 They reached the 1985 Football League Cup Final but finished as runners-up to Norwich City after being beaten 1–0.In the 1986–87 season Sunderland were relegated to the Football League Third Division for the first time in their history under the management of Lawrie McMenemy, they however, returned to the second division the following season as champions–their lowest position in the English football league system until 2019.Their first appearance in the Premier League came in the 1996–97 season after being promoted as champions from Division One.