1990–91 Sunderland A.F.C. season

During the 1990–91 season Sunderland competed in the Football League First Division, the League Cup and the FA Cup. They finished 19th in the First Division and were relegated. Marco Gabbiadini was the top scorer in the First Division with 9 goals. They were knocked out of the League Cup in Round 3. Marco Gabbiadini was the top scorer in the League Cup with 2 goals. They were knocked out of The FA Cup in Round 3. No Sunderland players scored in the FA Cup. Marco Gabbiadini was the top scorer in all competitions with 11 goals. At the end of the season, Kevin Ball won the club's official Player Of The Season award, as well as the SAFC Supporters' Association Player Of The Season award.

Sunderland

1990–91 season
Manager	Denis Smith
Stadium	Roker Park
First Division	19th (relegated)
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	Third round
Full Members Cup	Third round
Top goalscorer	League: Marco Gabbiadini (9) All: Marco Gabbiadini (11)
Highest home attendance	31,107
Lowest home attendance	17,899
Average home league attendance	22,534
← 1989–90 1991–92 →

Players

First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  ENG Tim Carter — GK  WAL Tony Norman — DF  ENG Kevin Ball — DF  ENG Gary Bennett — DF  ENG Paul Hardyman — DF  ENG John Kay — DF  ENG Richard Ord — DF  ENG Ian Sampson — DF  ENG Anth Smith — DF  NGA Reuben Agboola[notes 1] — MF  ENG Brian Atkinson — MF  ENG Gordon Armstrong — MF  ENG Paul Bracewell

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ENG John Cornforth — MF  ENG Martin Gray — MF  ENG Gary Owers — MF  WAL Colin Pascoe — MF  IRL Kieron Brady[notes 2] — MF  IRL Brian Mooney — MF  ENG Tony Cullen — FW  ENG Peter Davenport — 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

League Cup

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
25 September 1990	Round 2 Leg 1	Bristol City	Roker Park	0-1	10,358
9 October 1990	Round 2 Leg 2	Bristol City	Ashton Gate	6-1 (6-2 on aggregate)	11,776	Hauser 1', Ball 43', Owers 49', Gabbiadini 67', 82', Cullen 77'
31 October 1990	Round 3	Derby County	The Baseball Ground	0-6	16,442

FA Cup

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
5 January 1991	Round 3	Arsenal	Highbury	1-2	35,128	O'Leary (own goal)

Football League First Division

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
25 August 1990	Norwich City	Carrow Road	2-3	17,247	Davenport 54', Gabbiadini 63'
28 August 1990	Tottenham Hotspur	Roker Park	0-0	30,214
1 September 1990	Manchester United	Roker Park	2-1	26,105	Owers 23', Bennett 89'
8 September 1990	Chelsea	Stamford Bridge	2-3	19,424	Gabbiadini 37', Brady 55'
15 September 1990	Everton	Roker Park	2-2	25,004	Davenport (pen) 8', Gabbiadini 32'
22 September 1990	Wimbledon	Plough Lane	2-2	6,143	Armstrong 39', Davenport 72'
29 September 1990	Liverpool	Roker Park	0-1	31,107
6 October 1990	Aston Villa	Villa Park	0-3	26,017
20 October 1990	Luton Town	Roker Park	2-0	20,025	Gabbiadini 12', Davenport 31'
27 October 1990	Arsenal	Highbury	0-1	38,539
3 November 1990	Manchester City	Roker Park	1-1	23,137	Davenport 26'
10 November 1990	Coventry City	Roker Park	0-0	20,101
17 November 1990	Nottingham Forest	The City Ground	0-2	22,757
24 November 1990	Sheffield United	Bramall Lane	2-0	19,179	Gabbiadini 70', 90'
1 December 1990	Derby County	Roker Park	1-2	21,212	Armstrong 90'
8 December 1990	Tottenham Hotspur	White Hart Lane	3-3	30,431	Pascoe 10', 75' , Davenport 22'
15 December 1990	Norwich City	Roker Park	1-2	18,693	Armstrong 14'
23 December 1990	Leeds United	Roker Park	0-1	23,773
26 December 1990	Crystal Palace	Selhurst Park	1-2	15,228	Rush 61'
29 December 1990	Queens Park Rangers	Loftus Road	2-3	11,072	Pascoe 44', Ball (pen) 48'
1 January 1991	Southampton	Roker Park	1-0	19,757	Ball (pen) 48'
12 January 1991	Manchester United	Old Trafford	0-3	45,934
19 January 1991	Chelsea	Roker Park	1-0	20,038	Pascoe 59'
2 February 1991	Everton	Goodison Park	0-2	23,124
16 February 1991	Nottingham Forest	Roker Park	1-0	20,394	Gabbiadini 39'
23 February 1991	Coventry City	Highfield Road	0-0	10,453
2 March 1991	Derby County	The Baseball Ground	3-3	16,027	Armstrong 11', Gabbiadini 16', Ball 23'
9 March 1991	Sheffield United	Roker Park	0-1	23,238
16 March 1991	Liverpool	Anfield	1-2	37,582	Armstrong 18'
23 March 1991	Aston Villa	Roker Park	1-3	21,099	Davenport 55'
30 March 1991	Crystal Palace	Roker Park	2-1	19,704	Brady 45', Rush 90'
2 April 1991	Leeds United	Elland Road	0-5	28,132
6 April 1991	Queens Park Rangers	Roker Park	0-1	17,899
13 April 1991	Southampton	The Dell	1-3	16,812	Hauser 24'
20 April 1991	Luton Town	Kenilworth Road	2-1	11,157	Gordon Armstrong 22', Pascoe 63'
23 April 1991	Wimbledon	Roker Park	0-0	24,036
4 May 1991	Arsenal	Roker Park	0-0	22,606
11 May 1991	Manchester City	Maine Road	2-3	39,194	Gabbiadini 40', Bennett 44'

Final league table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
16	Coventry City	38	11	11	16	42	49	−7	44
17	Aston Villa	38	9	14	15	46	58	−12	41
18	Luton Town	38	10	7	21	42	61	−19	37
19	Sunderland (R)	38	8	10	20	38	60	−22	34	Relegation to the Second Division
20	Derby County (R)	38	5	9	24	37	75	−38	24

Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated

Goal scorers

Nation	Name	League	League Cup	FA Cup	Total
	Marco Gabbiadini	8	2	0	10
	Peter Davenport	7	0	0	7
	Gordon Armstrong	6	0	0	6
	Colin Pascoe	5	0	0	5
	Kevin Ball	3	1	0	4
	Gary Bennett	2	0	0	2
	David Rush	2	0	0	2
	Kieron Brady	2	0	0	2
	Gary Owers	1	1	0	2
	Thomas Hauser	1	1	0	2
	Tony Cullen	0	1	0	1
/	Own goals	0	0	1	1
/	Totals	38	6	1	45