
| 13 September 1994 | Sheffield United | A | 0–0 | 15,239 | |
| 17 September 1994 | Barnsley | H | 2–0 | 16,145 | P Gray, Goodman |
| 24 September 1994 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 0–1 | 7,500 | |
| 1 October 1994 | Southend United | H | 0–1 | 15,520 | |
| 8 October 1994 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 3–1 | 13,717 | Smith, P Gray (2) |
| 15 October 1994 | Burnley | H | 0–0 | 17,700 | |
| 22 October 1994 | Reading | A | 2–0 | 10,757 | Melville, P Gray |
| 29 October 1994 | Oldham Athletic | H | 0–0 | 17,252 | |
| 1 November 1994 | Charlton Athletic | H | 1–1 | 14,085 | Smith |
| 5 November 1994 | Notts County | A | 2–3 | 8,890 | P Gray, Owers |
| 19 November 1994 | Watford | H | 1–3 | 15,063 | Smith |
| 26 November 1994 | Portsmouth | A | 4–1 | 7,527 | Russell, Melville, P Gray (pen), Smith |
| 29 November 1994 | Port Vale | A | 0–0 | 8,121 | |
| 3 December 1994 | Reading | H | 0–1 | 14,021 | |
| 10 December 1994 | Millwall | A | 0–2 | 7,698 | |
| 17 December 1994 | Bristol City | H | 2–0 | 11,661 | Howey (2) |
| 26 December 1994 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 19,758 | Smith |
| 27 December 1994 | Luton Town | A | 0–3 | 8,953 | |
| 31 December 1994 | Derby County | H | 1–1 | 13,979 | P Gray |
| 14 January 1995 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–0 | 9,742 | |
| 21 January 1995 | Notts County | H | 1–2 | 14,334 | Armstrong |
| 4 February 1995 | Port Vale | H | 1–1 | 13,377 | Ball |
| 11 February 1995 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–1 | 12,380 | |
| 18 February 1995 | Portsmouth | H | 2–2 | 12,372 | Smith (2) |
| 21 February 1995 | Watford | A | 1–0 | 8,189 | Russell |
| 25 February 1995 | Southend United | A | 1–0 | 4,686 | Agnew |
| 5 March 1995 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 0–1 | 12,043 | |
| 8 March 1995 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 25,826 | |
| 11 March 1995 | Stoke City | H | 1–0 | 12,282 | Melville |
| 15 March 1995 | Swindon Town | A | 0–1 | 8,233 | |
| 19 March 1995 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–3 | 5,697 | Agnew |
| 21 March 1995 | Middlesbrough | H | 0–1 | 16,501 | |
| 24 March 1995 | Barnsley | A | 0–2 | 7,803 | |
| 1 April 1995 | Sheffield United | H | 1–0 | 17,259 | Russell |
| 8 April 1995 | Derby County | A | 1–0 | 15,442 | Ball |
| 15 April 1995 | Luton Town | H | 1–1 | 17,292 | P Gray |
| 17 April 1995 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 15,030 | |
| 22 April 1995 | Swindon Town | H | 1–0 | 16,874 | Smith |
| 29 April 1995 | Burnley | A | 1–1 | 15,121 | Smith |
| 7 May 1995 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–2 | 18,232 | Smith, P Gray |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 7 January 1995 | Carlisle United | H | 1–1 | 15,523 | Russell |
| R3R | 17 January 1995 | Carlisle United | A | 3–1 | 12,201 | Armstrong (2), P Gray |
| R4 | 29 January 1995 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–4 | 21,135 | P Gray |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 First Leg | 21 September 1994 | Millwall | A | 1–2 | 5,095 | Russell |
| R2 Second Leg | 4 October 1994 | Millwall | H | 1–1 (lost 2–3 on agg) | 9,698 | P Gray |

## Players
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Alec Chamberlain |
| — | GK | ENG | David Preece |
| — | GK | WAL | Tony Norman |
| — | DF | ENG | Gary Bennett |
| — | DF | ENG | Michael Gray |
| — | DF | ENG | Lee Howey |
| — | DF | ENG | Richard Ord |
| — | DF | ENG | Dominic Matteo (on loan from Liverpool) |
| — | DF | ENG | Martin Scott |
| — | DF | ENG | Anth Smith |
| — | DF | WAL | Andy Melville |
| — | DF | POL | Dariusz Kubicki |
| — | MF | ENG | Steve Agnew |
| — | MF | ENG | Mark Angel |
| — | MF | ENG | Gordon Armstrong |
| — | MF | ENG | Brian Atkinson |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Kevin Ball |
| — | MF | ENG | Phil Brumwell |
| — | MF | ENG | Shaun Cunnington |
| — | MF | ENG | Martin Gray |
| — | MF | ENG | Gary Owers |
| — | MF | ENG | Ian Rodgerson |
| — | MF | ENG | Ian Snodin (on loan from Everton) |
| — | MF | SCO | Derek Ferguson |
| — | FW | ENG | Brett Angell |
| — | FW | ENG | Steve Brodie |
| — | FW | ENG | Don Goodman |
| — | FW | ENG | Craig Russell |
| — | FW | ENG | Martin Smith |
| — | FW | ENG | Paul Williams (on loan from Crystal Palace) |
| — | FW | NIR | Phil Gray |