Sunderland sporting heritage

At its zenith, Ashbrooke Sports Ground thronged to crowds of 25,000 to witness a touring Australian cricket team take on Durham. Despite the struggles of the General Strike across the northeast’s industrial communities, the chance to see a top-class visiting team in 1926 was too much for a sports crazy region to miss.

Impressively, there were 15,000 more people watching Australia’s win over Durham than attended the Saturday play at the Oval a week later in the first test. And this in a region where the old traditions of the gentleman amateur sportsman had quickly been overtaken by the professional player, leading to a dominant interest in football that continues to this day.

Ashbrooke Sports Ground itself was laid out in 1887 at the heart of a then-new middle-class suburb to the south of the town centre. Surrounding streets of fine red-brick housing were home to an emerging affluent class, riding the wave of the town’s industrial prosperity. Remote from the grime of the collieries and the clang of the shipyards, these streets were home to engineers and educators, lawyers and accountants. The cricket pavilion, built between 1897-99, was designed by James Henderson, a professional architect who lived nearby and was cricket club captain.

In my childhood, Ashbrooke was all about Bonfire Night. A large-scale firework display, revived in 2024 after several years’ absence, was one of the highlights of the year. In keeping with the district’s white-collar heritage, my own family worked in education while neighbours included a published poet, a retired football international, assorted healthcare professionals and office workers. In the 80s, when Sunderland’s industrial core was hollowed away, the town’s confidence and prosperity went with it.

That crisis continues to impact upon Ashbrooke. Last year brought genuine concerns about the survival of the grounds as membership numbers failed to rebound after the pandemic. Efforts to attract wider audiences have been mixed: a proud history as a former home of Sunderland AFC, as well as long-established cricket and rugby clubs, cannot pay the bills on its own.

Yet there is still room for triumph. On the first day of spring, it was all about rugby. Sunderland RFC narrowly missed out on winning the Durham Northumberland Division I title last year; this time the runaway leader could seal the deal with a win at home to Darlington.

The crowd was bigger than usual. Pre-game, the clubhouse was crowded. And as the action kicked off there was a sizeable contingent standing on one touchline. In front of “The Last Stand”, a war memorial commemorating former players lost in the World Wars, there were few empty seats. It wasn’t anywhere near the famous 25,000 who watched the Aussies, but it hinted at a revival of fortunes.

On the field, with glory up for grabs, Sunderland made no mistake. The home team crossed for its first try inside two minutes and kept piling up the points in an 85-14 win over Darlington.

An incident late in the first half summed up the difference between the teams. Darlington defended heroically to hold up a Sunderland attack. Almost on the try line, the visitor forced a knock-on, earning the feed at a scrum on the 5-metre line. A triumphant yelp from the defenders greeted the moment with all the enthusiasm of scoring a try. Yet the powerful home pack managed to steal possession from the subsequent scrum and roll Darlington back over the line for yet another score. Even before half time, the game and the championship was won.

Glory days for the rugby players of the 21st century. But there’s a greater glory here in the echoes of Sunderland’s sporting history. The wooden benches in front of the pavilion have seen better days but they offer a link back to an earlier age. Those days may be gone, but preserving their spirit remains a valuable part of community identity and something that should be protected and cherished.