Two weeks ago, we featured a cup final between Sunderland and Crook Town in which the Lads took Durham Cup honours after a 1918/1919 fixture programme had been cobbled together following the armistice. Ending the season with a trophy in the cabinet was always going to be welcome, although the truncated campaign had one more game to go — and local pride was again on the line.
Newcastle United were the opponents for the sixth time in seventh months, with our Tyneside neighbours looking to avenge a defeat in the most recent derby in March – a 2-1 Northern Victory League success for Sunderland in which Charlie Buchan and Jackie Mordue got the all-important goals.
This time, the match was in aid of the Footballers’ National War Fund, with £534 being raised through gate receipts, although there was still a bonus on offer for whoever won this latest clash following a special request from Bob Kyle.
The Sunderland secretary had approached the FA in the weeks prior and secured permission for the victorious side to be handed gold scarf pins, as long as the cost of these mementos weren’t added to the price of admission, the decision being made ‘in consideration of the past services of the players in connection with the fund’.
Kyle had then approached eminent local figure Mr Samuel Storey and asked if he would be kind enough to help provide for these, and within forty eight hours, had received through a cheque through the post for £15.
Storey, who in 1904 had accepted an invitation to join the club’s board as a director and acted as a steadying influence in the wake of the Andy McCombie ‘affair’, had also previously served as a MP for the Sunderland constituency and was one of the founders of the Sunderland Echo and Shipping Gazette (as it was still known in 1919). Accompanying his donation was a letter stating that he hoped “Your game on the 17th will yield you a large sum for the meritorious purpose set out”.
On May 2, The Echo itself stated that having “something to play for will certainly make for a keen and interesting match and should prove a great draw for the winding-up of the season”, with the commemorative mood on the day of the game being completed by the presence pitchside of the Wearmouth Colliery band, who entertained the crowd both before kick-off and at half-time.
Making a welcome return against the visitors was Leslie Scott, who’d been first choice goalkeeper for Sunderland during 1914/1915 and in World War I was part of the Durham Light Infantry. At the time of his enlistment, they were stationed at Seaham Harbour and so sources differ as to whether he was serving with the third battalion or the fourth.
Prior to joining, in 1915 it was reported in the local press that he’d agreed temporarily to play for Sunderland Rovers in the North Eastern League, but now back on duty with the Lads following a series of guest stoppers keeping his spot warm, he was to enjoy a thrilling win.
Also turning out for Sunderland AFC was George Keenlyside, a South Shields player but somebody that was very familiar to his temporary teammates.
He’d already gone up against them on four separate occasions that season, and at the start of May had arranged a benefit game at Horsley Hill on behalf of the family of Jack Rowley, the Shields’ trainer who’d lost his life during the war. Bert Hobson and Bobby Best had both guested in that game, and were now on the pitch again to see him get the second goal of the afternoon.
Coming on the back of Mordue’s opener the strike meant Sunderland went into the break 2-0 up.
Ray Robinson — who a little over a year later would swap St James’ Park for Roker Park — was part of the attack that fought back in the second half and levelled things up around the hour mark, but Mordue confirmed Wearside superiority with a stylish late winner that had the red and white scarves of the supporters being waved in delight, and the scarves of his colleagues being nicely accessorised.
Seven days later, Roker Park witnessed another Sunderland versus Newcastle charity match, only this time it was the ladies’ turn to play. Proceeds from the game were to go to the Haverfield Disabled Serbian Soldiers Fund, with Miss Minnie Seed of Whitburn captaining the Lasses.
In the days prior, the fixture was heavily publicised in the Echo and around 10,000 spectators attended. The Novocastrians — said beforehand to have been much more experienced — won 4-1.
Saturday 17 May 1919
Charity match
Roker Park
Attendance: 16,000
Sunderland 3 (Mordue 36’, 82’, Keenlyside 38’)
Newcastle United 2 (Hagan 58’, 60’)
Sunderland: Scott, Hobson, Smith; Cuggy, Sherwin, Low; Best, Buchan, Travers; Mordue, Keenlyside