Sunderland at Wembley: Great pictures as Brian Mills factory staff went red-and-white crazy back in 1992

Just look at these fantastic scenes which show workers at the Brian Mills factory getting right into the Wembley spirit.

That was the year when Malcolm Crosby’s Sunderland fought their way to the FA Cup Final against Liverpool.

And didn’t they lap up the atmosphere at a factory which has regularly been described by former workers as one of the best workplaces in the area.

Our thanks go to Doreen Chard-Crosby who shared these photographs from 27 years ago. Doreen used to work in the office, hampers and stationery sections and loved it.

She said: “I used to work at Boots the chemist but I went to Brian Mills when I was 18. It was a happy family.

“You finished early on a Friday and had the weekend off.”

She still vividly remembers when the place became festooned in red and white streamers and the staff wore the Sunderland colours to celebrate the Black Cats reaching the final.

She believes it was the supervisors to spearheaded the organisation of the red-and-white theme but everyone was keen to help.

“It was brilliant. The staff had all helped to put the streamers up.”

The end of the Brian Mills era was a great shame, said Doreen. “They should never have closed it.”

Doreen, now 74, is pictured in a red and white top and remembers making the poster on one woman’s blouse which read: “Daddy went to Wembley and left me! 1992’.”

Doreen left the factory and had two children. She later became a home carer in the Farringdon and Gilley Law areas and really enjoyed it.

But she also loved her time at Brian Mills. Who recognises the other people in these great shots?

Did you work at Brian Mills and can you remember great days like this one in 1992?

Who are the colleagues you remember and which section did you work in?

Or are there other memories of Sunderland’s Wembley trips over the years that you would like to share?

Email [email protected] and let’s share some wonderful Black Cats memories.