Rob Mason's memories: Sunderland's remarkable top flight records and memories of the great Jack Charlton

Jurgen Klopp’s outstanding champions had won all of their home domestic league games so far this season. Had they beaten Burnley, and also Chelsea this coming Wednesday, they would have equalled a record Sunderland set way back in 1892.

In what was only Sunderland’s second season in the Football League the Lads became champions with a 100% home record. There were only 13 home games to be played back then but every one of them was won – something no club have ever matched in the top flight.

Big wins were commonplace as 55 goals were scored and only 11 conceded. Home supporters twice saw seven scored and six were rattled in on another occasion. Just for good measure there were two home cup-ties – both of which were won to the tune of 4-0.

Sunderland had already given up two notable records this season. When Leicester won 9-0 at Southampton in October Sunderland’s place in the record books as the winners of the top-flight’s biggest away win was removed. Mind you the 1908 win at Newcastle to the tune of 9-1 will never be forgotten! It had been equalled by Wolves at Cardiff in 1955 but never surpassed.

One record Sunderland were pleased to lose came a week gone Thursday when Manchester United won at Aston Villa. That result meant that Villa had failed to beat the men from Old Trafford in 21 successive home league meetings. Thankfully that wiped Sunderland from the record books. Previously the worst such run was Sunderland’s 20 game run without beating Liverpool at home between 1959 and 2002. You might remember that run ending with Michael Proctor’s late winner.

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Last Saturday didn’t just bring the protection of Sunderland’s 128-year old home wins record, it also brought news of the death of Jack Charlton. Big Jack was one of the game’s great characters. I came across him twice, once on the phone and once in person. Not too many years ago I had the pleasure of sitting beside him when he spoke at a do Len Ashurst organised at Whitburn Cricket Club. He was great craic as you would expect.

The telephone conversation came when Niall Quinn gave me Jack’s number and asked me to ring him when I was putting together Niall’s Benefit Match programme. I rang and spoke to Jack’s wife who said she’d get Jack to call me which he duly did, giving me some tremendous stories about his time with Quinny on the international scene. The following morning Mrs. Charlton rang to check he had phoned me. Having the wife of a World Cup winner ringing to check I’d got my interview was unusual. Not every interview I’ve ever done has been that easy!