The breakout of war in the early 1940s ultimately put a halt to any competitive football in England at this time. This meant that regional leagues and friendlies were the only games in which any club in the country could participate, with the funds raised from these friendly games going towards the war effort.
For the 1940-41 season, Bill Murray’s team opted against playing any regional games with other teams in the area like they had done the season before, because heavy travel restrictions had meant
that people could only travel within a five-mile radius of their home. This clearly would have put a huge limit on the amount of people that could attend in such dangerous circumstances.
Generally, football had taken a back seat with much more pressing matters on the minds of the entire population, and according to the fantastic Sunderland AFC: The Absolute Record book, Bill Murray was also focusing more on organising fitness drills for troops stationed in Durham rather than the football club.
On this day, the team did play a friendly match against the Sunderland Police at Roker Park, and it certainly didn’t disappoint as Sunderland outside-right Len Duns played a starring role in an 11-5 victory. Duns scored four goals and created many of the rest in an entertaining friendly match that was akin to a rugby union scoreline.
With many footballers enrolling with the police force as part of their duty during wartime, the police outfit had a reasonably decent team on show; however, just before kick-off their goalkeeper cried off, with outside-right Frank Coulthard having to go in goal.
Coulthard’s presence in goal made it easier for the Sunderland side and led to the huge scoreline that they put up for the game.
In another interesting point from this game, Oxford University captain James McFarlane made a guest appearance for the home side as he was home for the holidays visiting his family.
In what was an incredibly entertaining game, it is safe to say that any spectators that turned up for the game certainly got value for their money.
