
Founded by schoolteacher James Allan, Sunderland moved towards professionalism and they were elected into The Football League in 1890. Sunderland performed well in the league, earning plaudits such as a "wonderfully fine team", and won their first FA Cup in 1937 with a 3–1 victory over Preston North End. However, their achievements petered out, and they were relegated in 1958. They had remained in the top league for 68 successive seasons, a record surpassed only by Arsenal. Sunderland's only triumph after the Second World War was their second FA Cup in 1973, when they secured a 1–0 victory over Leeds United thanks to a goal scored by Ian Porterfield.
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