Final League Table

Pn Team Pd W D L F A W D L F A Pts Res

1 Preston North E. 22 8 1 2 41 12 7 2 2 30 18 33

2 Everton 22 8 2 1 40 15 6 1 4 25 25 31

3 Blackburn Rovers 22 9 0 2 59 18 3 3 5 19 23 27

4 Wolverhampton W. 22 6 3 2 28 14 4 2 5 23 24 25

5 West Bromwich A. 22 8 1 2 37 20 3 2 6 10 30 25

6 Accrington 22 6 4 1 33 25 3 2 6 20 31 24

7 Derby County 22 8 2 1 32 13 1 1 9 11 42 21

8 Aston Villa 22 6 2 3 30 15 1 3 7 13 36 19

9 Bolton Wanderers 22 6 1 4 37 24 3 0 8 17 41 19

10 Notts. County 22 4 3 4 20 19 2 2 7 23 32 17

11 Burnley 22 3 1 7 20 21 1 4 6 16 44 13

12 Stoke 22 2 3 6 18 20 1 1 9 9 49 10

Sunderland remained outside of the Football League in its second season. However, they continued to achieve impressive results against league teams, and again applied for entry at the end of the season. This time their reputation had grown significantly; they had become known as "The Team of All The Talents" following remarks by the League’s founder, William McGregor that "they have a talented man in every position" after his own club, Aston Villa had been thrashed 7-2 in April 1890. Sunderland were geographically remote from the other league teams, but an offer to pay visiting teams’ travelling expenses helped swing the vote, and they were duly elected to the Football League for the 1890-91 season, in place of the bottom club Stoke.

SAFC Record vs League Teams

Pd W D L F A W D L F A Pts

Sunderland 14 6 3 2 29 17 1 0 2 5 9 17