Sunderland AFC       Sunderland's

         30 Super Strikers

Sunderland's Finest Scottish Forwards

1.  John Middleton Campbell

SAFC Career: 1889 - 97. Apps. 215, Goals 150. 

Medals: 1st div 1892, 93 & 95.

Johnny Campbell was Sunderland's first star striker of note.  The stocky, no nonsense goal getter helped us lift 3 titles in 4 years.  He was the division's top scorer in both our first 2 championship seasons, with 32 and 31 goals respectively.  He reached double figures in each of his first 6 seasons at the club as well as scoring 10 hat-tricks and 4 goals twice.

2.  James Millar  Scotland International

SAFC Career: 1890 - 96 & 1900 - 04. Apps. 260, Goals 123. 

Medals: 1st div 1892, 93, 95 & 1902.

Jimmy Millar jointly holds the record for most title wins whilst playing for Sunderland.  He also won 2 Scottish titles and 2 Scottish cup winners medals with Rangers during his spell away from the club.  The 11-1 FA cup win against Fairfield in February 1895 saw Jimmy become the first Sunderland player to notch 5 goals in a match.  Though not as prolific as his partner Campbell, he also managed double figures in the 6 seasons they played together.

3.  James Gillespie  Scotland International

SAFC Career: 1890 - 91 & 92 - 97. Apps. 149, Goals 51. 

Medals: 1st div 1893 & 95.

Jas Gillespie made a single appearance for the Lads before defecting to Sunderland Albion.  He was welcomed back after Albion folded and became a mainstay of our highly successful 5 man forward line.  Playing right wing throughout his Sunderland career he saved his most important goals until his final game for the club.  He got both goals in a 2-0 win over Newton Heath, saving us from a shock relegation.

4.  James Hannah  Scotland International

SAFC Career: 1891 - 97. Apps. 172, Goals 77. 

Medals: 1st div 1892, 93 & 95.

Jimmy Hannah played right wing in our first championship season contributing 20 goals.  It is a mark of his talent that he played on the left wing the following year and scored another 20 goals, helping us to a 2nd title.  Jimmy hit hat-tricks on January 2nd 1893 and 95 and a 3rd against Fairfield in the cup.     

11.  David Halliday

SAFC Career: 1925 - 30. Apps. 175, Goals 162.

Dave Halliday is the most prolific marksman in Sunderland's history.  No player has managed to better the 36 goals he scored, in only 34 games, during the 1926/27 campaign.  It was in fact his LOWEST total in 4 full seasons for the Lads!  He scored an amazing 43 league goals in only 42 appearances during the 1928/29 season, to set the club record for a single year.  His 2 other goal totals were 37 and 42.  A dozen hat-tricks and 4 goals on 3 occasions complete the stats that any front man would be proud of.  

13.  Patrick Gallacher  Scotland International

SAFC Career: 1929 - 39. Apps. 307, Goals 108. 

Medals: 1st div 1936 & FA Cup 1937.

Patsy Gallacher was the 3rd of our 3 great forwards, along with Gurney and Carter, in our superb pre-war side. Their goals led us to the title in 1936 and our first FA Cup win a year later.  Paddy's role was as inside left and his 19 goals during the successful league campaign and a further 3 in the cup run proved invaluable.

14.  James Connor  Scotland International

SAFC Career: 1929 - 39. Apps. 284, Goals 61. 

Medal: 1st div 1936.

Jimmy Connor was a tricky left winger in the 5 forward era.  An ever present during our '36 championship season, he chipped in with 7 goals on our way to the title.  Jimmy was badly injured during the 1937 cup run and despite scoring twice in the early rounds missed out on a winners medal.

18.  Thomas Wright  Scotland International

SAFC Career: 1949 - 55. Apps. 180, Goals 55.

Tommy Wright played mostly right wing for our 'Bank of England' side but still reached double figures on 4 separate occasions.  He was also an excellent replacement at both inside and center forward.  The hat-trick he scored against Everton, in the penultimate game of the 1949/50 season, wasn't quite enough for us to take the title.  The Lads eventually finishing 3rd, missing out by 1 point. 

20.  Charles Fleming  Scotland International

SAFC Career: 1955 - 58. Apps. 122, Goals 71.

Charlie Fleming was nicknamed 'cannonball' due to the ferocity of his shooting.  Playing in either inside forward role the goals flowed throughout his Sunderland career.  His first strikes for the club were a brace in a 2-1 away win at st james'.  The next season he followed it up the with a hat-trick in the FA Cup 3rd round against Norwich at Roker.  A goal in the 4th round eventually helped us to a second consecutive semi final appearance. 

21.  Dominic Sharkey  Scotland Under 23 International  

SAFC Career: 1960 - 67. Apps. 117, Goals 62.

Nicky Sharkey made his Sunderland debut as a 16 year old but remained on the fringes of the team until Brian Clough's serious injury.  He scored 5 goals in a 7-1 win against Norwich in March 1963, becoming a regular scorer thereafter.  He reached double figures in that season and as well as the following 2.

24.  Neil Martin  Scotland International

SAFC Career: 1965 - 68. Apps. 99, Goals 46.

Neil Martin had scored over a 100 goals in Scottish football before he arrived at Roker Park.  He also topped the 100 mark south of the border, managing just shy of half that figure for the Lads.  The highest point of his Sunderland career came in the FA Cup, he scored a hat-trick during the 7-1 thrashing of Peterborough United in February '67.     

25.  William Hughes  Scotland International

SAFC Career: 1966 - 77. Apps. 304 (28), Goals 82. 

Medals: FA Cup 1973 & 2nd div 1976.

Billy Hughes was a well built, powerful player.  He was also a skilful dribbler and the possessor of a deadly shot.  He spent over 10 years at the club but his major contribution was as a valuable member of the '73 cup winning team.  Always up for the big occasion he scored 4 goals during the cup run, all against top flight opposition. 

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Site compiled by Keith Smith 2001. S30S.