The History of the Wearside League

1950s

The title of outstanding Wearside League club of the 1950s must go to Shotton CW. Three League championships were won in 1953-54, 1955-56 and 1956-57seasons. In between the first two successes Shotton also took the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup. For one four-year period the League Challenge Cup was completely dominated by the club. From 1953-54 to 1956-57 Shotton won four successive competitions (still a record).

Boldon CW 1952-53 season Wearside League Champions.

1954 SHIPOWNERS' CUP FINAL (after 1-1 draw)
Silksworth CW 3 Sunderland "A" 0
29th April at Silksworth Welfare Ground.

Silksworth CW:
Surtees, Steinberg, Wilson, Teare, Mclntyre, Robinson (L), Shaw, Palmer, Robinson (E) & Hall
Sunderland "A": Dodds, Jones, Chilton, Clough, Nickalls, Bone, Kemp, Kirtley, Weddle, Shields & McSeveney

In the first game at Roker Park a large Silksworth following saw their team play the better football against Sunderland' s second string. Shaw put them ahead with a header after 15 minutes. Sunderland winger, Sam Kemp equalised with another header from a Weddle centre. In the second half Silksworth had plenty of chances to have a comfortable win but they failed to convert any of them.
A few days later a record crowd gathered at Silksworth to see if their team could finish the job. The young Sunderland side tried to play good football but were knocked out of their stride by Silksworth's enthusiasm. In the 34th minute a mistake by goalkeeper Les Dodds let in Silksworth centre forward Palmer, who scored from close range. An equaliser almost came, but a Sam Kemp shot hit the bar. After the interval Silksworth increased their lead through a header from Robinson in the 72nd minute.
Just before the end a magnificent goal from Hall rounded off a brilliant Silksworth performance. The large crowd swarmed onto the pitch to congratulate winning skipper, Jack Teare and his team-mates. Commiseration was also offered to the talented young Sunderland side. The Silksworth team's achievement was put in perspective when the record of Sunderland Reserves' in the competition is looked at. Before the 1954 final the young professionals had won the five previous Shipowners' Cups. Then after their defeat they won the competition for the next five years in a row.

At the end of the 1958-59 season, Blackhall CW had to drop out of the League because of lack of funds. Workmen at Blackhall Colliery used to subscribe a 2d levy for the sport section of the welfare scheme. This used to produce £975 a year, about £18 a week. A reduction in the number of contributors had reduced this figure to about £15 a week and the club had been running at a loss for a few seasons prior to their decision to leave.

This was a problem faced by an increasing number of colliery welfare clubs during the following decade.

WEARSIDE LEAGUE XI1 SUNDERLAND YOUTH XI 5
30th September, 1959 at Roker Park

The Wearside League XI was comprised of players under-21, while Sunderland set an age limit of 18 for their team. The Sunderland team included Cecil Irwin and Martin Harvey, both players becoming first team regulars throughout the next decade. The game had special significance for Jimmy Connor the Ryhope CW winger. His father Jimmy Connor Senior was one of Sunderland's greatest players of the 1930s. Now his son had the opportunity to play on the Roker Park pitch his father had graced so often.

Wearside League
Towers (Langley Park), Horner (D) (Wingate CW), Bowens (Silksworth CW), Carter (Boldon CW), Giles (Whitburn), Liddle (Eppleton CW), Heppel (Dawdon CW), Grose (Murton CW), Horner (T) (Thornley CW), Thubron (Shotton CW) & Conner (Ryhope CW).

Sunderland Youths
Williamson, Richardson, Irwin, Harvey, Crudace, Potter, Buchanan, Lackenby, O'Neil (J), Rodden & White.

The League XI opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a goal from Grose. A mix-up between Williamson and one of his own defenders allowed the Murton inside-forward to score. Within five minutes Sunderland were on level terms when Buchanan converted a White centre. A minute later Sunderland took the lead through O'Neil after the goalkeeper had made a good save from Lackenby. In the 22nd minute O'Neil got his second and his side's third goal from close range.

At the beginning of the second half the League XI had a chance to reduce the arrears from the penalty spot, but centre-forward Horner put the kick wide. Three minutes later O'Neil turned from goalpoacher to goalmaker for White to increase the lead further.
Lackenby completed the scoring in the 62nd minute with a long range effort that went under the body of Towers. This was the only mistake the Langley Park goalkeeper made in an otherwise excellent display.

A crowd of 1,161 paid gate receipts of £60 14s 6d. After expenses a balance of £27 10s 2d was left. Sunderland manager, Alan Brown intimated that the club would retain this. This was discussed at the next meeting of the Wearside League management committee in November. The Minute Book records the feelings of the officials:" the clubs in the Wearside League view with disfavour the action of Sunderland AFC in retaining the entire proceeds of the game." Under the circumstances it was decided the match expenses i.e. players travelling expenses etc. should be borne by all the clubs in the Wearside League.

After the Chairman of Sunderland AFC was informed of the situation he sent the League a cheque for the sum
of £27 10s 2d.

1959 SHIPOWNERS' CUP FINAL
17th April at Roker Park, Attendance 790
Sunderland Reserves 8 EppletonCW 0

Sunderland Reserves:
Bollands, Chilton, Elliot, Reed, Rooks, MacDonald, Bircham, Wood, Lawther, Spence & Godbold.

Eppleton CW:
Sutherland, Willey, Weires (B), Powney, Weires (E), Whitfield, Macklethwaite, Barker, Mclnroy, Oliver (R) & Shotton.

The Sunderland Reserve side's superior skill and fitness told against the Wearside League part-timers. Although, Eppleton put up a fight they had no answer to the Roker attack. Hat-tricks from Alan Spence and Ian Lawther and one each from Godbold and Elliot completed the rout. If it had not been for the performance of goalkeeper Sutherland the defeat would have been even heavier.

All but two of the Reserves side went on to play League football (or had already done so). Hat-trick hero Lawther, went on to become a Northern Ireland intenational. This was Sunderland Reserves' 27th success (once as joint-holders) and the 10th victory in the last 11 seasons. Another triumph two years later was to signal the end of an era. This was to be the Reserves' last win in the competition, having set a record of success never likely to be equalled.

Wearside League Winners

1950-51	Sunderland "A"
1951-52	Sunderland "A"
1952-53	Boldon C.W.
1953-54	Shotton C.W.
1954-55	Boldon C.W.
1955-56	Shotton C.W.
1956-57	Shotton C.W.
1957-58	Silksworth C.W.
1958-59	Langley Park C.W.
1959-60	Murton C.W.

Monkwearmouth Charity Cup Winners

1950-51	Sunderland "A"
1951-52	Silksworth C.W.
1952-53	Seaham C.W.
1953-54	Middlesbrough "A"
1954-55	Shotton C.W.
1955-56	Whitburn
1956-57	Blackhall C.W.
1957-58	Boldon C.W.
1958-59	Thornley C.W.
1959-60	Langley Park C.W

Sunderland Shipowners' Cup Winners

1950-51	Sunderland Res.
1951-52	Sunderland Res.
1952-53	Sunderland Res.
1953-54	Silksworth C.W.
1954-55	Sunderland Res.
1955-56	Sunderland Res.
1956-57	Sunderland Res.
1957-58	Sunderland Res.
1958-59	Sunderland Res.
1959-60	Murton C.W.

League Challenge Cup Winners

1950-51	Sunderland "A"
1951-52	Silksworth C.W.
1952-53	Seaham C.W.
1953-54	Shotton C.W.
1954-55	Shotton C.W.
1955-56	Shotton C.W.
1956-57	Shotton C.W.
1957-58	Thornley C.W.
1958-59	Murton C.W.
1959-60	Silksworth C.W.

Wearside Football League

The History of the Wearside League

1950s