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Where does the nickname 'the black cats' come from?

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There was a gun battery on the wear and the men manning it heard a cat wailing and assumed it was a ghost of a black cat for some reason.
 
Tadger said:
There was a gun battery on the wear and the men manning it heard a cat wailing and assumed it was a ghost of a black cat for some reason.
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There's a Black Cat cannon at the Lawe Top outside the Harbour Lights
 
In the 60's when the official supporters association was being set up, Sunderland did not have an official nickname so the supporters assn decided to use the black cat because of a story from way back about the club being on a poor run and a black cat was found in the changing room before a match which they won. The players adopted the cat as a lucky omen and continued on a winning run and won the league. Following the supporters association decision, I believe that the club also made the black cat their official nickname
 
Fans sent suggestions which were eventually narrowed down to five final options being: the Black Cats, the Light Brigade, the Miners, the Sols and the Mackems.

Think I would've preferred The Mackems
 
groucho said:
Fans sent suggestions which were eventually narrowed down to five final options being: the Black Cats, the Light Brigade, the Miners, the Sols and the Mackems.

Think I would've preferred The Mackems
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When did this happen? We've been the black cats my whole life - long before the move to the SoL.

I heard the "Cat that lived at Roker Park and used to sleep on the crossbar sometimes during games" story from my dad when I was young, and I believed it to be true until hearing about the gun battery story, which I now think is the likely beginning of the tale.
 
fyl2u said:
When did this happen? We've been the black cats my whole life - long before the move to the SoL.

I heard the "Cat that lived at Roker Park and used to sleep on the crossbar sometimes during games" story from my dad when I was young, and I believed it to be true until hearing about the gun battery story, which I now think is the likely beginning of the tale.
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When we moved to the SOL it was all part of the new era and media push. We didn't have a recognised nickname so there was a vote to adopt an official name.
It sounded a bit crass at the time but its proved to be worth it.
You're right though it (Black Cats) goes back a long way (I've got mates with some dodgy tattoos to prove how far back it goes!)
In fact ask 'yowge' who gets on here to post a pic of his! (Haway big lad)
 
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groucho said:
Fans sent suggestions which were eventually narrowed down to five final options being: the Black Cats, the Light Brigade, the Miners, the Sols and the Mackems.

Think I would've preferred The Mackems
Click to expand...

Going to xmas parties as a bairn in "The Black Cat Club" built on to the side of Roker Park must be a figment of my imagination:-? But bollocks to the 1960s theres an auld black n white team photo with the captain holding a real black n white cat. Theres photos of fans going down to a Cup Final (1913 or 1937?) holding inflatable black cats anarl.
 
Jacksnuts said:
You're right though it (Black Cats) goes back a long way (I've got mates with some dodgy tattoos to prove how far back it goes!)
In fact ask 'yowge' who gets on here to post a pic of his! (Haway big lad)
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I couldn't get my arms on this size screen mate, aswell you know ;-)
 
Sunderlands nickname was as I was growing up either the Rokerites or The Wearsiders . Yes there were old photo of the team with black cats but I am fairly sure this nickname did not come to the fore till 1966 . Stand to be corrected .
 
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