With England progressing in the World Cup and the Championship returning for us on Saturday, we feel it's the right time to look at some previous results against Millwall...
SUNDERLAND 2-1 MILLWALL - FA CUP SEMI-FINAL - 10.04.1937
Starting off with a big win, not on the scoreline, but in terms of the result. The Semi-Final tie was played at Leeds Road in Huddersfield, which had an attendance of over 62 thousand people. It was an underdog run to the semis for Millwall, with the club being in the third division at the time. We had to play the villains in the story, but we didn’t mind if it meant an easier route to the final. Millwall actually went 1-0 up in the match, with some writing the headlines already as if they were about to produce another cup shock, after all it is the magic of the FA Cup. Unfortunately for Millwall, we were far too superior after the brief setback. We imposed our dominance and made sure we weren’t part of any humiliating cup jinx, winning the game 2-1 en route to Wembley where we would win the whole thing!
MILLWALL 4-1 SUNDERLAND - LEAGUE DIVISION TWO - 24.08.1991
In the second division of English football we went down to the Den, where ten thousand people witnessed our heaviest defeat of the season. Four goals to one via the hands of Millwall. As promotion candidates this was a painful defeat, one we had to avenge in the reverse fixture…
SUNDERLAND 6-2 MILLWALL - LEAGUE DIVISION TWO - 11.01.1992
After losing 4-1 at their ground we ought to pay them back with a humiliation of their own, at Roker Park. Facing off against familiar faces, Mick McCarthy who would go on to manage us in the future was playing in central defence on the day, Kenny Cunningham who had a short spell with us in the 2006-07 season and Alex Rae, who was a firm favourite in the red and white stripes. At half time the game was level at one all, so it’s safe to say the second half was nothing but box office TV.
MILLWALL 1-0 SUNDERLAND - FA CUP SEMI-FINAL - 04.04.2004
Many of us were hoping we could do a repeat of what we managed just shy of 60 years prior, of course under different circumstances. Tim Cahill followed up Mart Poom’s parry away to give Millwall the lead. Of course it would be Cahill, a man who had a knack for crushing us. We put up a spirited effort to come back but it wasn’t meant to be, Millwall had now beaten us three times that season. In the final they were well beaten by Man Utd as we paid our attention towards the league.
Other than our one year visit to the Championship in the dreadful 17/18 season we haven’t faced The Lions since 2004. In fact in the 17/18 season we drew both games 1-1. Millwall have been on an upwards trajectory recently, teetering around the play-off position. Another Championship side rich in height makes up for a physical battle at the Stadium Of Light, and Sunderland are of course still missing their great attacking threat in Ross Stewart.
