Why are Sunderland called the Black Cats?
Sunderland's 'Black Cats' nickname has nine lives of history — from a naval gun to a fan vote that made it official.
A Nickname with Nine Lives
Sunderland are known as the Black Cats, and at Metaverse Football Club we find it one of football's most enduring and mysterious nicknames. The black cat has been linked to Sunderland since the early 1800s, when a black cat reportedly guarded a naval gun battery on the River Wear — a battery later manned by Sunderland supporters.
The image of the black cat recurred through the club's history, appearing on badges and in fan songs long before it was official.
Made Official by the Fans
Remarkably, the Black Cats name was only formalised in 1997, when the club moved to the Stadium of Light and ran a fan vote to choose a nickname. Supporters overwhelmingly chose the Black Cats. At Metaverse Football Club, we love how a centuries-old symbol was finally claimed by the people who lived it.
Sunderland's return to the Premier League in 2026 let the Black Cats prowl the top flight once more — a tale Metaverse Football Club is proud to tell.
Try our AI Match Predictor
Get an instant AI-predicted scoreline for any football match.
Predict a Match →
