On This Day (2 January 1895): An incredible Sunderland vs. Aston Villa match!
On this day in 1895, league leaders Sunderland hosted reigning champions Aston Villa at our Newcastle Road
ground in what would become one of our most historic matches ever.
The teams played a cracker in a match that included two of the biggest names in the new sport, and fittingly so given
the circumstances, as a picture of the action has since gained significant attention in the football community.
The Lads were full of confidence come kickoff at 2:15 p.m., having played another formidable opponent the day
before at Preston North End, whom we defeated 2-0 to go top of the table.
In fact, the home crowd was so in high spirits that they cheered loudly and spiritedly when Villa scored the goal—
though it’s debatable who really scored the header. Most other sources identified it as Steve Smith, although it was
reported as Denny Hodgetts in the Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette the next day.
A little more than ten minutes later, there were even more cries when Tom Watson’s team leveled.
The ball was passed upfield by Harry Johnston to James Gillespie, who skillfully controlled and backheeled it past
goalkeeper Willie Dunning. However, as soon as we were tied, Villa raced away from our own corner, and Smith
sprinted through to finish deftly. Jack Reynolds scored a penalty after Jack Devey fouled him, giving the visitors the
advantage even though both sides were playing well and trying to win. We don’t remember the precise moment of
the strike or the one that came after, but James Hannah’s goal after a goalmouth scramble gave us a chance to tie the
score just before halftime.
We knew it would be difficult to escape difficulty because this was our third game in five days, we were playing
against the wind in the second half, and we were up against a team that had had a “nice quiet week of training,”
according to the Echo. But, we dug deep and applied pressure around the hour mark, which resulted in an equalizer,
which Jimmy Millar promptly put away when Villa were unable to clear their lines.
After that, Peter Meehan, also known as Meechan, quickly gave the Lads the opportunity to take the lead when he
blasted a free kick into the area.
Gillespie was the only Sunderland forward to manage to put out a boot and connect after many forwards surged onto
it, but it was obvious that this wasn’t the end of things before the resumption.
Both teams gave it their best in the closing minutes of a fierce battle that was described as being in “a style which has
never been surpassed at Newcastle Road,” with several Villa players standing out for having “tucked up their
sleeves.” While his team fought valiantly to stay in the game, Howard Spencer blocked a goalbound attempt and
Johnny Campbell made a solid penalty claim that may have clinched our triumph.
They were also appreciative of the intervention because they soon had a fantastic solo goal to bring the score to even.
Although the Echo fervently gave credit to the England international for the goal, many other records indicate that
Devey should have received the honor. Hodgetts appeared to have lost the opportunity to claim the limelight once
more. Now it was our turn to fight hard to defend our objective, and ultimately the draw looked about right.With the
Lads going on to win the league title and Villa taking home the FA Cup, these two true giants of the game had shown
to be worthy opponents.
Thus, it seemed appropriate that the fixture would be the focus of what is thought to be the world’s oldest football
artwork, which stands stately before the Stadium of Light’s main entrance nearly 130 years later.
Wednesday 2 January 1895
Renowned painter Thomas M.M. Hemy, who witnessed the game in person, was commissioned by the club to create
the picture, which was centered on a dramatic moment when the Lads defended a corner.
Although he spent a large portion of his childhood growing up on Tyneside, the Echo later classified him as
“practically a Sunderland man by sympathy” in reference to other notable work in his portfolio that was influenced
by the area. Hemy, who is mainly recognized for his stunning maritime paintings, had lately shown a rugby-themed
piece of art at Mawson, Swan & Morgan, a well-known Newcastle upon Tyne bookshop, picture framer, printer, and
stationer.
His latest inspiration seemed to have aroused curiosity across the country, and when it made its debut in public in
September—intriguingly enough, at Mawson, Swan & Morgan in Newcastle—it was well greeted.
It had previously been examined in private and by the media at Henry Graves & Co.’s Pall Mall gallery. The
Worcester Journal claims that in November, it was transported to Birmingham for an exhibition.
The event, which has since gone by a number of names, was then dubbed “The Fight For The Championship” and
undoubtedly caught the interest of Aston Villa supporters.
After the artwork arrived in Sunderland, it was temporarily displayed in The Bells, a restaurant and public house on
the intersection of Bridge Street and West Wear Street. The property belonged to the family of John Potts
Henderson, the former chairman and president of the club.
Henderson then managed the transfer to Roker Park, where Hemy’s sculpture finally found a home before
Sunderland relocated once more in 1997 under Sir Bob Murray CBE.
In 1989/1990, Murray addressed the Sunderland AFC Supporters’ Association and urged them to lead a fundraising
campaign so that restoration work could be done on Hemy’s masterpiece, even before he was knighted or had
decided that another stadium alteration was necessary.
The restoration was scheduled to happen in London and was previously estimated to cost £7,000. Notable figures
who acknowledged the painting’s significance and contributed to its restoration were Charlie Hurley and Steve Cram
CBE.
The money was well spent because the artwork is still a proud reminder of the club’s illustrious history.
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