Sunderland were back in the pink on this day in 1937 and here's why there was a change of football colour

The elusive FA Cup had never come to Sunderland. And even though the Black Cats had reached Wembley, it looked like glory was going to elude them once more on this very day in 1937.

Chris Cordner looks back at the Sunderland Echo story of how SAFC finally got their hands on the trophy 89 years ago.

It was half-time at Wembley and Sunderland were trailing 1-0 to Preston North End.

Things can only get better, as the song goes.

It could easily have applied to Sunderland, who barely showed up for the first 45 minutes at Wembley.

And they did get better. They go near to scoring when Burbanks beats his man and his cross finds Carter who heads just past the post.

But then Preston take the upper hand once more. Our reporter at the time commented: “When the equaliser comes, it takes us by surprise.

“Burbanks forces a corner and Gurney, advancing quickly from the goal to put himself onside, jumps up and heads it just under the bar. Surely the thunderous applause can be heard at Roker.”

For the next 20 minutes, both sides battled for superiority with sitters going astray.

“For a minute or two,” said the Echo reporter, “the Sunderland defence was in difficulties. It looked as if Sunderland had handed over the initiative once more.”

Twice, they had to get rid of threatening corner kicks and eventually got back on the attack.

“The ball came from the left to Gurney who was in the outside right position,” said the Echo reporter. “He beat his man and sent over to Carter who, from the inside left position, sent the ball past Burns with a ground shot.

“The Sunderland captain was mobbed by his colleagues with the Sunderland supporters wild with delight.”

We were 2-1 up but could we see the match out? The lads went one better and Eddie Burbanks made it 3-1.

Our correspondent adds: “The Preston team make a channel for Carter going up the steps to the Royal box to receive the Cup from the Queen.

“Now he is back on the field and his team mates have him shoulder high and they run off with him to the dressing room.

“Well done boys! Your great second half recovery has entitled you to be Cup-holders at long last.”

London was a blaze of red and white. Back home, supporters proudly read, time and again, the Football Echo “once again printed on pink paper after all those years of disappointment.

The team arrived home by train at Monkwearmouth station in a gleaming engine dedicated to the club by chairman Sir Walter Raine who had been so ill, he couldn’t get to Wembley.

The team tours the streets of Sunderland in an open-topped bus and see people perched precariously on window ledges.

When the team arrives at Roker Park, more than 30,000 people are there to greet them with “an incessant roar.