# 1989–90 Sunderland A.F.C. season

During the 1989–90 season Sunderland competed in the Football League Second Division. They finished sixth in the league and were promoted via the play-offs.

## Squad

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 | Tim Carter |
| — | GK | WAL | Tony Norman |
| — | DF | ENG | Gary Bennett |
| — | DF | ENG | Paul Hardyman |
| — | DF | ENG | John Kay |
| — | DF | ENG | Richard Ord |
| — | DF | ENG | Reuben Agboola |
| — | DF | ENG | Mick Heathcote |
| — | DF | SCO | John MacPhail |
| — | MF | ENG | Brian Atkinson |
| — | MF | ENG | Gordon Armstrong |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Bracewell |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | John Cornforth |
| — | MF | ENG | Gary Owers |
| — | MF | WAL | Colin Pascoe |
| — | MF | SCO | Kieron Brady |
| — | MF | ENG | Paul Lemon |
| — | FW | WAL | Riccardo Gabbiadini |
| — | FW | ENG | Eric Gates |
| — | FW | ENG | Marco Gabbiadini |
| — | FW | ENG | Warren Hawke |
| — | FW | ENG | David Rush |
| — | FW | GER | Thomas Hauser |

## Results

Sunderland's score comes first.
| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 19 August 1989 | Swindon Town | County Ground | 2-0 | 10,199 | Gates and Hawke |
| 22 August 1989 | Ipswich Town | Roker Park | 2-4 | 15,965 | Gates and Gabbiadini |
| 27 August 1989 | Middlesbrough | Roker Park | 2-1 | 21,569 | Pascoe and Bennett |
| 2 September 1989 | West Brom | The Hawthorns | 1-1 | 10,885 | Gabbiadini |
| 9 September 1989 | Watford | Roker Park | 4-0 | 15,042 | Armstrong and Gabbiadini (3) |
| 16 September 1989 | Blackburn Rovers | Ewood Park | 1-1 | 10,329 | MacPhail |
| 24 September 1989 | Newcastle United | Roker Park | 0-0 | 29,449 | |
| 27 September 1989 | Leicester City | Filbert Street | 3-2 | 10,843 | Armstrong, Hardyman and Owers |
| 30 September 1989 | Sheffield United | Roker Park | 1-1 | 22,760 | Deane O.G. |
| 7 October 1989 | Bournemouth | Roker Park | 3-2 | 15,933 | Gates (2) and Gabbiadini |
| 14 October 1989 | Leeds United | Elland Road | 0-2 | 27,815 | |
| 18 October 1989 | West Ham United | Boleyn Ground | 0-5 | 20,901 | |
| 21 October 1989 | Bradford City | Roker Park | 1-0 | 14,849 | MacPhail |
| 28 October 1989 | Stoke City | Victoria Ground | 2-0 | 12,480 | Bracewell and Gabbiadini |
| 31 October 1989 | Barnsley | Roker Park | 4-2 | 14,234 | Gates(2), Hardyman and Bennett |
| 4 November 1989 | Oldham Athletic | Boundary Park | 1-2 | 8,829 | Owers |
| 11 November 1989 | Wolves | Roker Park | 1-1 | 20,660 | Hardyman |
| 18 November 1989 | Plymouth Argyle | Roker Park | 3-1 | 15,033 | Owers, Ord and Gabbiadini |
| 25 November 1989 | Brighton | Goldstone Ground | 2-1 | 8,681 | Owers and Gabbiadini |
| 2 December 1989 | Swindon Town | Roker Park | 2-2 | 15,849 | Armstrong and Hauser |
| 9 December 1989 | Ipswich Town | Portman Road | 1-1 | 13,833 | Owers |
| 16 December 1989 | Portsmouth | Fratton Park | 3-3 | 7,127 | Hardyman, Bennett and Gabbiadini |
| 26 December 1989 | Oxford United | Roker Park | 1-0 | 24,075 | Gabbiadini |
| 30 December 1989 | Port Vale | Roker Park | 2-2 | 21,354 | Hauser and Gabbiadini |
| 1 January 1990 | Hull City | Boothferry Park | 2-3 | 9,346 | Owers and Hauser |
| 14 January 1990 | Middlesbrough | Ayresome Park | 0-3 | 17,698 | |
| 20 January 1990 | West Brom | Roker Park | 1-1 | 15,583 | Gabbiadini |
| 4 February 1990 | Newcastle United | St James' Park | 1-1 | 31,572 | Gabbiadini |
| 10 February 1990 | Blackburn Rovers | Roker Park | 0-1 | 16,043 | |
| 17 February 1990 | Watford | Vicarage Road | 1-1 | 9,093 | Hauser |
| 24 February 1990 | Brighton | Roker Park | 2-1 | 14,528 | Hauser (2) |
| 3 March 1990 | Plymouth Argyle | Home Park | 0-3 | 7,299 | |
| 10 March 1990 | Leicester City | Roker Park | 2-2 | 13,017 | Armstrong and Gabbiadini |
| 17 March 1990 | Bournemouth | Dean Court | 1-0 | 6,328 | Gabbiadini |
| 20 March 1990 | Leeds United | Roker Park | 0-1 | 17,851 | |
| 24 March 1990 | West Ham United | Roker Park | 4-3 | 13,896 | Kieron Brady, Hardyman, Owers and Gabbiadini |
| 31 March 1990 | Bradford City | Valley Parade | 1-0 | 9,826 | Kieron Brady |
| 3 April 1990 | Sheffield United | Bramall Lane | 3-1 | 20,588 | Bracewell and Gabbiadini (2) |
| 7 April 1990 | Stoke City | Roker Park | 2-1 | 17,119 | Armstrong and Gabbiadini |
| 10 April 1990 | Barnsley | Oakwell | 0-1 | 11,141 | |
| 14 April 1990 | Hull City | Roker Park | 0-1 | 17,437 | |
| 16 April 1990 | Oxford United | Manor Ground | 1-0 | 21,212 | Gabbiadini |
| 21 April 1990 | Portsmouth | Roker Park | 2-2 | 14,379 | Armstrong (2) |
| 28 April 1990 | Wolves | Molineux Stadium | 1-0 | 19,463 | Hardyman |
| 1 May 1990 | Port Vale | Vale Park | 2-1 | 9,447 | Hardyman and Owers |
| 5 May 1990 | Oldham Athletic | Roker Park | 2-3 | 22,243 | Owers and Armstrong |

#### Play-offs

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 12 May 1990 | Semi Final Leg 1 | Newcastle United | Roker Park | 0-0 | 26,641 | |
| 16 May 1990 | Semi Final Leg 2 | Newcastle United | St James' Park | 2-0 (2-0 on aggregate) | 32,199 | Gates and Gabbiadini |
| 28 May 1990 | Final | Swindon Town | Wembley | 0-1 | 72,873 | |

#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 4 | Swindon Town (O) | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 79 | 59 | +20 | 74 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 5 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 74 | 59 | +15 | 74 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 6 | Sunderland (P) | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 70 | 64 | +6 | 74 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 7 | West Ham United | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 80 | 57 | +23 | 72 | |
| 8 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 70 | 57 | +13 | 71 | |
* 1 2 Swindon Town were disqualified from promotion after being found guilty of making illegal payments, and the play-off runners-up Sunderland were promoted in their place.

### League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 19 September 1989 | Round 2 Leg 1 | Fulham | Roker Park | 1-1 | 11,416 | Hardyman |
| 3 October 1989 | Round 2 Leg 2 | Fulham | Craven Cottage | 3-0 (4-1 on aggregate) | 6,314 | Armstrong and Gabbiadini (2) |
| 24 October 1989 | Round 3 | Bournemouth | Roker Park | 1-1 | 12,595 | Gabbiadini |
| 7 November 1989 | Round 3 replay | Bournemouth | Dean Court | 1-0 | 8,500 | Gabbiadini |
| 29 November 1989 | Round 4 | Exeter City | St James Park | 2-2 | 8,643 | Armstrong and Gates |
| 5 December 1989 | Round 4 replay | Exeter City | Roker Park | 5-2 | 18,130 | Armstrong, Hardyman, Pascoe and Gates (2) |
| 17 January 1990 | Round 5 | Coventry City | Roker Park | 0-0 | 27,218 | |
| 24 January 1990 | Round 5 replay | Coventry City | Highfield Road | 0-5 | 21,219 | |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 6 January 1990 | Round 3 | Reading | Elm Park | 1-2 | 9,344 | Armstrong |

### Full Members Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 14 November 1989 | Round 1 | Port Vale | Roker Park | 1-2 | 7,035 | Armstrong |

## Statistics
### Goal scorers

| Nation | Name | League | League Cup | FA Cup | Total |
| | Marco Gabbiadini | 21 | 4 | 0 | 25 |
| | Gordon Armstrong | 8 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| | Gary Owers | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| | Eric Gates | 6 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| | Paul Hardyman | 7 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| | Thomas Hauser | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| | Gary Bennett | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| | Paul Bracewell | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| | Kieron Brady | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| | John MacPhail | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| | Colin Pascoe | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| | Richard Ord | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | Warren Hawke | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| / | Own goals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| / | Totals | 70 | 13 | 1 | 84 |