Unicorn and 2007–08 Sunderland A.F.C. season: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox Football club season
{{Refimprove|date=June 2008}}
| club = [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]]
{{citations}}
| logo =
| season = 2007–08
| manager = {{flagicon|IRL}} [[Roy Keane]]
| chairman = {{flagicon|IRL}} [[Niall Quinn]]
| league = [[Premier League]]
| league result = 15th
| cup1 = [[FA Cup]]
| cup1 result = Third Round
| cup2 = [[Football League Cup|Carling Cup]]
| cup2 result = Second Round
| league topscorer = [[Kenwyne Jones]] (7)
| season topscorer = [[Kenwyne Jones]] (7)
| highest attendance = 47,802 (v [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]], 11 May 2008)
| lowest attendance = 20,821 (v [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]], 5 January 2008)
}}


The '''2007–08 season''' was the 123rd season in '''Sunderland A.F.C.'s''' history, their 117th in [[The Football League]] and 115th in the [[English football league system|league system of English football]].
[[Image:DomenichinounicornPalFarnese.jpg|thumb|right|''The gentle and pensive maiden has the power to tame the unicorn,'' fresco, [[Palazzo Farnese, Rome]], probably by [[Domenico Zampieri]], ca 1602]]
{{other}}


==Background==
A '''unicorn''' (from [[Latin]] ''unus'' 'one' and ''cornu'' 'horn') is a [[mythological creature]]. Though the modern popular image of the unicorn is sometimes that of a [[horse]] differing only in the [[Horn (anatomy)|horn]] on its forehead, the traditional unicorn also has a [[Goat|billy-goat]] beard, a [[lion]]'s tail, and [[Cloven hoof|cloven hooves]]—these distinguish it from a horse. Marianna Mayer has observed (''The Unicorn and the Lake''), "The unicorn is the only fabulous beast that does not seem to have been conceived out of human fears. In even the earliest references he is fierce yet good, selfless yet solitary, but always mysteriously beautiful. He could be captured only by unfair means, and his single horn was said to neutralize poison."
{{main article|Sunderland A.F.C. season 2006-07}}
{{see also|History of Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland A.F.C. seasons}}
Takeover talks were held over the summer involving an Irish group, the [[Drumaville Consortium]], led by Niall Quinn.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/5059536.stm|title=Sunderland takeover talks ongoing|date=2006-06-08|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref> They completed the takeover in July for £10,000,000 as Quinn's group took 72.59% of the club's shares.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/5222096.stm|title=Quinn takes control of Sunderland|date=2007-07-27|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref> During the [[Sunderland A.F.C. season 2006-07|2006&ndash;07 season]] Roy Keane tookover as manager from chairman [[Niall Quinn]], who served as manager for the first six games of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/managers2.sd?managerid=2038|title=Niall Quinn's managerial careerv|publisher=Soccerbase|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref> Keane made a successful start to his managerial career with a 2&ndash;1 win over [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] on 11 September 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/derby-county-1-sunderland-2-keane-casts-an-eye-on-messianic-future-415489.html|title=Derby County 1 Sunderland 2: Keane casts an eye on messianic future|last=Shaw|first=Phil|date=2006-09-11|publisher=The Independant|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref> On [[transfer window]] deadline day Keane signed new players; [[Dwight Yorke]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/5300876.stm|title=Yorke completes Sunderland move|publishr=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08|date=2006-08-31}}</ref>, [[Liam Miller]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=10360 |title=Miller makes it five|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-08|date=2008-08-31}}</ref> [[Ross Wallace]], [[Stanislav Varga]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=10358 |
title=Keane signs Celtic pair|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-08|date=2006-08-31}}</ref>, [[Graham Kavanagh]] and [[David Connolly]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/5304006.stm|title=Irish trio make Sunderland switch|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08|date=2006-08-31}}</ref> A 2&ndash; win over [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] on 1 January 2007 sparked an 18 game unbeaten streak for Sunderland, which was eventually ended on 21 April 2007 after a 3&ndash;1 defeat at the hands of [[Colchester United F.C.|Colchester United]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6205647.stm|title=Leicester 0-2 Sunderland|date=2007-01-01|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/6555215.stm|title=Colchester 3-1 Sunderland|date=2007-04-21|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref>


Sunderland went to the top of the [[Football League Championship]] for the first time in the season with a 2&ndash;1 win over [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]], which included an 87th minute winner from [[Grant Leadbitter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/6513807.stm|title=Southampton 1-2 Sunderland|date=2007-04-09|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref> Their promotion was confirmed as third placed team [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] lost 2&ndash;0 to [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]], as a result [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] were also promoted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6578817.stm|title=Crystal Palace 2-0 Derby|last=Mercer|first=Nathan|date=2007-04-29|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref> On the last day of the season, the Championship title would be decided. Sunderland won their game 5&ndash;0 against [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6602865.stm|title=Luton 0-5 Sunderland|date=2007-05-06|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref> while Birmingham suffered a defeat against [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]] thus crowning Sunderland as champions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6602867.stm|title=Preston 1-0 Birmingham|date=2007-05-06|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref>
==History==
=== Unicorns in antiquity ===
A one-horned animal (which may be just a [[Cattle|bull]] in profile) is found on some [[seal (device)|seals]] from the [[Indus Valley Civilization]].<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/Harappan.html Discussion of the Indus Valley Civilization with mention of unicorn seals]</ref> Seals with such a design are thought to be a mark of high [[social rank]].<ref>[http://www.harappa.com/seal/seal1.html Site with slide show about unicorn seal]</ref>


==Review==
[[Image:Ur-painting.jpg|right|thumb|The [[aurochs]].]]
===Pre-season===
An animal called the ''[[Re’em]]'' ({{lang-he|רְאֵם}}) is mentioned in several places in the [[Hebrew Bible]], often as a metaphor representing strength. "The allusions to the ''re'em'' as a wild, un-tamable animal of great strength and agility, with mighty horn or horns ({{bibleverse||Job|39:9-12}}, {{bibleverse||Ps|22:21}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Ps|29:6}}, {{bibleverse||Num|23:22}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Num|24:8}}, {{bibleverse||Deut|33:17}} comp. {{bibleverse||Ps|92:11}}), best fit the [[aurochs]] (''Bos primigenius''). This view is supported by the Assyrian ''rimu,'' which is often used as a metaphor of strength, and is depicted as a powerful, fierce, wild mountain bull with large horns."<ref>[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=27&letter=U ''Jewish Encyclopedia'']</ref> This animal was often depicted in ancient [[Mesopotamia]]n art in profile, with only one horn visible.
Sunderland's pre-season was busy with transfer activity, seeing eight players come in, and five players leave. [[Kenny Cunningham]] retired and [[Tommy Miller]], [[William Mocquet]], [[Kevin Smith (footballer)|Kevin Smith]] were released.<ref name="robbieweir">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12429|title=SAFC retained list 2007-08|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-05-17|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> While [[Robbie Weir]], [[Jamie Chandler]] and [[David Dowson]] were all promoted to the first team from the club's [[youth system]].<ref name="robbieweir"/> Their first signing of the season was of [[Greg Halford]] from [[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]],<ref name="halford">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12525|title=Sunderland sign Halford|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-06-11|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> and their first transfer out of the club when [[Stephen Elliott (footballer)|Stephen Elliott]] moved to [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]].<ref name="elliot">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12693|title=Wolves sign Elliott|date=2007-07-19|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> On 13 July 2007, Sunderland signed the former [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] player [[Michael Chopra]] from [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]] for £5,000,000 and [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] midfielder [[Kieran Richardson]] on 16 July.<ref name="chopra">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=1662|title=Chopra seals £5m Cats move|last=Walker|first=Martin|date=2007-07-13|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref><ref name="richardson">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12670|title=Keane signs Richardson|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-07-13|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
The translators of the [[Authorized King James Version]] of the [[Bible]] (1611) employed ''unicorn'' to translate ''re'em'', providing a recognizable animal that was proverbial for its un-tamable nature.
: {{bibleverse||Job|39:9-12}}: ''Will the '''unicorn''' be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the '''unicorn''' with band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him? Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?''
: {{bibleverse||Psalms|29:6}}: ''He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young '''unicorn'''.''
: {{bibleverse||Numbers|24:8}}: ''...he hath as it were the strength of a '''unicorn'''''


Fellow north east team [[Darlington F.C.|Darlington]] was Sunderland's first pre-season friendly, Sunderland won the game 2&ndash;0 with goals from [[Ross Wallace]] and [[Anthony Stokes]] at [[The Darlington Arena]].<ref name="Darlington">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=12691&page=0&t=1|title=Darlington 0 Sunderland 2|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-07-18|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> This was followed up by a shock defeat to [[Scunthorpe United F.C.|Scunthorpe United]] on 21 July where they were beaten 1&ndash;0.<ref name="Scunthorpe">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=12714&fixture=892|title=Scunthorpe 1 Sunderland 0|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-07-21|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> Sunderland went on a tour of Ireland, where they would play [[Bohemian F.C.|Bohemians]], [[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]] and [[Galway United F.C.|Galway United]]. They beat Bohemians 1&ndash;0 on 28 July thanks to a [[Stern John]] goal,<ref name="Bohemian">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=12767&page=0&t=1|title=Bohemians 0 Sunderland 1|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-07-28|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> but were held to a 1&ndash;1 draw at Cork City as [[Liam Miller]] scored the Sunderland goal.<ref name="Cork">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=12780&fixture=886|title=Cork City 1 Sunderland 1|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-07-30|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> Their final game of the tour against Galway United ended as a 4&ndash;0 win for Sunderland, with goals from [[Michael Chopra]], [[Kieran Richardson]], [[David Connolly]] and [[Stern John]].<ref name="Galway">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=12816&fixture=887|title=Galway Utd 0 Sunderland 4|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-08-01|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> [[Juventus F.C.|Juventus]] travelled to the [[Stadium of Light]] to commerorate its ten year anniversary. The game ended 1&ndash;1 as [[Daryl Murphy]] scored, but the Italian side scored with two minutes remaining to draw the game.<ref name="Juventus">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=12839&fixture=931|title=Sunderland 1 Juventus 1|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-08-04|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
[[Image:wesh unicorn statue.jpg|thumb|right|An old [[Wales|Welsh]] statue of a unicorn]]
Unicorns are not found in [[Greek mythology]], but rather in accounts of [[natural history]], for Greek writers of natural history were convinced of the reality of the unicorn, which they located in [[India]], a distant and fabulous realm for them. The earliest description is from [[Ctesias]] who described them as wild asses, fleet of foot, having a horn a [[cubit]] and a half in length and colored white, red and black.<ref name="Ctesias">{{cite book
| last =Ctesias
| authorlink =Ctesias
| title =Indica
| date =390 BC
| chapter =45
| url = http://www.livius.org/ct-cz/ctesias/photius_indica.html}} (quoted by [[Photios I of Constantinople|Photius]])</ref> [[Aristotle]] must be following Ctesias when he mentions two one-horned animals, the [[oryx]] (a kind of antelope) and the so-called "Indian ass".<ref>{{cite book
| last = Aristotle
| authorlink = Aristotle
| others= trans. William Ogle
| title = On the Parts of Animals
| date = c.350 BC
| chapter = Book 3. Chapter 2.
| url = http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/a/aristotle/parts/ }}</ref><ref>{{cite book
| last = Aristotle
| authorlink = Aristotle
| others= trans. [[D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson]]
| title = History of Animals
| date = c.343 BC
| chapter = Book 2. Chapter 1.
| url = http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/a/aristotle/history/ }}</ref> [[Strabo]] says that in the [[Caucasus]] there were one-horned horses with stag-like heads.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Strabo
| authorlink = Strabo
| title = Geography
| date = before 24 AD
| chapter = Book 15. Chapter 1. Section 56.
| url = http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/15A3*.html }}</ref>
[[Pliny the Elder]] mentions the oryx and an Indian [[ox]] (perhaps a [[rhinoceros]]) as one-horned beasts, as well as "a very fierce animal called the monoceros which has the head of the [[Deer|stag]], the feet of the [[elephant]], and the tail of the [[boar]], while the rest of the body is like that of the horse; it makes a deep lowing noise, and has a single black horn, which projects from the middle of its forehead, two cubits in length."<ref>{{cite book
| last =Pliny
| authorlink = Pliny the Elder
| others=trans. John Bostock
| title = Natural History
| date = 77 AD
| chapter = Book 8. Chapter 31.
| url = http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin//ptext?lookup=Plin.+Nat.+8.31}} Also [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin//ptext?lookup=Plin.+Nat.+8.30 Book 8. Chapter 30.] and [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin///ptext?lookup=Plin.+Nat.+11.106 Book 11. Chapter 106.]</ref> In ''De natura animalium'', [[Claudius Aelianus|Aelian]], quoting Ctesias, adds that India produces also a one-horned horse (iii. 41; iv. 52), and says (xvi. 20) that the ''monoceros'' was sometimes called ''cartazonon'', which may be a form of the Arabic ''[[karkadann]]'', meaning "rhinoceros".


Sunderland signed [[Dickson Etuhu]] from [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] for £1,500,000 on 17 July,<ref name="etuhu">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12673|title=Keane signs £1.5m Etuhu|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-07-17|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> and [[Paul McShane]] from [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] on 26 July for £2,500,000.<ref name="mcshane">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12754|title=Sunderland sign McShane|date=2007-07-26|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> With the start of the [[Premier League]] season looming, Sunderland broke their transfer record to buy Scottish international goalkeeper [[Craig Gordon]] from [[Heart of Midlothian F.C.|Heart of Midlothian]] for £9,000,000.<ref name="gordon">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12855|title=Cats land £9m Gordon|last=Walker|first=Martin|date=2007-08-07|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> The club's last signing before the start of the season was [[Roy O'Donovan]] from [[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]] for an undisclosed fee.<ref name="Roy_Odonovan">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12874|title=Keane signs O'Donovan|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-08-09|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
Though the ''[[qilin]]'' ({{zh-c|c=麒麟}}), a creature in [[Chinese mythology]], is sometimes called "the Chinese unicorn", it is a [[Hybrid (biology)#Interspecific hybrids|hybrid animal]] that looks less unicorn than [[chimera (mythology)|chimera]], with the body of a deer, the head of a lion, green [[Scale (zoology)|scales]] and a long forwardly-curved horn. The [[Japanese mythology|Japanese]] version (''kirin'') more closely resembles the Western unicorn, even though it is based on the Chinese ''qilin''. The Quẻ Ly of [[Vietnam]]ese myth, similarly sometimes mistranslated "unicorn" is a symbol of wealth and prosperity that made its first appearance during the Duong Dynasty, about 600 CE, to Emperor Duong Cao To, after a military victory which resulted in his conquest of [[Tây Nguyên]].


=== Medieval unicorns ===
===August===
Sunderland's season started against [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] on 11 August 2007. Sunderland won the game through a last minute goal from [[Michael Chopra]] in front of an attendance of 43,967.<ref name="Tottenhamathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6931064.stm|title=Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham|last=McKenzie|first=Andrew|date=2007-08-11|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> Their second game of the season was an away fixture to [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]], a [[Paul McShane]] own goal had put Sunderland behind in the 28th minute, but [[Michael Chopra]] scored his second goal of the season to equalise. Birmingham took the lead again through [[Gary O'Connor]] but Sunderland scored another last minute goal, this time from [[Stern John]] to save a point.<ref name="Birminghamaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6941801.stm|title=Birmingham 2-2 Sunderland|date=2007-08-15|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> On 24 August ex [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] and [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] striker [[Andy Cole]] joined the club on a free transfer from [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]].<ref name="colein">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=13014|title=Cole signs for Sunderland|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-08-24|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> Sunderland travelled to the [[JJB Stadium]] unbeaten on 18 August but lost 3&ndash;0 to [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]].<ref name="wiganaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6941868.stm|title=Wigan 3-0 Sunderland|last=Fletcher|first=Paul|date=2007-08-18|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> On 25 September [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] beat Sunderland 2&ndash;0 by to give them their second consecutive defeat.<ref name="liverpoolathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6952883.stm|title=Sunderland 0-2 Liverpool|last=McKenzie|first=Andrew|date=2007-08-25|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> On the same day, [[Tobias Hysén]] returned to his native Sweden with [[IFK Göteborg]] after he and his wife were suffering from home sickness.<ref name="hysen">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/index.php?page_id=13016|title=Hysen moves to Gothenburg|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-08-25|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]] produced a [[Football League Cup|league cup]] shock as they beat Sunderland 3&ndash;0 at [[Kenilworth Road]].<ref name="lutonleaguecup">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/6963496.stm|title=Luton 3-0 Sunderland|date=2007-08-27|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> Sunderland signed three more players before the transfer deadline; [[Ian Harte]] from [[Levante UD|Levante]] on a free transfer,<ref name="harte">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=13049|title=Sunderland sign Harte|date=2007-08-29|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> [[Danny Higginbotham]] from [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]] for £3,000,000,<ref name="higginbotham">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=13051|title=Black Cats swoop for Higginbotham|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-08-29|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> and [[Kenwyne Jones]] from [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] for £6,000,000 with [[Stern John]] going in the opposite direction.<ref name="jones">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=13052|title=Keane pays £6m for Jones|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-08-29|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
[[Image:Wildweibchen mit Einhorn.jpg|thumb|left|''Wild Women with Unicorn,'' c.1500-1510, Basel, Historisches Museum]]
[[Image:Riding goats Abbatiale Mozac 2007 06 30 n2.jpg|thumb|Youths riding goats (a [[Dionysus|Dionysiac motif]] in Antiquity) on 12th-century capitals from the [[Mozac Abbey|abbey of Mozac]] in the [[Auvergne (region)|Auvergne]]: the goats are indistinguishable from unicorns]]
[[Middle Ages|Medieval]] knowledge of the fabulous beast stemmed from [[Re’em|biblical]] and ancient sources, and the creature was variously represented as a kind of wild ass, goat, or horse.


===September===
The predecessor of the medieval [[bestiary]], compiled in [[Late Antiquity]] and known as ''[[Physiologus]]'', popularized an elaborate [[allegory]] in which a unicorn, trapped by a maiden (representing the [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Virgin Mary]]), stood for the [[Incarnation]]. As soon as the unicorn sees her, it lays its head on her lap and falls asleep. This became a basic emblematic tag that underlies medieval notions of the unicorn, justifying its appearance in every form of [[Sacred art|religious art.]] The two major interpretations of the unicorn symbol hinge on [[Paganism|pagan]] and [[Catholic]] symbolism. The pagan interpretation focuses on the medieval lore of beguiled lovers, whereas some Catholic writings interpret the unicorn and its death as the [[Passion (Christianity)|Passion of Christ]]. The unicorn has long been identified as a symbol of [[Jesus|Christ]] by Catholic writers, allowing the traditionally pagan symbolism of the unicorn to become acceptable within religious [[doctrine]]. The original myths refer to a beast with one horn that can only be tamed by a [[Virginity|virgin]] maiden; subsequently, some Catholic scholars translated this into an allegory for Christ's relationship with the Virgin Mary. Interestingly enough, the [[List of collective nouns by subject I-Z|collective term]] for a grouping of unicorns is "a blessing of unicorns".
Sunderland opened the month with a 1&ndash;0 defeat away to [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] on 1 September, [[Louis Saha]] scored the winner 18 minutes from full time. Roy Keane said "I'm delighted with the overall performance. It would have been nice to test their goalkeeper a bit more but overall I'm delighted with the players' efforts." about the team's display.<ref name="manutdaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6963704.stm|title=Man Utd 1-0 Sunderland|last=McKenzie|first=Andrew|date=2007-09-01|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> [[Jack Pelter]] signed for Sunderland on 8 September from New Zealand team [[Canterbury United]] on a free trasfer in an original one month deal.<ref name="pelter">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=13116|title=Keane confirms Pelter deal|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-09-08|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> Two weeks after the defeat to Manchester United, Sunderland beat [[Reading F.C.|Reading]] 2&ndash;1 on 15 September. [[Kenwyne Jones]] and [[Ross Wallace]] scored the Sunderland goals in a game which was overshadowed by the tribute paid to [[1973 FA Cup Final]] scorer [[Ian Porterfield]] who died on 11 September 2007.<ref name="readingathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6984883.stm|title=Sunderland 2-1 Reading|last=Stevenson|first=Jonathan|date=2008-09-15|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> Sunderland met [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]] on 22 September in their first north east derby of the season. [[Grant Leadbitter]] scored in the 2nd minute to put Sunderland infornt, but two ex-Sunderland players; [[Julio Arca]] and [[Stewart Downing]] put Middlesbrough into the lead. [[Liam Miller]] scored an 89th minute volley to save a point for Sunderland.<ref name="boroaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6996754.stm|title=Middlesbrough 2-2 Sunderland|last=McKenzie|first=Andrew|date=2007-09-22|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> [[Grant Leadbitter]] scored his second goal in as many games on 29 September as [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] beat Sunderland 2&ndash;1.<ref name="blackburnathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7008201.stm|title=Sunderland 1-2 Blackburn|last=Scrivener|first=Peter|date=2007-09-29|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>


===October===
The unicorn also figured in [[courtly love|courtly terms]]: for some 13th century [[France|French]] authors such as [[Theobald I of Navarre|Thibaut of Champagne]] and [[Richard de Fournival]], the lover is attracted to his lady as the unicorn is to the virgin. With the rise of [[Renaissance humanism|humanism]], the unicorn also acquired more orthodox secular meanings, emblematic of chaste love and faithful marriage. It plays this role in [[Petrarch]]'s ''Triumph of Chastity''.
October started with an away fixture against [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] at the [[Emirates Stadium]] on 7 October. Sunderland went 2&ndash;0 down within the first 14 minutes. However, Sunderland leveled the score at 2&ndash;2 with goals from [[Ross Wallace]] on the 25th minute and [[Kenwyne Jones]] on the 48 minute. Arsenal won the game 3&ndash;3 after a late [[Robin van Persie]] goal.<ref name="arsenalaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7019622.stm|title=Arsenal 3-2 Sunderland|last=McNulty|first=Phil|date=2007-10-07|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> Sunderland suffered back-to-back defeats when they lost 3&ndash;1 away to [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] on 21 October. Kenwyne Jones got the goal for Sunderland.<ref name="westhamaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7043009.stm|title=West Ham 3-1 Sunderland|last=Lillywhite|first=Jamie|date=2007-10-21|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> Fulham came to the Stadium of Light on 27 October, Fulham took the lead in the 32nd minute with a 30 yard free kick from [[Simon Davies (footballer born 1979)|Simon Davies]]. Sunderland snatched a point when Kenywyne Jones scored an 86th minute equaliser. The [[Wearside|wearsiders]] had gone down to ten men in the 67th minute when [[Greg Halford]] was [[Misconduct (football)|sent off]].<ref name="fulhamathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7054068.stm|title=Sunderland 1-1 Fulham|last=Lillywhite|first=Jamie|date=2007-10-27|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>


===November===
The royal throne of [[Denmark]] was made of "unicorn horns". The same material was used for ceremonial cups because the unicorn's horn continued to be believed to neutralize poison, following classical authors.
Sunderland lost 1&ndash;0 away to [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] on 5 November after a goal from [[Stephen Ireland]]. Manager, Roy Keane, expressed his frustration in a post match interview saying "We didn't deserve anything. I don't feel we did enough to get anything out of the game. I don't think their keeper had too many saves to make, did he?".<ref name="mancityaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7065173.stm|title=Man City 1-0 Sunderland|last=Henderson|first=Charlie|date=2007-11-05|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> 10 November was the first [[Tyne-Wear derby]] of the season. [[Danny Higginbotham]] put Sunderland into the lead shortly after half time, but [[James Milner]] drew [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle]] level on the 68th minute after his cross beat goalkeeper [[Craig Gordon]] into the far post. Sunderland had a chance to win the game when ex-Newcastle forward [[Michael Chopra]] headed against the bar minutes from full-time.<ref name="newcastleathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7076643.stm|title=Sunderland 1-1 Newcastle|last=McNulty|first=Phil|date=2007-11-10|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> Sunderland ended the month on a low as they were beaten 7&ndash;1 away to [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] on 24 November. [[Dwight Yorke]] scored Sunderland's only goal just before half time. Roy Keane said "It's hard to take, but we lose as a team and I picked the team and sorted the tactics so I have no problem taking responsibility for what happened."<ref name="evertonaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7099691.stm|title=Everton 7-1 Sunderland|last=McNulty|first=Phil|date=2007-11-24|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>


===December===
[[Image:Pisanello Medal of Cecilia Gonzaga.jpg|thumb|left|Medal of Cecilia Gonzaga by [[Pisanello]], 1447]]
On 1 December Sunderland beat [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] 1&ndash;0. The defeat against Everton led to Craig Gordon being dropped from the side. He was replaced by [[Darren Ward (footballer born 1974)|Darren Ward]] who made a save to push [[Kenny Miller]]s strike onto the post. With the game looking to be heading towards a draw, [[Anthony Stokes]] scrambled to ball in to win the game.<ref name="derbyathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7110964.stm|title=Sunderland 1-0 Derby|last=Magowan|first=Alastair|date=2007-12-01|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> On 8 December Sunderland travelled to [[Stamford Bridge (stadium)|Stamford Bridge]] to play [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]. Sunderland went behind in the 23rd minute through an [[Andriy Shevchenko]] goal. Chelsea won the game 2&ndash;0 after [[Liam Miller]] was sent off whilst giving a [[Penalty kick|penalty]] away, which [[Frank Lampard]] scored.<ref name="chelseaaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7122773.stm|title=Chelsea 2-0 Sunderland|last=Mercer|first=Nathan|date=2007-12-08|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> Sunderland played [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] on 15 December, [[Danny Higginbotham]] put Sunderland ahead with a 10th minute header. Villa midfielder [[Shaun Maloney]] equalised when he scored a from a 71st minute free kick. Sunderland could've won the game late on, but [[Danny Collins]]' header was ruled out by referee [[Steve Bennett (referee)|Steve Bennett]] for a foul. Roy Keane displayed his annoyment at Bennett saying "It sums up (the referee's) day. He was giving everything against us and to say we're disappointed would be an unbelievable understatement. You could sense he was waiting to blow his whistle. It would be nice to see him later."<ref name="villaathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7134148.stm|title=Sunderland 1-1 Aston Villa|last=Harlow|first=Phil|date=2007-12-15|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>
The unicorn, tamable only by a virgin woman, was well established in medieval lore by the time [[Marco Polo]] described them as:


Reading reversed their defeat to Sunderland previously in the season by winning 2&ndash;1 on 22 December. Reading had lead 1&ndash;0 after a 69th minute goal from [[Ívar Ingimarsson]]. [[Michael Chopra]] leveled the match by scoring a 82nd minute penalty. A goal by [[Stephen Hunt]] in the 90th minute sparked controversy as it appeared not to have crossed the line.<ref name="readingaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7145749.stm|title=Reading 2-1 Sunderland|last=Barder|first=Russell|date=2007-12-22|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> Sunderland met [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] on [[Boxing Day]] at the Stadium of Light, they were beaten 4&ndash;0 in a game were Sunderland striker [[Martyn Waghorn]] made the step up from the club's [[Youth system]] to the first team.<ref name="manutdathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7157355.stm|title=Sunderland 0-4 Man Utd|last=Hughes|first=Ian|date=2007-12-26|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> [[Martyn Waghorn]] promoted to first team from [[Youth system]]. Sunderland ended 2007 with a 3&ndash;1 home win to [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] on 29 December, [[Kieran Richardson]], [[Kenwyne Jones]] and [[Daryl Murphy]] were the scorers.<ref name="boltonathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7157418.stm|title=Sunderland 3-1 Bolton|last=Ornstein|first=David|date=2007-12-29|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref>
:''scarcely smaller than elephants. They have the hair of a buffalo and feet like an elephant's. They have a single large black horn in the middle of the forehead... They have a head like a wild boar's… They spend their time by preference wallowing in [[mud]] and slime. They are very ugly brutes to look at. They are not at all such as we describe them when we relate that they let themselves be captured by virgins, but clean contrary to our notions.''


===January===
It is clear that Marco Polo was describing a rhinoceros. In [[German language|German]], since the 16th century, ''Einhorn'' ("one-horn") has become a descriptor of the various species of rhinoceros.
Sunderland began the new year with a 1&ndash;0 loss away to [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] on 1 January. [[Dean Whitehead]] had the chance to put Sunderland but missed his penalty kick. Minutes later Blackburn won a penalty of their own, [[Benni McCarthy]] converted the penalty before [[Dwight Yorke]] was sent of late on.<ref name="blackburn">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7163895.stm|title=Blackburn 1-0 Sunderland|last=Chowdhury|first=Saj|date=2008-01-02|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> [[Jonny Evans]] returned to Sunderland on loan for the second time for remainder of season from [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]].<ref name="evans">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=13913|title=Evans joins Cats on loan|last=Walker|first=Martin|date=2008-01-04|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> Sunderland met [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]] in the [[FA Cup]] third round as they lost 3&ndash;0 on 5 January.<ref name="wiganfacup">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7163974.stm|title=Sunderland 0-3 Wigan|date=2008-01-05|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> On 12 January [[Kieran Richardson]] scored a double to beat [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]] 2&ndash;0 at the stadium of light.<ref name="portsmouth">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7172835.stm|title=Sunderland 2-0 Portsmouth|last=Hughes|first=Ian|date=2008-01-12|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> Sunderland made their first premanent signing of the January transfer window when Frenchman [[Jean-Yves Mvoto]] signed from [[Paris Saint-Germain FC]] on 15 January for an undisclosed fee. Mvoto said "This is a big opportunity for me, I'm pleased to be at Sunderland."<ref name="Mvoto">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=13980|title=Sunderland sign French defender|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2008-01-15|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>


On 19 January Sunderland played against [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]], an early [[Aaron Lennon]] goal saw Spurs take the lead, and [[Robbie Keane]]s 100th goal for the club in the 90th minute won the game for Tottenham at [[White Hart Lane]].<ref name="tottenhamaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7184825.stm|title=Tottenham 2-0 Sunderland|last=Lyon|first=Sam|date=2008-01-19|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> [[Phil Bardsley]] signed for the club on 22 January from [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] for £2,000,000,<ref name="Bardsley">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=14043|title=Sunderland complete Bardsley signing|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2008-01-22|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
The ancient [[Norway|Norwegians]] were said to believe the [[narwhal]] to have affirmed the existence of the unicorn. The unicorn horn was believed to stem from the narwhal tooth, which grows outward and projects from its upper jaw.
the next day [[Rade Prica]] also signed for the club, from [[AaB Football|AaB Aalborg]] for £2,000,000.<ref name="Prica">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=14050|title=Sunderland sign Swedish striker|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2008-01-23|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> New signing [[Rade Prica]] scored a goal on his debut for Sunderland to wrap up a 2&ndash;0 wib at home to [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] on 29 January. [[Daryl Murphy]] scored the first goal in the 15th minute.<ref name="birminghamathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7210578.stm|title=Sunderland 2-0 Birmingham|last=Lyon|first=Sam|date=2008-01-29|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> [[Andy Reid (footballer)|Andy Reid]] signed for the club on the last day of the January trasfer window deadline from [[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]] for £4,000,000.<ref name="Reid">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=14105|title=Sunderland sign Reid|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2008-01-31|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>


===February===
In popular belief, examined wittily and at length in the seventeenth century by Sir [[Thomas Browne]] in his ''[[Pseudodoxia Epidemica]]'', unicorn horns could neutralize poisons.<ref> {{cite book
Sunderland made a losing start to the month as they lost 3&ndash;0 away to [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] on 2 February. They had been turned down two penalty appeals and Roy Keane said "We felt they were penalties. But I didn't feel we were going to get those decisions today."<ref name="liverpoolaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7210604.stm|title=Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland|last=Ornstein|first=David|date=2008-02-02|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> Following a recent heart attack in a League Cup game between [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] and [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]], [[Clive Clarke]] had his Sunderland contract terminated on 5 February due to the event whilst on loan at Leicester.<ref name="clarke">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=14133|title=Clarke leaves Sunderland|date=2008-02-05|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> Sunderland bounced back from the defeat to Liverpool with a 2&ndash;0 win against [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]] on 9 February. [[Dickson Etuhu]] put them in the lead before [[Daryl Murphy]] scored a 25 yard strike in off the bar.<ref name="wiganathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7223968.stm|title=Sunderland 2-0 Wigan|last=Ornstein|first=David|date=2008-02-09|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> Sunderland however lost their next game 1-0 to [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]] on 23 February at [[Fratton Park]].<ref name="portsmouthaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7248364.stm|title=Portsmouth 1-0 Sunderland|last=Lyon|first=Sam|date=2008-02-23|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref>
| last =Browne
| first =Thomas
| authorlink = Thomas Browne
| title = Pseudodoxia Epidemica
| year =1646
| chapter = Book 3. Chapter 23.
| url = http://penelope.uchicago.edu/pseudodoxia/pseudo323.html}}</ref> Therefore, people who feared poisoning sometimes drank from goblets made of "unicorn horn". Alleged [[aphrodisiac]] qualities and other purported medicinal virtues also drove up the cost of "unicorn" products such as [[milk]], [[Rawhide|hide]], and [[offal]]. Unicorns were also said to be able to determine whether or not a woman was a virgin; in some tales, they could only be mounted by virgins.


===March===
=== The hunt of the unicorn ===
On 1 March Sunderland drew 0&ndash;0 away to [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]]. [[Michael Chopra]] could've put the team in the lead only for it to be ruled out for offside. Sunderland's manager said "He [Chopra] was clearly onside and we are always told that the advantage goes with the attacking player."<ref name="derbyaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7260381.stm|title=Derby 0-0 Sunderland|last=Whyatt|first=Chris|date=2008-03-01|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> An [[Andrew Johnson (English footballer)|Andrew Johnson]] goal on the verge of half time helped [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] to a 1&ndash;0 win at the Stadium of Light on 8 March.<ref name="everton">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7272604.stm|title=Sunderland 0-1 Everton|last=Braithwaite|first=Matt|date=2008-03-09|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> Sunderland lost consecutive games when [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] beat them 1&ndash;0 on 15 March due to a [[Didier Drogba]] goal. [[Andy Reid (footballer)|Andy Reid]] came close to putting Sunderland infront as his free kick was plucked from the top corner by [[Carlo Cudicini]].<ref name="chelseaathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7284965.stm|title=Sunderland 0-1 Chelsea|last=Phillips|first=Owen|date=2008-03-15|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> Sunderland's first away win of the season came on 22 March when they won 1&ndash;0 at [[Villa Park]] against [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]. An 83rd minute [[Michael Chopra]] scored the winning goal for Sunderland.<ref name="villaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7298167.stm|title=Aston Villa 0-1 Sunderland|last=McNulty|first=Phil|date=2008-03-22|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> A 2&ndash;1 win at home to [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] on 29 February helped Sunderland to their first consecutive wins of the season. [[Kenwyne Jones]]' first goal since late December leveled the score at 1&ndash;1 and a 95th minute [[Andy Reid (footballer)|Andy Reid]] goal won the game.<ref name="westhamathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7309366.stm|title=Sunderland 2-1 West Ham|last=Holt|first=Sarah|date=2008-03-29|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref>
[[Image:Französischer Tapisseur (15. Jahrhundert) 001.jpg|thumb|right|Tapestry, Maiden with Unicorn, 15th century,([[Musée de Cluny]], [[Paris]])]]
[[Image:The Hunt of the Unicorn Tapestry 7.jpg|thumb|left|'''''The Unicorn is Penned,''''' the ''Unicorn Tapestries, [[circa]] 1495–1505, [[the Cloisters]], [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]], [[New York City]]]]
One traditional method of hunting unicorns involved entrapment by a virgin.


===April===
In one of his notebooks [[Leonardo da Vinci]] wrote:
A 3&ndash;1 away win to [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] on 5 April helped Sunderland to nine points in three games as goals came from [[Danny Collins]], [[Michael Chopra]] and [[Kenwyne Jones]].<ref name="fulhamaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7320183.stm|title=Fulham 1-3 Sunderland|last=Whyatt|first=Chris|date=2008-04-05|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> Sunderland lost 2&ndash;1 at home to [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] on 12 April. Manchester City were awarded a dubvious penalty given by [[Mike Riley (referee)|Mike Riley]] and [[Elano]] converted it in the 79 minute. [[Dean Whitehead]] equalised with a near post volley after Andy Reid crossed the ball. Manchester City though still had time to win the game and [[Darius Vassell]] scored an 89th minute scuffed shot to beat [[Craig Gordon]].<ref name="mancityathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7332041.stm|title=Sunderland 1-2 Man City|last=Bevan|first=Chris|date=2008-04-12|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> On the return fixture of the Tyne and Wear derby on 19 April Sunderland were defeated 2&ndash;0 away to [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]].<ref name="newcastleaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7344159.stm|title=Newcastle 2-0 Sunderland|last=McKenzie|first=Andrew|date=2008-04-20|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> The next game was another derby for Sunderland, this time the [[Tees-Wear derby]] on 26 April. Sunderland won the game 3&ndash;2 at home to [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]], with goals from [[Danny Higginbotham]], [[Michael Chopra]] and an [[Emanuel Pogatetz]] [[own goal]], thus securing their safety and staying in the [[Premier League]].<ref name="middlesbroughathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7356054.stm|title=Sunderland 3-2 Middlesbrough|last=Taylor|first=Julian|date=2008-04-26|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref>


===May===
:''"The unicorn, through its intemperance and not knowing how to control itself, for the love it bears to fair maidens forgets its ferocity and wildness; and laying aside all fear it will go up to a seated damsel and go to sleep in her lap, and thus the hunters take it."''<ref>[http://www.universalleonardo.org/work.php?id=438 (Ashmolean Museum) "Young woman seated in a landscape with a unicorn", Leonardo, Late 1470s]</ref>
After securing their own security, Sunderland travelled to [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] on 3 May, who were not yet safe from relagation. Sunderland lost the game 2&ndash;0 at the [Reebok Stadium]].<ref name="boltonaway">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7368642.stm|title=Bolton 2-0 Sunderland|last=McKenzie|first=Andrew|date=2008-05-03|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> On 11 May, the last game of the Premier League season, Sunderland played [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] at the Stadium of Light. Arsenal won the game 1&ndash;0 through a [[Theo Walcott]] goal. Sunderland also recorded their highest home attendance of the season, when the match was watched by 47,802 people.<ref name="arsenalathome">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7381801.stm|title=Sunderland 0-1 Arsenal|last=Orlovac|first=Mark|date=2008-05-11|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> Sunderland finished the season with 39 points in 15th place,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=2609&team=39&season=2007-2008|title=League Table|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-10}}</ref> with [[Kenwyne Jones]] as top goal scorer with 7 goals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catstattery.co.uk/Iseasonapps/ISA130.asp|title=2007-08 Appearances|publisher=The Stat Cat|accessdate=2008-10-10}}</ref>


==Match results==
The famous late [[Gothic art|Gothic]] series of seven [[tapestry]] hangings, ''[[The Hunt of the Unicorn]]'' are a high point in [[Europe]]an tapestry manufacture, combining both secular and religious themes. The tapestries now hang in [[the Cloisters]] division of the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] in [[New York City]]. In the series, richly dressed [[Nobility|noblemen]], accompanied by huntsmen and hounds, pursue a unicorn against ''[[mille-fleur]]'' backgrounds or settings of buildings and gardens. They bring the animal to bay with the help of a maiden who traps it with her charms, appear to kill it, and bring it back to a castle; in the last and most famous panel, "The Unicorn in Captivity," the unicorn is shown alive again and happy, chained to a [[pomegranate]] tree surrounded by a fence, in a field of flowers. Scholars conjecture that the red stains on its flanks are not blood but rather the juice from pomegranates, which were a symbol of fertility. However, the true meaning of the mysterious resurrected Unicorn in the last panel is unclear. The series was woven about 1500 in the [[Low Countries]], probably [[Brussels]] or [[Liège (city)|Liège]], for an unknown patron. A set of six [[engraving]]s on the same theme, treated rather differently, were engraved by the French artist [[Jean Duvet]] in the 1540s.
===Legend===
{| class="wikitable"
|style="background-color: #d0ffe3;"|<small>Win</small>
|style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"|<small>Draw</small>
|style="background-color: #ffd0e3;"|<small>Loss</small>
|}


===Pre-season===
Another famous set of six tapestries of ''[[The Lady and the Unicorn|Dame à la licorne]]'' ("Lady with the unicorn") in the [[Musée de Cluny]], [[Paris]], were also woven in the [[Southern Netherlands]] before 1500, and show the five senses (the gateways to temptation) and finally Love ("A mon seul desir" the legend reads), with unicorns featured in each piece.
{|class="wikitable"
|+
!Game!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers!!Notes
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|1||18 July 2007||[[Darlington F.C.|Darlington]]||Away||align="center"|2&ndash;0||align="center"|4,500||[[Ross Wallace|Wallace]], [[Anthony Stokes|Stokes]]||<ref name="Darlington"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|2||21 July 2007||[[Scunthorpe United F.C.|Scunthorpe United]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;1||align="center"|5,388||||<ref name="Scunthorpe"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|3||28 July 2007||[[Bohemian F.C.|Bohemian]]||Away||align="center"|1&ndash;0||align="center"|5,033||[[Stern John|John]]||<ref name="Bohemian"/>
|-bgcolor="#f3f3f3"
|align="center"|4||30 July 2007||[[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]]||Away||align="center"|1&ndash;1||align="center"|9,000||[[Liam Miller|Miller]]||<ref name="Cork"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|5||1 August 2007||[[Galway United F.C.|Galway United]]||Away||align="center"|4&ndash;0||align="center"|5,000||[[Michael Chopra|Chopra]], [[Kieran Richardson|Richardson]], [[David Connolly|Connolly]], [[Stern John|John]]||<ref name="Galway"/>
|-bgcolor="#f3f3f3"
|align="center"|6||4 August 2007||[[Juventus F.C.|Juventus]]||Home||align="center"|1&ndash;1||align="center"|25,852||[[Daryl Murphy|Murphy]]||<ref name="Juventus"/>
|}


===Premier League===
Facsimiles of the unicorn tapestries are currently being woven for permanent display in [[Stirling Castle]], [[Scotland]], to take the place of a set recorded in the castle in the 16th century.
{{main article|Premier League 2007-08}}
{|class="wikitable"
|+
!Game!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers!!Notes
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|1||11 August 2007||[[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]]||Home||align="center"|1&ndash;0||align="center"|43,967||[[Michael Chopra|Chopra]]||<ref name="Tottenhamathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#f3f3f3"
|align="center"|2||15 August 2007||[[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]]||Away||align="center"|2&ndash;2||align="center"|24,898||[[Michael Chopra|Chopra]], [[Stern John|John]]||<ref name="Birminghamaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|3||18 August 2007||[[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;3||align="center"|18,639||||<ref name="wiganaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|4||25 August 2007||[[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]]||Home||align="center"|0&ndash;2||align="center"|45,645||||<ref name="liverpoolathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|5||1 September 2007||[[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;1||align="center"|75,648||||<ref name="manutdaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|6||15 September 2007||[[Reading F.C.|Reading]]||Home||align="center"|2&ndash;1||align="center"|39,272||[[Kenwyne Jones|Jones]], [[Ross Wallace|Wallace]]||<ref name="readingathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#f3f3f3"
|align="center"|7||22 September 2007||[[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]]||Away||align="center"|2&ndash;2||align="center"|30,675||[[Grant Leadbitter|Leadbitter]], [[Liam Miller|Miller]]||<ref name="boroaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|8||29 September 2007||[[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]]||Home||align="center"|1&ndash;2||align="center"|41,252||[[Grant Leadbitter|Leadbitter]]||<ref name="blackburnathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|9||7 October 2007||[[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]||Away||align="center"|2&ndash;3||align="center"|60,098||[[Kenwyne Jones|Jones]], [[Ross Wallace|Wallace]]||<ref name="arsenalaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|10||21 October 2007||[[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]||Away||align="center"|1&ndash;3||align="center"|34,913||[[Kenwyne Jones|Jones]]||<ref name="westhamaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#f3f3f3"
|align="center"|11||27 October 2007||[[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]]||Home||align="center"|1&ndash;1||align="center"|39,392||[[Kenwyne Jones|Jones]]||<ref name="fulhamathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|12||5 November 2007||[[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;1||align="center"|40,038||||<ref name="mancityaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#f3f3f3"
|align="center"|13||10 November 2007||[[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]]||Home||align="center"|1&ndash;1||align="center"|47,701||[[Danny Higginbotham|Higginbotham]]||<ref name="newcastleathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|14||24 November 2007||[[Everton F.C.|Everton]]||Away||align="center"|1&ndash;7||align="center"|38,594||[[Dwight Yorke|Yorke]]||<ref name="evertonaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|15||1 December 2007||[[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]]||Home||align="center"|1&ndash;0||align="center"|42,380||[[Anthony Stokes|Stokes]]||<ref name="derbyathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|16||8 December 2007||[[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;2||align="center"|41,707||||<ref name="chelseaaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#f3f3f3"
|align="center"|17||15 December 2007||[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]||Home||align="center"|1&ndash;1||align="center"|43,248||[[Danny Higginbotham|Higginbotham]]||<ref name="villaathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|18||22 December 2007||[[Reading F.C.|Reading]]||Away||align="center"|1&ndash;2||align="center"|24,082||[[Michael Chopra|Chopra]] ([[Penalty kick|pen]])||<ref name="readingaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|19||26 December 2007||[[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]||Home||align="center"|0&ndash;4||align="center"| 47,360||||<ref name="manutdathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|20||29 December 2007||[[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]]||Home||align="center"|3&ndash;1||align="center"| 42,058||[[Kieran Richardson|Richardson]], [[Kenwyne Jones|Jones]], [[Daryl Murphy|Murphy]]||<ref name="boltonathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|21||1 January 2008||[[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;1||align="center"|23,212||||<ref name="blackburn"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|22||12 January 2008||[[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]]||Home||align="center"|2&ndash;0||align="center"|37,369||[[Kieran Richardson|Richardson]] (2)||<ref name="portsmouth"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|23||19 January 2008||[[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;2||align="center"|36,070||||<ref name="tottenhamaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|24||29 January 2008||[[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]]||Home||align="center"|2&ndash;0||align="center"|37,674||[[Daryl Murphy|Murphy]], [[Rade Prica|Prica]]||<ref name="birminghamathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|25||2 February 2008||[[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;3||align="center"|43,244||||<ref name="liverpoolaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|26||9 February 2008||[[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]]||Home||align="center"|2&ndash;0||align="center"|43,600||[[Dickson Etuhu|Etuhu]], [[Daryl Murphy|Murphy]]||<ref name="wiganathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|27||23 February 2008||[[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;1||align="center"|20,139||||<ref name="portsmouthaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#f3f3f3"
|align="center"|28||1 March 2008||[[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;0||align="center"|33,058||||<ref name="derbyaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|29||8 March 2008||[[Everton F.C.|Everton]]||Home||align="center"|0&ndash;1||align="center"|42,595||||<ref name="everton"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|30||15 March 2008||[[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]||Home||align="center"|0&ndash;1||align="center"|44,679||||<ref name="chelseaathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|31||22 March 2008||[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]||Away||align="center"|1&ndash;0||align="center"|42,640||[[Michael Chopra|Chopra]]||<ref name="villaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|32||29 March 2008||[[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]||Home||align="center"|2&ndash;1||align="center"|45,690||[[Kenwyne Jones|Jones]], [[Andy Reid (footballer)|Reid]]||<ref name="westhamathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|33||5 April 2008||[[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]]||Away||align="center"|3&ndash;1||align="center"|25,053||[[Danny Collins|Collins]], [[Michael Chopra|Chopra]], [[Kenwyne Jones|Jones]]||<ref name="fulhamaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|34||12 April 2008||[[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]||Home||align="center"|1&ndash;2||align="center"|46,797||[[Dean Whitehead|Whitehead]]||<ref name="mancityathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|35||19 April 2008||[[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;2||align="center"|52,305||||<ref name="newcastleaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#d0ffe3"
|align="center"|36||26 April 2008||[[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]]||Home||align="center"|3&ndash;2||align="center"|45,059||[[Danny Higginbotham|Higginbotham]], [[Michael Chopra|Chopra]], [[Emanuel Pogatetz|Pogatetz]] ([[Own goal|O.G.]])||<ref name="middlesbroughathome"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|37||3 May 2008||[[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;2||align="center"|25,053||||<ref name="boltonaway"/>
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|38||11 May 2008||[[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]||Home||align="center"|0&ndash;1||align="center"|47,802||||<ref name="arsenalathome"/>
|}


=== Heraldry ===
===FA Cup===
{{main article|FA Cup 2007-08}}
[[Image:Old State House Unicorn zoom.jpg|thumb|right|Oblique view of the [[Old State House (Boston)|Old State House]] in Boston, Massachusetts, the seat of British colonial government from 1713 to 1776, showing the lion and the unicorn, the supporters of the [[Coat of arms of the United Kingdom]]]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers!!Notes
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|align="center"|3||5 January 2008||[[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]]||Home||align="center"|0&ndash;3||align="center"|20,821||||<ref name="wiganfacup"/>
|}


===League Cup===
In [[heraldry]], a unicorn is depicted as a horse with a goat's cloven hooves and beard, a lion's tail, and a slender, spiral horn on its forehead.<ref name="friar">{{cite book
{{main article|Football League Cup 2007-08}}
|last=Friar
{| class="wikitable"
|first=Stephen
|+
|authorlink=Stephen Friar
!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers!!Notes
|title=A New Dictionary of Heraldry
|-bgcolor="#ffd0e3"
|year=1987
|align="center"|2||27 August 2007||[[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]]||Away||align="center"|0&ndash;3||align="center"|4,401||||<ref name="lutonleaguecup"/>
|pages= p 353-354
|}
|publisher=Alphabooks/[[A & C Black]]
|location=London
|isbn=0906670446
|}}</ref>
Whether because it was an emblem of the Incarnation or of the fearsome animal passions of raw nature, the unicorn was not widely used in early heraldry, but became popular from the 15th century.<ref name="friar" /> Though sometimes shown collared, which may perhaps be taken in some cases as an indication that it has been tamed or tempered, it is more usually shown collared with a broken chain attached, showing that it has broken free from its bondage and cannot be taken again.


==League table==
It is probably best known from the royal [[coat of arms]] of Scotland and the [[United Kingdom]]: two unicorns [[supporters|support]] the [[Royal coat of arms of Scotland|Scottish arms]]; a lion and a unicorn support the [[Coat of arms of the United Kingdom|UK arms]]. The arms of the [[Worshipful Society of Apothecaries]] in [[London]] has two golden unicorn supporters (although, as emblazoned on its [http://www.apothecaries.org.uk/ homepage], they have horses', not lions', tails). <ref name="friar" />
{{Fb cl header}}
<gallery>
{{Fb cl team |p=1 |t=Manchester United |w=27|d=6 |l=5 |gf=80|ga=22|bc=#ACE1AF|champion=y}}
Image:Licorne Edimbourg Scotland.JPG|<center>Unicorn supporter of the [[Royal coat of arms of Scotland|arms of Scotland]]
{{Fb cl2 qr |rows=2 |s=2008-09 |c=UCL |r=GS }}
Image:Blason_ville_fr_SaintLo_(Manche).svg|<center>Arms of [[Saint-Lô]], [[France]]
{{Fb cl team |p=2 |t=Chelsea |w=25|d=10|l=3 |gf=65|ga=26|bc=#ACE1AF}}
Image:Líšnice.svg|Arms of [[Lišnice]], [[Czech Republic]]
{{Fb cl team |p=3 |t=Arsenal |w=24|d=11|l=3 |gf=74|ga=31|bc=#D0F0C0}}
Image:Ramosch wappen.svg|<center>Arms of [[Ramosch]], [[Switzerland]]
{{Fb cl2 qr |rows=2 |s=2008-09 |c=UCL |r=QR3 }}
</gallery>
{{Fb cl team |p=4 |t=Liverpool |w=21|d=13|l=4 |gf=67|ga=28|bc=#D0F0C0}}
{{Fb cl team |p=5 |t=Everton |w=19|d=8 |l=11|gf=55|ga=33|bc=#FFFF75}}
{{Fb cl2 qr |rows=1 |s=2008-09 |c=UEFA Cup |r=R1 }}
{{Fb cl team |p=6 |t=Aston Villa |w=16|d=12|l=10|gf=71|ga=51|bc=#CCCCFF}}
{{Fb cl2 qr |rows=1 |s=2008 |c=Intertoto Cup |r=R3 }}
{{Fb cl team |p=7 |t=Blackburn |w=15|d=13|l=10|gf=50|ga=48}}
{{Fb cl team |p=8 |t=Portsmouth |w=16|d=9 |l=13|gf=48|ga=40|bc=#FFFF75}}
{{Fb cl2 qr |rows=1 |s=2008-09 |c=UEFA Cup |r=R1 |nt=1 }}
{{Fb cl team |p=9 |t=Manchester City |w=15|d=10|l=13|gf=45|ga=53|bc=#FFFF99}}
{{Fb cl2 qr |rows=1 |s=2008-09 |c=UEFA Cup |r=FQR |nt=2 }}
{{Fb cl team |p=10 |t=West Ham |w=13|d=10|l=15|gf=42|ga=50}}
{{Fb cl team |p=11 |t=Tottenham |w=11|d=13|l=14|gf=66|ga=61|bc=#FFFF75}}
{{Fb cl2 qr |rows=1 |s=2008-09 |c=UEFA Cup |r=R1 |nt=3 }}
{{Fb cl team |p=12 |t=Newcastle |w=11|d=10|l=17|gf=45|ga=65}}
{{Fb cl team |p=13 |t=Middlesbrough |w=10|d=12|l=16|gf=43|ga=53}}
{{Fb cl team |p=14 |t=Wigan Athletic |w=10|d=10|l=18|gf=34|ga=51}}
{{Fb cl team |p='''15''' |t=Sunderland |w=11|d=6 |l=21|gf=36|ga=59|bc=#C0C0C0}}
{{Fb cl team |p=16 |t=Bolton |w=9 |d=10|l=19|gf=36|ga=54}}
{{Fb cl team |p=17 |t=Fulham |w=8 |d=12|l=18|gf=38|ga=60}}
{{Fb cl team |p=18 |t=Reading |w=10|d=6 |l=22|gf=41|ga=66|bc=#FFCCCC |relegated=y}}
{{Fb cl2 qr |relegation=y |rows=3 |s=2008-09 |c=League Championship }}
{{Fb cl team |p=19 |t=Birmingham |w=8 |d=11|l=19|gf=46|ga=62|bc=#FFCCCC |relegated=y}}
{{Fb cl team |p=20 |t=Derby County |w=1 |d=8 |l=29|gf=20|ga=89|bc=#FFCCCC |relegated=y }}
{{Fb cl footer |s=[http://www.premierleague.com/page/LeagueTable Barclays Premier League] |nt=<sup>'''1'''</sup> via [[FA Cup 2007-08]]<br /><sup>'''2'''</sup> via [[UEFA Fair Play ranking]]<br /><sup>'''3'''</sup> via [[Football League Cup 2007-08]]}}


== Origins ==
==Player details==
:Sources<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?teamid=2493|title=Sunderland 2007/2008 player appearances|publisher=Soccerbase|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/team/?page_id=6941&season=2007-2008|title=Player Stats|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref>
Hunts for an actual animal as the basis of the unicorn myth, accepting the conception of writers in Antiquity that it really existed somewhere at the edge of the known earth, have added a further layer of [[Mythology|mythologizing]] about the unicorn. These have taken various forms, interpreted in a scientific, rather than a wonder-filled manner, to accord with modern perceptions of reality.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
=== Alleged evidence ===
|-
[[Image:Einhorn-Guericke.jpg|thumb|[[Otto Von Guericke]]'s unicorn skeleton, exhibit near the Zoo, [[Osnabrück]]]]
!rowspan="2" valign="bottom"|No.
Among numerous finds of [[Prehistory|prehistoric]] bones found at [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einhornh%C3%B6hle_%28Harz%29 Einhornhöhle] (Unicorn Cave) in [[Germany]]'s [[Harz|Harz Mountains]], some were selected and reconstructed by the mayor of [[Magdeburg]], [[Otto Von Guericke]], as a unicorn in 1663 (''illustration, right''). Guericke's so-called unicorn had only two legs, and was constructed from [[fossil]] bones of a [[Woolly rhinoceros]] and a [[mammoth]], with the horn of a [[narwhal]]. The skeleton was examined by [[Gottfried Leibniz]], who had previously doubted the existence of the unicorn, but was convinced by it.<ref>[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/2006/6/hoaxes.cfm Robin Meadows, "The Unicorn, the Mermaid, and the Centaur" ''Zoogoer'', November-December 2006]</ref>
!rowspan="2" valign="bottom"|Pos.
!rowspan="2"|Name
!colspan="2" width="85"|League
!colspan="2" width="85"|FA Cup
!colspan="2" width="85"|Carling Cup
!colspan="2" width="85"|Total
!colspan="2" width="85"|Discipline
|-
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
![[Image:Yellow card.svg|13px]]
![[Image:Red card.svg|13px]]
|-
|align="left"|1||align="left"|GK||align="left"|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Craig Gordon]]
|34||0||1||0||0||0||35||0||1||0
|-
|align="left"|2||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Greg Halford]]
|8||0||0||0||1||0||9||0||1||2
|-
|align="left"|3||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Ian Harte]]
|3 (5)||0||0||0||0||0||3 (5)||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|4||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|NGA}} [[Dickson Etuhu]]
|18 (2)||1||0||0||1||0||20 (2)||1||5||0
|-
|align="left"|5||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|JAM}} [[Nyron Nosworthy]]
|29||0||1||0||1||0||31||0||3||0
|-
|align="left"|6||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Paul McShane]]
|20 (1)||0||1||0||0||0||21 (1)||0||4||1
|-
|align="left"|7||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|TRI}} [[Carlos Edwards]]
|11 (2)||0||0||0||0||0||11 (2)||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|8||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Dean Whitehead]] ([[captain (football)|c]])
|27||1||1||0||0||0||28||1||7||0
|-
|align="left"|9||align="left"|FW||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Anthony Stokes (footballer)|Anthony Stokes]]
|8 (12)||1||0||0||1||0||9 (12)||1||1||0
|-
|align="left"|10||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Kieran Richardson]]
|15 (2)||3||1||0||0||0||16 (2)||3||3||0
|-
|align="left"|11||align="left"|FW||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Daryl Murphy]]
|20 (8)||3||1||0||1||0||22 (8)||3||2||0
|-
|align="left"|12||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Liam Miller]]
|16 (8)||1||0||0||1||0||17 (8)||1||4||1
|-
|align="left"|13||align="left"|GK||align="left"|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Darren Ward (footballer born 1974)|Darren Ward]]
|3||0||0||0||1||0||4||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|14||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Danny Higginbotham]]
|21||3||0||0||0||0||21||3||1||0
|-
|align="left"|15||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Danny Collins]]
|32 (4)||1||1||0||0||0||33 (4)||1||6||0
|-
|align="left"|16||align="left"|FW||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Michael Chopra]]
|21 (12)||6||0||0||1||0||22 (12)||6||7||0
|-
|align="left"|17||align="left"|FW||align="left"|{{flagicon|TRI}} [[Kenwyne Jones]]
|33||7||0||0||0||0||33||7||2||0
|-
|align="left"|18||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Grant Leadbitter]]
|17 (14)||2||0 (1)||0||1||0||18 (15)||2||5||0
|-
|align="left"|19||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|TRI}} [[Dwight Yorke]]
|17 (3)||1||0||0||0 (1)||0||17 (4)||1||4||1
|-
|align="left"|20||align="left"|FW||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Andy Cole]]
|3 (4)||0||0 (1)||0||0||0||3 (5)||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|21||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Russell Anderson]]
|0 (1)||0||0||0||0 (1)||0||0 (2)||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|22||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Clive Clarke]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|23||align="left"|FW||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Roy O'Donovan]]
|4 (13)||0||1||0||0 (1)||0||5 (14)||0||2||0
|-
|align="left"|24||align="left"|GK||align="left"|{{flagicon|NIR}} [[Trevor Carson]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|25||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|NIR}} [[Jean-Yves Mvoto]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|26||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Phil Bardsley]]
|11||0||0||0||0||0||11||0||3||0
|-
|align="left"|27||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|SVK}} [[Stanislav Varga]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|28||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Graham Kavanagh]]
|0||0||1||0||0||0||1||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|29||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Peter Hartley]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|30||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jake Richardson (footballer)|Jake Richardson]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|31||align="left"|FW||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[David Connolly]]
|1 (2)||0||0 (1)||0||0 (1)||0||1 (3)||0||1||0
|-
|align="left"|32||align="left"|GK||align="left"|{{flagicon|HUN}} [[Márton Fülöp]]
|1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|33||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ross Wallace]]
|18 (3)||2||0||0||1||0||19 (2)||2||4||0
|-
|align="left"|34||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Billy Dennehy]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|35||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Michael Kay (footballer)|Michael Kay]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|36||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Gavin Donoghue]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|37||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|NIR}} [[Robbie Weir]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|38||align="left"|MF||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jamie Chandler]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|39||align="left"|FW||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Martyn Waghorn]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|40||align="left"|FW||align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[David Dowson]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|41||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Michael Liddle]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|44||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|NIR}} [[Jonny Evans]]
|15||0||1||0||0||0||16||0||0||0
|-
|align="left"|45||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Rade Prica]]
|0 (6)||1||0||0||0||0||0 (6)||1||0||0
|-
|align="left"|-||align="left"|DF||align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} [[Jack Pelter]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|}


==Transfers==
[[Georges Cuvier|Baron Georges Cuvier]] maintained that as the unicorn was cloven-hoofed it must therefore have a cloven skull (making the growth of a single horn impossible); to disprove this, Dr. [[W. Franklin Dove]], a [[University of Maine]] professor, artificially fused the horn buds of a [[calf]] together, creating a one-horned bull.<ref> {{cite web
===In===
| title = Dr Dove's Unicorn Bull
{| class="wikitable"
| url = http://www.unicorngarden.com/drdove.htm
|-
| accessdate = 2007-01-20 }}</ref>
!Date
!Pos
!Name
!From
!Fee
!Notes
|-
|17 May 2007
|MF
|[[Robbie Weir]]
|[[Youth system]]
|align="center"|&ndash;
|<ref name="robbieweir"/>
|-
|17 May 2007
|MF
|[[Jamie Chandler]]
|[[Youth system]]
|align="center"|&ndash;
|<ref name="robbieweir"/>
|-
|17 May 2007
|FW
|[[David Dowson]]
|[[Youth system]]
|align="center"|&ndash;
|<ref name="robbieweir"/>
|-
|11 June 2007
|DF
|[[Greg Halford]]
|[[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]]
|£3,000,000
|<ref name="halford"/>
|-
|27 June 2007
|DF
|[[Russell Anderson]]
|[[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]]
|£1,000,000
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12579|title=Dons skipper signs for Cats|last=Walker|first=Martin|date=2007-06-27|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|13 July 2007
|FW
|[[Michael Chopra]]
|[[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]]
|£5,000,000
|<ref name="chopra"/>
|-
|16 July 2007
|MF
|[[Kieran Richardson]]
|[[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]
|Undisclosed fee
|<ref name="richardson"/>
|-
|17 July 2007
|MF
|[[Dickson Etuhu]]
|[[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]
|£1,500,000
|<ref name="etuhu"/>
|-
|26 July 2007
|DF
|[[Paul McShane]]
|[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
|£2,500,000
|<ref name="mcshane"/>
|-
|7 August 2007
|GK
|[[Craig Gordon]]
|[[Heart of Midlothian F.C.|Heart of Midlothian]]
|£9,000,000
|<ref name="gordon"/>
|-
|9 August 2007
|FW
|[[Roy O'Donovan]]
|[[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]]
|Undisclosed fee
|<ref name="Roy Odonovan"/>
|-
|24 August 2007
|FW
|[[Andy Cole]]
|[[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]]
|[[Free transfer (football)|Free]]
|<ref name="colein"/>
|-
|29 August 2007
|DF
|[[Ian Harte]]
|[[Levante UD|Levante]]
|[[Free transfer (football)|Free]]
|<ref name="harte"/>
|-
|29 August 2007
|DF
|[[Danny Higginbotham]]
|[[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]]
|£3,000,000
|<ref name="higginbotham"/>
|-
|29 August 2007
|FW
|[[Kenwyne Jones]]
|[[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]
|£6,000,000
|<ref name="jones"/>
|-
|8 September 2007
|DF
|[[Jack Pelter]]
|[[Canterbury United]]
|[[Free transfer (football)|Free]]
|<ref name="pelter"/>
|-
|26 December 2007
|FW
|[[Martyn Waghorn]]
|[[Youth system]]
|align="center"|&ndash;
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=13861&fixture=2848036&t=2|title=Sunderland 0 Manchester United 4|last=Alexander|first=Nick|date=2007-12-26|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|15 January 2008
|DF
|[[Jean-Yves Mvoto]]
|[[Paris Saint-Germain FC|Paris Saint-Germain]]
|Undisclosed fee
|<ref name="Mvoto"/>
|-
|22 January 2008
|DF
|[[Phil Bardsley]]
|[[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]
|£2,000,000
|<ref name="Bardsley"/>
|-
|23 January 2008
|FW
|[[Rade Prica]]
|[[AaB Football|AaB Aalborg]]
|£2,000,000
|<ref name="Prica"/>
|-
|31 January 2008
|MF
|[[Andy Reid (footballer)|Andy Reid]]
|[[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]]
|£4,000,000
|<ref name="Reid"/>
|}


===Out===
[[P. T. Barnum]] once exhibited a unicorn skeleton, which was exposed as a [[hoax]].{{Fact|date=June 2008}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date
!Pos
!Name
!To
!Fee
!Notes
|-
|18 May 2007
|DF
|[[Kenny Cunningham]]
|align="center"|&ndash;
|Retired
|<ref name="robbieweir"/>
|-
|18 May 2007
|MF
|[[Tommy Miller]]
|[[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]]
|Released
|<ref name="robbieweir"/>
|-
|18 May 2007
|MF
|[[William Mocquet]]
|[[Pau FC|Pau]]
|Released
|<ref name="robbieweir"/>
|-
|18 May 2007
|FW
|[[Kevin Smith (footballer)|Kevin Smith]]
|[[Aldershot Town F.C.|Aldershot Town]]
|Released
|<ref name="robbieweir"/>
|-
|19 July 2007
|FW
|[[Stephen Elliott (footballer)|Stephen Elliott]]
|[[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]
|Undisclosed fee
|<ref name="elliot"/>
|-
|25 August 2007
|MF
|[[Tobias Hysén]]
|[[IFK Göteborg|Göteborg]]
|Undisclosed fee
|<ref name="hysen"/>
|-
|29 August 2007
|FW
|[[Stern John]]
|[[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]
|Swap deal
|<ref name="jones"/>
|-
|5 February 2008
|DF
|[[Clive Clarke]]
|align="center"|&ndash;
|Contract terminated
|<ref name="clarke"/>
|}


===Loans in===
Since the [[rhinoceros]] is the only known extant land animal to possess a single horn, it has often been supposed that the unicorn legend originated from encounters between Europeans and rhinoceroses. The [[Woolly Rhinoceros]] would have been quite familiar to [[ice age]] people, or the legend may have been based on the rhinoceroses of [[Africa]]. Europeans and [[Southwest Asia|West Asians]] have visited [[Sub-Saharan Africa]] for as long as we have records{{Fact|date=June 2008}}.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date
!Pos
!Name
!From
!Fee
!Notes
|-
|4 January 2008
|MF
|[[Jonny Evans]]
|[[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]
|End of season
|<ref name="evans"/>
|}


===Loans out===
=== Unicorn seals of the Indus Valley Civilization ===
{| class="wikitable"
The first objects unearthed from [[Harappa]] and [[Mohenjo-Daro]] were small stone [[seal]]s
|-
inscribed with elegant depictions of animals, including a unicorn-like figure
!Date
in upper left, and marked with Indus script writing which still baffles scholars.
!Pos
These seals are dated back to 2500 B. C. Source: North Park University, Chicago, Illinois.(Image : [http://www.hermetics.org/images/aHarappaSeals.jpg A Harappa Seals.])
!Name
!To
!Fee
!Notes
|-
|7 July 2007
|MF
|[[Arnau Riera]]
|[[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk]]
|End of season
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/falkirk/6901970.stm|title=Bairns sign up Spanish midfielder|date=2007-07-17|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|3 August 2007
|DF
|[[Stephen Wright (English footballer)|Stephen Wright]]
|[[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]]
|3 January 2008
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12829|title=Wright joins Stoke|date=2007-08-03|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7169569.stm|title=Wright heads back to Sunderland|date=2008-01-03|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|15 August 2007
|GK
|[[Márton Fülöp]]
|[[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
|2 January 2008
|<ref name="joinfoxes">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12927|title=Cats pair join City on loan|date=2007-08-15|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~1203172,00.html|title=Fulop Returns|date=2008-01-02|publisher=Leicester City F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|15 August 2007
|DF
|[[Clive Clarke]]
|[[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
|Mid-November 2007
|<ref name="joinfoxes"/>
|-
|21 September 2007
|MF
|[[Graham Kavanagh]]
|[[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]
|31 October 2007
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/7006205.stm|title=Owls sign Kavanagh on loan deal|date=2007-09-21|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.football.co.uk/sheffield_wednesday/kavanagh_ends_owls_spell_254690.shtml|title=Kavanagh ends Owls spell|date=Football|publisher=2007-10-31|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|22 November 2007
|MF
|[[Billy Dennehy]]
|[[Accrington Stanley F.C.|Accrington Stanley]]
|1 January 2008
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/accrington_stanley/7107193.stm|title=Accrington sign Dennehy on loan|date=2007-11-22|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|4 January 2008
|DF
|[[Stanislav Varga]]
|[[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]]
|End of season
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/burnley/7171290.stm|title=Defender Varga loaned to Burnley|date=2008-01-04|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref><ref name="cole">{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2290345/Burnley-sign-Andrew-Cole-from-Sunderland.html|title=Burnley sign Andrew Cole from Sunderland|date=2008-01-29|publisher=The Telegraph|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|29 January 2008
|FW
|[[Andy Cole]]
|[[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]]
|End of season
|<ref name="cole"/>
|-
|31 January 2008
|DF
|[[Greg Halford]]
|[[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]]
|End of season
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=14100|title=Halford joins Charlton|date=2008-01-31|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref>
|-
|31 January 2008
|MF
|[[Graham Kavanagh]]
|[[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]
|End of season
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/index.php?page_id=14108|title=Kav joins Wednesday|date=2008-01-31|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref>
|-
|19 February 2008
|DF
|[[Russell Anderson]]
|[[Plymouth Argyle F.C.|Plymouth Argyle]]
|End of season
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=14224|title=Anderson joins Plymouth on loan|last=Walker|first=Martin|date=2008-02-19|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/7302682.stm|title=Anderson extends loan at Plymouth|date=2008-03-18|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref>
|-
|21 February 2008
|FW
|[[David Dowson]]
|[[Chesterfield F.C.|Chesterfield]]
|21 March 2008
|<ref name="chesterfield">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=14239|title=Cats pair make loan switch|last=Walker|first=Martin|date=2008-02-21|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref>
|-
|21 February 2008
|DF
|[[Peter Hartley]]
|[[Chesterfield F.C.|Chesterfield]]
|21 March 2008
|<ref name="chesterfield"/>
|-
|22 February 2008
|GK
|[[Márton Fülöp]]
|[[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]]
|26 February 2008
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=14258|title=Fulop completes Stoke move|last=Walker|first=Martin|date=2008-02-22|publisher=Sunderland A.F.C.|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/26022008/58/championship-fulop-leaves-stoke-four-days.html|title=Fulop leaves Stoke after four days|date=2008-02-26|publisher=Eurosport|accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref>
|}


==See also==
This seal is a close-up of the unicorn-like animal found in Mohenjo-daro,
*[[2007–08 in English football]]
measures 29mm (1.14 inches) on each side and is made of heated Steatite.
"Steatite is an easily carved soft stone that becomes hard after firing.
On the top are four pictographs of an as yet undeciphered Indus script,
one of the first writing systems in history." Image source
Dept. of Archaeology and Museums, Govt. of Pakistan.(Image : [http://www.hermetics.org/images/aHarappaUnicorn.jpg A Harappa Unicorn.])


==References==
=== Elasmotherium or rhinoceros ===
{{reflist|2}}
[[Image:Elasm062.jpg|thumb|right|The [[elasmotherium]].]]
One suggestion is that the unicorn is based on the extinct animal ''[[Elasmotherium]]'', a huge [[Eurasia]]n rhinoceros native to the [[steppe]]s, south of the range of the woolly rhinoceros of Ice Age Europe. ''Elasmotherium'' looked little like a horse, but it had a large single horn in its forehead. It became extinct about the same time as the rest of the glacial age [[megafauna]]{{Fact|date=June 2008}}.


{{fb start}}
However, according to the ''[[Nordisk familjebok]] (Nordic Familybook)'' and science writer [[Willy Ley]] the animal may have survived long enough to be remembered in the legends of the [[Evenks|Evenk]] people of [[Russia]] as a huge black bull with a single horn in the forehead.
{{Sunderland A.F.C.}}
{{Sunderland A.F.C. seasons}}
{{fb end}}


[[Category:Sunderland A.F.C. seasons|2007-08]]
In support of this claim, it has been noted that the 13th century traveller Marco Polo claimed to have seen a unicorn in [[Java]], but his description makes it clear to the modern reader that he actually saw a [[Javan Rhinoceros]]. Perhaps additional supporting evidence can be found in the fact that a rhinoceros' horn reacts with alkaloids by turning a different color{{Fact|date=June 2008}}. A majority of the medieval poisons were made from [[alkaloid]]s{{Fact|date=June 2008}}, which coincides with the myth that unicorn horns change color when a poison is placed within them.
[[Category:2007 in England|Sunderland A.F.C.]]

[[Category:2008 in England|Sunderland A.F.C.]]
=== A single-horned goat ===
[[Category:Football (soccer) clubs 2007-08 season]]
The connection that is sometimes made with a single-horned goat derives from the vision of Daniel:
:''And as I was considering, behold, a he-goat came from the west over the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.'' {{bibleverse||Daniel|8:5}}

In the domestic goat, a rare deformity of the generative tissues can cause the horns to be joined together{{Fact|date=June 2007}}; such an animal could be another possible inspiration for the legend. Antiquities researcher [[Oberon Zell-Ravenheart|Timothy Zell]] also produced artificial unicorns dubbed "the Living Unicorn", remodelling the "horn buds" of goat kids in such a way that their horns grew together into a single one.<ref> {{cite web
| title = Man Made Unicorns
| url = http://www.lair2000.net/Unicorn_Dreams/Unicorns_Man_Made/unicorns_man_made.html
| accessdate = 2007-01-20 }}
</ref> Zell theorized that this process might have been used in the past to create court curiosities and natural herd leaders, because the goat was able to use this long straight horn effectively as a weapon and a tool. [[Medieval art]] often depicts unicorns as small, with cloven hooves and beards, sometimes resembling goats more than horses with horns. This process is possible only with animals that naturally have horns. For a time, a few of these unicorns travelled with the [[Ringling Brothers Circus]].<ref>[http://www.ringling.com/explore/history/legend/unicorn.aspx The Living Unicorn!]</ref>

=== The narwhal ===
[[Image:Narwhalsk.jpg|thumb|Male [[Narwhal]].]]
The unicorn horns often found in [[cabinet of curiosities|cabinets of curiosities]] and other contexts in Medieval and [[Renaissance]] Europe, were very often examples of the distinctive straight spiral single tusk of the [[narwhal]] whale (''Monodon monoceros''), an [[Arctic Ocean|Arctic]] [[cetacea]]n, as [[Denmark|Danish]] zoologist [[Ole Worm]] established in 1638.<ref>{{cite web | title =Unicorn at Ocultopedia | url = http://www.occultopedia.com/u/unicorn.htm | accessdate = 2007-01-20 }}</ref> They were brought south as a very valuable trade, and sold as horns from the legendary unicorn; being of [[ivory]], they passed the various tests intended to spot fake unicorn horns.<ref name="Daston"">Daston, Lorraine and Katharine Park. Wonders and the Order of Nature, 1150-1750. New York: Zone Books, 2001.</ref> As these 'horns' were considered to have [[Magic (paranormal)|magic]] powers, [[Vikings]] and other northern traders were able to sell them for many times their weight in [[gold]]. [[Elizabeth I of England]] kept a "unicorn horn" in her cabinet of curiosities, brought back by [[Arctic]] explorer [[Martin Frobisher]] on his return from [[Labrador]] in 1577.<ref>[http://www.measuringworth.com/ppoweruk/ Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to 2007]</ref> The usual depiction of the spiral unicorn horn in art, derives from these.</br>
The truth of the tusk's origin developed gradually during the Age of Exploration, as explorers and naturalists began to visit regions themselves. In 1555, [[Olaus Magnus]] published a drawing of a fish-like creature with a "horn" on its forehead.

=== The oryx ===
[[Image:Tempul 009.jpg|right|thumb|The [[oryx]].]]
The [[oryx]] is an [[antelope]] with two long, thin horns projecting from its forehead. Some have suggested that seen from the side and from a distance, the oryx looks something like a horse with a single horn (although the 'horn' projects backward, not forward as in the classic unicorn). Conceivably, travellers in [[Arabian Peninsula|Arabia]] could have derived the tale of the unicorn from these animals. However, classical authors seem to distinguish clearly between oryxes and unicorns. The ''[[Erhard Reuwich#Peregrinatio in terram sanctam|Peregrinatio in terram sanctam]]'', published in 1486, was the first printed illustrated travel-book, describing a [[pilgrimage]] to [[Jerusalem]], and thence to [[Egypt]] by way of [[Mount Sinai]]. It featured many large [[woodcut]]s by [[Erhard Reuwich]], who went on the trip, mostly detailed and accurate views of cities. The book also contained pictures of animals seen on the journey, including a [[crocodile]], [[camel]], and unicorn - presumably an oryx, which they could easily have seen on their route.

=== The eland ===
[[Image:Eland002.jpg|thumb|left|The [[eland]].]]
In [[Southern Africa]] the [[Common Eland|eland]] has somewhat mystical or spiritual connotations, perhaps at least partly because this very large antelope will defend itself against lions, and is able to kill these fearsome predators. Eland are very frequently depicted in the [[rock art]] of the region, which implies that they were viewed as having a strong connection to the other world, and in several languages the word for eland and for dance is the same; significant because shamans used dance as their means of drawing power from the other world. Eland fat was used when mixing the pigments for these pictographs, and in the preparation of many medicines.

This special regard for the eland may well have been picked up by early travellers. In the area of [[Cape Town]] one horned eland are known to occur naturally, perhaps as the result of a recessive gene, and were noted in the diary of an early governor of the Cape{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. There is also a purported unicorn horn in the castle of the chief of the [[Clan MacLeod]] in Scotland, which has been identified as that of an eland.

=== Genetic disorders of horned animals ===
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Italian.Unicorn.Image001.jpg|200px|right|frame|This [[roe deer]] was born in captivity at the Center of Natural Sciences in [[Prato, Italy]], and developed a single horn at the center of its head.<ref name="AP"/>]] -->
A new possibility for the inspiration of the unicorn came in [[2008]] with the discovery of a [[roe deer]] in [[Italy]] with a single horn. Single-horned deer aren't unheard of; however, the placement of this horn, in the center of the head, is quite unusual. Fulvio Fraticelli, scientific director of Rome's zoo, has said "Generally, the horn is on one side (of the head) rather than being at the center. This looks like a complex case."<ref name="AP">{{cite web | title=Single-horned 'Unicorn' is deer found in Italy | last=Falconi | first=Marta | url=http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/06/11/unicorn-deer-italy.html | date=2008-07-16 | accessdate=2008-06-14 | work=Associated Press }}</ref> Fraticelli also acknowledges that the placement of the horn could have been the result of some type of trauma in the life of the deer.<ref name="AP"/>

This unicorn found in [[Prato]], [[Tuscany]] is one of the most concrete living evidence of the legendary unicorn: notice that roe deer have also cloven hooves, like traditional representations. Maybe there were in the past similar morphological anomalies like a single-horn deer or a different animal that has been seen from a certain distance.

According to Gilberto Tozzi, director of the Center of Natural Science in Prato, “this single-horn deer is conscious to its uniqueness and does not come out a lot, always hiding.”<ref>{{cite web
| title = Single-horned 'Unicorn' deer found in Italy
| url = http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080611/ap_on_fe_st/italy_unicorn;_ylt=AuMxc9ordeEPLXLJHlp5JQEuQE4F
| accessdate = 2008-06-11}} Larger photo [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1025793/The-horned-deer-solve-mystery-unicorn.html here]</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Monocerus]] ([[Bestiary|Medieval Bestiary]])
* [[Monoceros]] ([[Constellation]])
* [[Invisible Pink Unicorn]] (a modern satirical religious symbol)
* [[Shadhavar]] (a unicorn-like creature in Persian folklore)
* [[Honda Unicorn]]
* [[Camahueto]] (mythological bull-unicorn)
* [[Qilin]] (a unicorn-like chimerical creature in Chinese mythology)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Sources ==
*Beer, Rüdiger Robert, ''Unicorn: Myth and Reality'' ([[1977]]). (Editions: ISBN 0-88405-583-3; ISBN 0-904069-15-X; ISBN 0-442-80583-7.)
*''Encyclopaedia Britannica'', 1911: "Unicorn"
*Gotfredsen, Lise, ''The Unicorn'' ([[1999]]). (Editions: ISBN 0-7892-0595-5; ISBN 1-86046-267-7.)
*Shepard, Odell. ''The Lore of the Unicorn''. (1930) [http://www.sacred-texts.com/etc/lou/index.htm text]
*[http://www.lair2000.net/Unicorn_Dreams/Unicorns_Man_Made/unicorns_man_made.html The Living Unicorn]

== External links ==
{{commonscat|Unicorns}}
* [http://www.summagallicana.it/unicorno/Zur%20Rezeptionsgeschichte%20des%20Einhorns.pdf Pascal Gratz, ''De Monocerote - Zur Rezeptionsgeschichte des Einhorns'']
* [http://faidutti.free.fr/licornes/these/these.html Bruno Faidutti, ''Images et connaissance de la licorne'']
* [http://www.theoi.com/Thaumasios/HippoiMonokerata.html Aaron J. Atsma, ''Theoi Greek Mythology'' : Equus Unicorn]
* [http://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast140.htm David Badke, ''The Medieval Bestiary'' : Unicorn]
* [http://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast165.htm David Badke, ''The Medieval Bestiary'' : Monocerus]
* [http://www.eaudrey.com/myth/unicorns.htm Dave's Mythical Creatures and Places - Unicorns]
* [http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/mythiccreatures/land/unicorns.php American Museum of Natural History, ''Mythic Creatures'': Unicorns, West and East]
* [http://www.allaboutunicorns.com Kevin Owens, ''All About Unicorns''] : Historical unicorn information, plus a gallery of unicorn pictures.
* [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=27&letter=U ''Jewish Encyclopedia'' - Unicorn]
* [http://www.newanimal.org/unicorn.htm Jamie Hall, ''The Cryptid Zoo'': Unicorns in Cryptozoology]
* [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0030-1299%28199008%2958%3A3%3C257%3ASDOTMU%3E2.0.CO%3B2-S&size=LARGE&origin=JSTOR-enlargePage Stuart H. Hurlbert, ''Spatial Distribution of the Montane Unicorn''] : Unicorns used to demonstrate spacial distribution modeling.

{{Heraldic creatures}}

[[Category:Unicorns]]
[[Category:Medieval European legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Medieval art]]
[[Category:Medieval legends]]
[[Category:Heraldic beasts]]
[[Category:Legendary mammals]]
[[Category:Mythological horses]]

[[ar:يونيكورن]]
[[az:Təkbuynuz]]
[[bs:Jednorozi]]
[[bg:Еднорог]]
[[ca:Unicorn]]
[[cs:Jednorožec]]
[[da:Enhjørning]]
[[de:Einhorn]]
[[et:Ükssarvik]]
[[el:Μονόκερως]]
[[es:Unicornio]]
[[eo:Unukornulo]]
[[fa:تک‌شاخ]]
[[fr:Licorne]]
[[gd:Aon-adharcach (each)]]
[[ko:유니콘]]
[[hr:Jednorog]]
[[id:Unicorn]]
[[is:Einhyrningur (dýr)]]
[[it:Unicorno]]
[[he:חד-קרן]]
[[la:Unicornis]]
[[lv:Vienradzis]]
[[hu:Egyszarvú]]
[[mk:Еднорог]]
[[nl:Eenhoorn (fabeldier)]]
[[ja:ユニコーン]]
[[no:Enhjørning]]
[[pl:Jednorożec]]
[[pt:Unicórnio]]
[[ru:Единорог]]
[[simple:Unicorn]]
[[sl:Samorog]]
[[sr:Једнорог]]
[[fi:Yksisarvinen]]
[[sv:Enhörning]]
[[ta:யுனிக்கோர்ன்]]
[[th:ยูนิคอร์น]]
[[tr:Tekboynuz]]
[[uk:Єдиноріг]]
[[ur:ارنا گھوڑا]]
[[zh:独角兽]]

Revision as of 19:49, 10 October 2008

Sunderland
2007–08 season
ChairmanRepublic of Ireland Niall Quinn
ManagerRepublic of Ireland Roy Keane
Premier League15th
FA CupThird Round
Carling CupSecond Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Kenwyne Jones (7)
All: Kenwyne Jones (7)
Highest home attendance47,802 (v Arsenal, 11 May 2008)
Lowest home attendance20,821 (v Wigan Athletic, 5 January 2008)

The 2007–08 season was the 123rd season in Sunderland A.F.C.'s history, their 117th in The Football League and 115th in the league system of English football.

Background

Main article: Sunderland A.F.C. season 2006-07
See also: History of Sunderland A.F.C. and Sunderland A.F.C. seasons

Takeover talks were held over the summer involving an Irish group, the Drumaville Consortium, led by Niall Quinn.[1] They completed the takeover in July for £10,000,000 as Quinn's group took 72.59% of the club's shares.[2] During the 2006–07 season Roy Keane tookover as manager from chairman Niall Quinn, who served as manager for the first six games of the season.[3] Keane made a successful start to his managerial career with a 2–1 win over Derby County on 11 September 2006.[4] On transfer window deadline day Keane signed new players; Dwight Yorke[5], Liam Miller,[6] Ross Wallace, Stanislav Varga,[7], Graham Kavanagh and David Connolly.[8] A 2– win over Leicester City on 1 January 2007 sparked an 18 game unbeaten streak for Sunderland, which was eventually ended on 21 April 2007 after a 3–1 defeat at the hands of Colchester United.[9][10]

Sunderland went to the top of the Football League Championship for the first time in the season with a 2–1 win over Southampton, which included an 87th minute winner from Grant Leadbitter.[11] Their promotion was confirmed as third placed team Derby County lost 2–0 to Crystal Palace, as a result Birmingham City were also promoted.[12] On the last day of the season, the Championship title would be decided. Sunderland won their game 5–0 against Luton Town,[13] while Birmingham suffered a defeat against Preston North End thus crowning Sunderland as champions.[14]

Review

Pre-season

Sunderland's pre-season was busy with transfer activity, seeing eight players come in, and five players leave. Kenny Cunningham retired and Tommy Miller, William Mocquet, Kevin Smith were released.[15] While Robbie Weir, Jamie Chandler and David Dowson were all promoted to the first team from the club's youth system.[15] Their first signing of the season was of Greg Halford from Charlton Athletic,[16] and their first transfer out of the club when Stephen Elliott moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers.[17] On 13 July 2007, Sunderland signed the former Newcastle United player Michael Chopra from Cardiff City for £5,000,000 and Manchester United midfielder Kieran Richardson on 16 July.[18][19]

Fellow north east team Darlington was Sunderland's first pre-season friendly, Sunderland won the game 2–0 with goals from Ross Wallace and Anthony Stokes at The Darlington Arena.[20] This was followed up by a shock defeat to Scunthorpe United on 21 July where they were beaten 1–0.[21] Sunderland went on a tour of Ireland, where they would play Bohemians, Cork City and Galway United. They beat Bohemians 1–0 on 28 July thanks to a Stern John goal,[22] but were held to a 1–1 draw at Cork City as Liam Miller scored the Sunderland goal.[23] Their final game of the tour against Galway United ended as a 4–0 win for Sunderland, with goals from Michael Chopra, Kieran Richardson, David Connolly and Stern John.[24] Juventus travelled to the Stadium of Light to commerorate its ten year anniversary. The game ended 1–1 as Daryl Murphy scored, but the Italian side scored with two minutes remaining to draw the game.[25]

Sunderland signed Dickson Etuhu from Norwich City for £1,500,000 on 17 July,[26] and Paul McShane from West Bromwich Albion on 26 July for £2,500,000.[27] With the start of the Premier League season looming, Sunderland broke their transfer record to buy Scottish international goalkeeper Craig Gordon from Heart of Midlothian for £9,000,000.[28] The club's last signing before the start of the season was Roy O'Donovan from Cork City for an undisclosed fee.[29]

August

Sunderland's season started against Tottenham Hotspur on 11 August 2007. Sunderland won the game through a last minute goal from Michael Chopra in front of an attendance of 43,967.[30] Their second game of the season was an away fixture to Birmingham City, a Paul McShane own goal had put Sunderland behind in the 28th minute, but Michael Chopra scored his second goal of the season to equalise. Birmingham took the lead again through Gary O'Connor but Sunderland scored another last minute goal, this time from Stern John to save a point.[31] On 24 August ex Manchester United and Newcastle United striker Andy Cole joined the club on a free transfer from Portsmouth.[32] Sunderland travelled to the JJB Stadium unbeaten on 18 August but lost 3–0 to Wigan Athletic.[33] On 25 September Liverpool beat Sunderland 2–0 by to give them their second consecutive defeat.[34] On the same day, Tobias Hysén returned to his native Sweden with IFK Göteborg after he and his wife were suffering from home sickness.[35] Luton Town produced a league cup shock as they beat Sunderland 3–0 at Kenilworth Road.[36] Sunderland signed three more players before the transfer deadline; Ian Harte from Levante on a free transfer,[37] Danny Higginbotham from Stoke City for £3,000,000,[38] and Kenwyne Jones from Southampton for £6,000,000 with Stern John going in the opposite direction.[39]

September

Sunderland opened the month with a 1–0 defeat away to Manchester United on 1 September, Louis Saha scored the winner 18 minutes from full time. Roy Keane said "I'm delighted with the overall performance. It would have been nice to test their goalkeeper a bit more but overall I'm delighted with the players' efforts." about the team's display.[40] Jack Pelter signed for Sunderland on 8 September from New Zealand team Canterbury United on a free trasfer in an original one month deal.[41] Two weeks after the defeat to Manchester United, Sunderland beat Reading 2–1 on 15 September. Kenwyne Jones and Ross Wallace scored the Sunderland goals in a game which was overshadowed by the tribute paid to 1973 FA Cup Final scorer Ian Porterfield who died on 11 September 2007.[42] Sunderland met Middlesbrough on 22 September in their first north east derby of the season. Grant Leadbitter scored in the 2nd minute to put Sunderland infornt, but two ex-Sunderland players; Julio Arca and Stewart Downing put Middlesbrough into the lead. Liam Miller scored an 89th minute volley to save a point for Sunderland.[43] Grant Leadbitter scored his second goal in as many games on 29 September as Blackburn Rovers beat Sunderland 2–1.[44]

October

October started with an away fixture against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on 7 October. Sunderland went 2–0 down within the first 14 minutes. However, Sunderland leveled the score at 2–2 with goals from Ross Wallace on the 25th minute and Kenwyne Jones on the 48 minute. Arsenal won the game 3–3 after a late Robin van Persie goal.[45] Sunderland suffered back-to-back defeats when they lost 3–1 away to West Ham United on 21 October. Kenwyne Jones got the goal for Sunderland.[46] Fulham came to the Stadium of Light on 27 October, Fulham took the lead in the 32nd minute with a 30 yard free kick from Simon Davies. Sunderland snatched a point when Kenywyne Jones scored an 86th minute equaliser. The wearsiders had gone down to ten men in the 67th minute when Greg Halford was sent off.[47]

November

Sunderland lost 1–0 away to Manchester City on 5 November after a goal from Stephen Ireland. Manager, Roy Keane, expressed his frustration in a post match interview saying "We didn't deserve anything. I don't feel we did enough to get anything out of the game. I don't think their keeper had too many saves to make, did he?".[48] 10 November was the first Tyne-Wear derby of the season. Danny Higginbotham put Sunderland into the lead shortly after half time, but James Milner drew Newcastle level on the 68th minute after his cross beat goalkeeper Craig Gordon into the far post. Sunderland had a chance to win the game when ex-Newcastle forward Michael Chopra headed against the bar minutes from full-time.[49] Sunderland ended the month on a low as they were beaten 7–1 away to Everton on 24 November. Dwight Yorke scored Sunderland's only goal just before half time. Roy Keane said "It's hard to take, but we lose as a team and I picked the team and sorted the tactics so I have no problem taking responsibility for what happened."[50]

December

On 1 December Sunderland beat Derby County 1–0. The defeat against Everton led to Craig Gordon being dropped from the side. He was replaced by Darren Ward who made a save to push Kenny Millers strike onto the post. With the game looking to be heading towards a draw, Anthony Stokes scrambled to ball in to win the game.[51] On 8 December Sunderland travelled to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea. Sunderland went behind in the 23rd minute through an Andriy Shevchenko goal. Chelsea won the game 2–0 after Liam Miller was sent off whilst giving a penalty away, which Frank Lampard scored.[52] Sunderland played Aston Villa on 15 December, Danny Higginbotham put Sunderland ahead with a 10th minute header. Villa midfielder Shaun Maloney equalised when he scored a from a 71st minute free kick. Sunderland could've won the game late on, but Danny Collins' header was ruled out by referee Steve Bennett for a foul. Roy Keane displayed his annoyment at Bennett saying "It sums up (the referee's) day. He was giving everything against us and to say we're disappointed would be an unbelievable understatement. You could sense he was waiting to blow his whistle. It would be nice to see him later."[53]

Reading reversed their defeat to Sunderland previously in the season by winning 2–1 on 22 December. Reading had lead 1–0 after a 69th minute goal from Ívar Ingimarsson. Michael Chopra leveled the match by scoring a 82nd minute penalty. A goal by Stephen Hunt in the 90th minute sparked controversy as it appeared not to have crossed the line.[54] Sunderland met Manchester United on Boxing Day at the Stadium of Light, they were beaten 4–0 in a game were Sunderland striker Martyn Waghorn made the step up from the club's Youth system to the first team.[55] Martyn Waghorn promoted to first team from Youth system. Sunderland ended 2007 with a 3–1 home win to Bolton Wanderers on 29 December, Kieran Richardson, Kenwyne Jones and Daryl Murphy were the scorers.[56]

January

Sunderland began the new year with a 1–0 loss away to Blackburn Rovers on 1 January. Dean Whitehead had the chance to put Sunderland but missed his penalty kick. Minutes later Blackburn won a penalty of their own, Benni McCarthy converted the penalty before Dwight Yorke was sent of late on.[57] Jonny Evans returned to Sunderland on loan for the second time for remainder of season from Manchester United.[58] Sunderland met Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup third round as they lost 3–0 on 5 January.[59] On 12 January Kieran Richardson scored a double to beat Portsmouth 2–0 at the stadium of light.[60] Sunderland made their first premanent signing of the January transfer window when Frenchman Jean-Yves Mvoto signed from Paris Saint-Germain FC on 15 January for an undisclosed fee. Mvoto said "This is a big opportunity for me, I'm pleased to be at Sunderland."[61]

On 19 January Sunderland played against Tottenham Hotspur, an early Aaron Lennon goal saw Spurs take the lead, and Robbie Keanes 100th goal for the club in the 90th minute won the game for Tottenham at White Hart Lane.[62] Phil Bardsley signed for the club on 22 January from Manchester United for £2,000,000,[63] the next day Rade Prica also signed for the club, from AaB Aalborg for £2,000,000.[64] New signing Rade Prica scored a goal on his debut for Sunderland to wrap up a 2–0 wib at home to Birmingham City on 29 January. Daryl Murphy scored the first goal in the 15th minute.[65] Andy Reid signed for the club on the last day of the January trasfer window deadline from Charlton Athletic for £4,000,000.[66]

February

Sunderland made a losing start to the month as they lost 3–0 away to Liverpool on 2 February. They had been turned down two penalty appeals and Roy Keane said "We felt they were penalties. But I didn't feel we were going to get those decisions today."[67] Following a recent heart attack in a League Cup game between Leicester City and Nottingham Forest, Clive Clarke had his Sunderland contract terminated on 5 February due to the event whilst on loan at Leicester.[68] Sunderland bounced back from the defeat to Liverpool with a 2–0 win against Wigan Athletic on 9 February. Dickson Etuhu put them in the lead before Daryl Murphy scored a 25 yard strike in off the bar.[69] Sunderland however lost their next game 1-0 to Portsmouth on 23 February at Fratton Park.[70]

March

On 1 March Sunderland drew 0–0 away to Derby County. Michael Chopra could've put the team in the lead only for it to be ruled out for offside. Sunderland's manager said "He [Chopra] was clearly onside and we are always told that the advantage goes with the attacking player."[71] An Andrew Johnson goal on the verge of half time helped Everton to a 1–0 win at the Stadium of Light on 8 March.[72] Sunderland lost consecutive games when Chelsea beat them 1–0 on 15 March due to a Didier Drogba goal. Andy Reid came close to putting Sunderland infront as his free kick was plucked from the top corner by Carlo Cudicini.[73] Sunderland's first away win of the season came on 22 March when they won 1–0 at Villa Park against Aston Villa. An 83rd minute Michael Chopra scored the winning goal for Sunderland.[74] A 2–1 win at home to West Ham United on 29 February helped Sunderland to their first consecutive wins of the season. Kenwyne Jones' first goal since late December leveled the score at 1–1 and a 95th minute Andy Reid goal won the game.[75]

April

A 3–1 away win to Fulham on 5 April helped Sunderland to nine points in three games as goals came from Danny Collins, Michael Chopra and Kenwyne Jones.[76] Sunderland lost 2–1 at home to Manchester City on 12 April. Manchester City were awarded a dubvious penalty given by Mike Riley and Elano converted it in the 79 minute. Dean Whitehead equalised with a near post volley after Andy Reid crossed the ball. Manchester City though still had time to win the game and Darius Vassell scored an 89th minute scuffed shot to beat Craig Gordon.[77] On the return fixture of the Tyne and Wear derby on 19 April Sunderland were defeated 2–0 away to Newcastle United.[78] The next game was another derby for Sunderland, this time the Tees-Wear derby on 26 April. Sunderland won the game 3–2 at home to Middlesbrough, with goals from Danny Higginbotham, Michael Chopra and an Emanuel Pogatetz own goal, thus securing their safety and staying in the Premier League.[79]

May

After securing their own security, Sunderland travelled to Bolton Wanderers on 3 May, who were not yet safe from relagation. Sunderland lost the game 2–0 at the [Reebok Stadium]].[80] On 11 May, the last game of the Premier League season, Sunderland played Arsenal at the Stadium of Light. Arsenal won the game 1–0 through a Theo Walcott goal. Sunderland also recorded their highest home attendance of the season, when the match was watched by 47,802 people.[81] Sunderland finished the season with 39 points in 15th place,[82] with Kenwyne Jones as top goal scorer with 7 goals.[83]

Match results

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Pre-season

Game Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers Notes
1 18 July 2007 Darlington Away 2–0 4,500 Wallace, Stokes [20]
2 21 July 2007 Scunthorpe United Away 0–1 5,388 [21]
3 28 July 2007 Bohemian Away 1–0 5,033 John [22]
4 30 July 2007 Cork City Away 1–1 9,000 Miller [23]
5 1 August 2007 Galway United Away 4–0 5,000 Chopra, Richardson, Connolly, John [24]
6 4 August 2007 Juventus Home 1–1 25,852 Murphy [25]

Premier League

Main article: Premier League 2007-08
Game Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers Notes
1 11 August 2007 Tottenham Hotspur Home 1–0 43,967 Chopra [30]
2 15 August 2007 Birmingham City Away 2–2 24,898 Chopra, John [31]
3 18 August 2007 Wigan Athletic Away 0–3 18,639 [33]
4 25 August 2007 Liverpool Home 0–2 45,645 [34]
5 1 September 2007 Manchester United Away 0–1 75,648 [40]
6 15 September 2007 Reading Home 2–1 39,272 Jones, Wallace [42]
7 22 September 2007 Middlesbrough Away 2–2 30,675 Leadbitter, Miller [43]
8 29 September 2007 Blackburn Rovers Home 1–2 41,252 Leadbitter [44]
9 7 October 2007 Arsenal Away 2–3 60,098 Jones, Wallace [45]
10 21 October 2007 West Ham United Away 1–3 34,913 Jones [46]
11 27 October 2007 Fulham Home 1–1 39,392 Jones [47]
12 5 November 2007 Manchester City Away 0–1 40,038 [48]
13 10 November 2007 Newcastle United Home 1–1 47,701 Higginbotham [49]
14 24 November 2007 Everton Away 1–7 38,594 Yorke [50]
15 1 December 2007 Derby County Home 1–0 42,380 Stokes [51]
16 8 December 2007 Chelsea Away 0–2 41,707 [52]
17 15 December 2007 Aston Villa Home 1–1 43,248 Higginbotham [53]
18 22 December 2007 Reading Away 1–2 24,082 Chopra (pen) [54]
19 26 December 2007 Manchester United Home 0–4 47,360 [55]
20 29 December 2007 Bolton Wanderers Home 3–1 42,058 Richardson, Jones, Murphy [56]
21 1 January 2008 Blackburn Rovers Away 0–1 23,212 [57]
22 12 January 2008 Portsmouth Home 2–0 37,369 Richardson (2) [60]
23 19 January 2008 Tottenham Hotspur Away 0–2 36,070 [62]
24 29 January 2008 Birmingham City Home 2–0 37,674 Murphy, Prica [65]
25 2 February 2008 Liverpool Away 0–3 43,244 [67]
26 9 February 2008 Wigan Athletic Home 2–0 43,600 Etuhu, Murphy [69]
27 23 February 2008 Portsmouth Away 0–1 20,139 [70]
28 1 March 2008 Derby County Away 0–0 33,058 [71]
29 8 March 2008 Everton Home 0–1 42,595 [72]
30 15 March 2008 Chelsea Home 0–1 44,679 [73]
31 22 March 2008 Aston Villa Away 1–0 42,640 Chopra [74]
32 29 March 2008 West Ham United Home 2–1 45,690 Jones, Reid [75]
33 5 April 2008 Fulham Away 3–1 25,053 Collins, Chopra, Jones [76]
34 12 April 2008 Manchester City Home 1–2 46,797 Whitehead [77]
35 19 April 2008 Newcastle United Away 0–2 52,305 [78]
36 26 April 2008 Middlesbrough Home 3–2 45,059 Higginbotham, Chopra, Pogatetz (O.G.) [79]
37 3 May 2008 Bolton Wanderers Away 0–2 25,053 [80]
38 11 May 2008 Arsenal Home 0–1 47,802 [81]

FA Cup

Main article: FA Cup 2007-08
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers Notes
3 5 January 2008 Wigan Athletic Home 0–3 20,821 [59]

League Cup

Main article: Football League Cup 2007-08
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers Notes
2 27 August 2007 Luton Town Away 0–3 4,401 [36]

League table

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Player details

Sources[84][85]
No. Pos. Name League FA Cup Carling Cup Total Discipline
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK Scotland Craig Gordon 34 0 1 0 0 0 35 0 1 0
2 DF England Greg Halford 8 0 0 0 1 0 9 0 1 2
3 DF Republic of Ireland Ian Harte 3 (5) 0 0 0 0 0 3 (5) 0 0 0
4 MF Nigeria Dickson Etuhu 18 (2) 1 0 0 1 0 20 (2) 1 5 0
5 DF Jamaica Nyron Nosworthy 29 0 1 0 1 0 31 0 3 0
6 DF Republic of Ireland Paul McShane 20 (1) 0 1 0 0 0 21 (1) 0 4 1
7 MF Trinidad and Tobago Carlos Edwards 11 (2) 0 0 0 0 0 11 (2) 0 0 0
8 MF England Dean Whitehead (c) 27 1 1 0 0 0 28 1 7 0
9 FW Republic of Ireland Anthony Stokes 8 (12) 1 0 0 1 0 9 (12) 1 1 0
10 MF England Kieran Richardson 15 (2) 3 1 0 0 0 16 (2) 3 3 0
11 FW Republic of Ireland Daryl Murphy 20 (8) 3 1 0 1 0 22 (8) 3 2 0
12 MF Republic of Ireland Liam Miller 16 (8) 1 0 0 1 0 17 (8) 1 4 1
13 GK Wales Darren Ward 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 0
14 DF England Danny Higginbotham 21 3 0 0 0 0 21 3 1 0
15 DF Wales Danny Collins 32 (4) 1 1 0 0 0 33 (4) 1 6 0
16 FW England Michael Chopra 21 (12) 6 0 0 1 0 22 (12) 6 7 0
17 FW Trinidad and Tobago Kenwyne Jones 33 7 0 0 0 0 33 7 2 0
18 MF England Grant Leadbitter 17 (14) 2 0 (1) 0 1 0 18 (15) 2 5 0
19 MF Trinidad and Tobago Dwight Yorke 17 (3) 1 0 0 0 (1) 0 17 (4) 1 4 1
20 FW England Andy Cole 3 (4) 0 0 (1) 0 0 0 3 (5) 0 0 0
21 DF Scotland Russell Anderson 0 (1) 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 0 (2) 0 0 0
22 DF Republic of Ireland Clive Clarke 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 FW Republic of Ireland Roy O'Donovan 4 (13) 0 1 0 0 (1) 0 5 (14) 0 2 0
24 GK Northern Ireland Trevor Carson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 DF Northern Ireland Jean-Yves Mvoto 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26 DF England Phil Bardsley 11 0 0 0 0 0 11 0 3 0
27 DF Slovakia Stanislav Varga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
28 MF Republic of Ireland Graham Kavanagh 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
29 DF England Peter Hartley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
30 MF England Jake Richardson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 FW Republic of Ireland David Connolly 1 (2) 0 0 (1) 0 0 (1) 0 1 (3) 0 1 0
32 GK Hungary Márton Fülöp 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
33 MF Scotland Ross Wallace 18 (3) 2 0 0 1 0 19 (2) 2 4 0
34 MF Republic of Ireland Billy Dennehy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
35 DF England Michael Kay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
36 DF Republic of Ireland Gavin Donoghue 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
37 MF Northern Ireland Robbie Weir 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
38 MF England Jamie Chandler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
39 FW England Martyn Waghorn 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
40 FW England David Dowson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
41 DF Republic of Ireland Michael Liddle 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
44 DF Northern Ireland Jonny Evans 15 0 1 0 0 0 16 0 0 0
45 DF Sweden Rade Prica 0 (6) 1 0 0 0 0 0 (6) 1 0 0
- DF New Zealand Jack Pelter 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Transfers

In

Date Pos Name From Fee Notes
17 May 2007 MF Robbie Weir Youth system – [15]
17 May 2007 MF Jamie Chandler Youth system – [15]
17 May 2007 FW David Dowson Youth system – [15]
11 June 2007 DF Greg Halford Charlton Athletic £3,000,000 [16]
27 June 2007 DF Russell Anderson Aberdeen £1,000,000 [86]
13 July 2007 FW Michael Chopra Cardiff City £5,000,000 [18]
16 July 2007 MF Kieran Richardson Manchester United Undisclosed fee [19]
17 July 2007 MF Dickson Etuhu Norwich City £1,500,000 [26]
26 July 2007 DF Paul McShane West Bromwich Albion £2,500,000 [27]
7 August 2007 GK Craig Gordon Heart of Midlothian £9,000,000 [28]
9 August 2007 FW Roy O'Donovan Cork City Undisclosed fee [87]
24 August 2007 FW Andy Cole Portsmouth Free [32]
29 August 2007 DF Ian Harte Levante Free [37]
29 August 2007 DF Danny Higginbotham Stoke City £3,000,000 [38]
29 August 2007 FW Kenwyne Jones Southampton £6,000,000 [39]
8 September 2007 DF Jack Pelter Canterbury United Free [41]
26 December 2007 FW Martyn Waghorn Youth system – [88]
15 January 2008 DF Jean-Yves Mvoto Paris Saint-Germain Undisclosed fee [61]
22 January 2008 DF Phil Bardsley Manchester United £2,000,000 [63]
23 January 2008 FW Rade Prica AaB Aalborg £2,000,000 [64]
31 January 2008 MF Andy Reid Charlton Athletic £4,000,000 [66]

Out

Date Pos Name To Fee Notes
18 May 2007 DF Kenny Cunningham – Retired [15]
18 May 2007 MF Tommy Miller Ipswich Town Released [15]
18 May 2007 MF William Mocquet Pau Released [15]
18 May 2007 FW Kevin Smith Aldershot Town Released [15]
19 July 2007 FW Stephen Elliott Wolverhampton Wanderers Undisclosed fee [17]
25 August 2007 MF Tobias Hysén Göteborg Undisclosed fee [35]
29 August 2007 FW Stern John Southampton Swap deal [39]
5 February 2008 DF Clive Clarke – Contract terminated [68]

Loans in

Date Pos Name From Fee Notes
4 January 2008 MF Jonny Evans Manchester United End of season [58]

Loans out

Date Pos Name To Fee Notes
7 July 2007 MF Arnau Riera Falkirk End of season [89]
3 August 2007 DF Stephen Wright Stoke City 3 January 2008 [90][91]
15 August 2007 GK Márton Fülöp Leicester City 2 January 2008 [92][93]
15 August 2007 DF Clive Clarke Leicester City Mid-November 2007 [92]
21 September 2007 MF Graham Kavanagh Sheffield Wednesday 31 October 2007 [94][95]
22 November 2007 MF Billy Dennehy Accrington Stanley 1 January 2008 [96]
4 January 2008 DF Stanislav Varga Burnley End of season [97][98]
29 January 2008 FW Andy Cole Burnley End of season [98]
31 January 2008 DF Greg Halford Charlton Athletic End of season [99]
31 January 2008 MF Graham Kavanagh Sheffield Wednesday End of season [100]
19 February 2008 DF Russell Anderson Plymouth Argyle End of season [101][102]
21 February 2008 FW David Dowson Chesterfield 21 March 2008 [103]
21 February 2008 DF Peter Hartley Chesterfield 21 March 2008 [103]
22 February 2008 GK Márton Fülöp Stoke City 26 February 2008 [104][105]

See also

References

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