We’ve played Blackburn Rovers over 140 times in our history, 143 to be precise. Over the course of those games we’ve won 62, drawn 31 and lost 50. It's a fixture that breathes goals, with only nine goalless draws overall.
BLACKBURN ROVERS 8-1 SUNDERLAND - DIVISION ONE - 22.04.1909
There isn’t too much out there about this result, though it is our heaviest ever defeat against Blackburn so it’s worth mentioning. It seems Blackburn had a field day with us. Our only goal of the game came through Willie Clark which actually tied the game at 1-1 at the time. Then the first half ended 3-1 before they smashed in another five after the break.
SUNDERLAND 5-1 BLACKBURN - DIVISION ONE - 20.02.1915
Six years on from our thumping we got revenge at Roker Park. Jackie Mordue opened the scoring after twenty odd minutes, and ten minutes later we made it two thanks to George Phillip. 2-0 at the break wasn’t bad but we kept pushing and it paid off. Charlie Buchan and Billy Moore grabbed goals each and then our keeper at the time, Leslie Scott, got some action as he saved Billy Bradshaw’s penalty to keep his clean sheet intact. Six minutes after the penalty Bradshaw would end up getting on the scoresheet to make it 4-1 and then Phillip would get his second of the day to seal the 5-1 victory.
SUNDERLAND 8-2 BLACKBURN - DIVISION ONE - 04.02.1931
It’s only right that we end up remaking the significant defeat we suffered right? We may have conceded one more than they did when they beat us 8-1 but I’d say we demolished them in a better fashion. At least when they scored eight we were still in the game at halftime, as it was only 3-1. In this game though, we went into the break SEVEN goals up. That’s right, seven goals to nil at half-time. Jimmy Leonard and Billy Eden both grabbed first half hat tricks and Bobby Gurney pitched in with a goal too. For Blackburn Les Brutton managed to get a pointless brace but he could have had a hattrick too if he didn't miss his second penalty of the game. Joe Devine got our only goal of the second half but by then the game was already won, in fact after the 40th minute the game was already won.
SUNDERLAND 7-2 BLACKBURN ROVERS - DIVISION ONE - 21.09.1935
This fixture just bleeds goals doesn’t it? Between us two the ball has been in the back of the net 440 times! This game was graced with a Patsy Gallacher hattrick, two goals in the first half and one near the end of play. At halftime we were winning 3-1 and from kick-off essentially Blackburn were in an uphill battle, we managed to take the lead ten minutes in when Bert Davis got on the scoresheet. Bobby Gurney ended the match with two goals to his name whilst the other Sunderland goal came from Raich Carter.
BLACKBURN 6-1 SUNDERLAND - DIVISION ONE - 06.09.1986
It was about time we were on the other end of a hammering I suppose. A good day if you were called Simon and in a Blackburn Rangers shirt too, as Simon Garner grabbed four and Simon Barker nicked a goal in too. So the Simon’s combined for five of the six goals. At half time we were down 3-0, with all the goals coming from Garner. Both Simon’s then scored in the second half either side of Jimmy Quin’s only goal of the day. So we were six nil down and clearly beaten but we did pull back one consolation goal, Dave Swindlehurst with it.
BLACKBURN 2-0 SUNDERLAND - DIVISION ONE - 20.03.2012
Our most recent game against Blackburn actually ended in defeat at Ewood Park. Even though they spent a year in League One they went up as we went down so we haven't played each other in a while. It was quite a boring first half to be honest, aside from one goal line clearance by Phil Bardsley. To no surprise we went into the break even. Following the interval Blackburn went ahead through David Hoilett who volleyed it in after a long throw. We had a good chance to equalise when Ji Dong-Won came close but soon after that Yakubu nodded in Blackburn’s second and final goal of the game.
As for today the Wigan game has filled me with some promise, don’t get me wrong, Blackburn will be no easy task. And keeping Ben Brereton-Diaz quiet will be another challenge. I’d be happy with a draw to be honest against a side that I think will end up fighting for top six. I’ll go with 2-2.
