Wait until the end.. and beat the rush

THE FAN: KEVIN MAGUIRE

STAYING until the end of the match is the easiest way to beat the rush from the Stadium of Light.

I stroll out on the final whistle instead of jostling 15 or 20 minutes earlier with the throng fleeing another heartbreaking winless weekend.

A whole year without a home victory since beating Watford 1-0 in December 2016 is driving away even diehards, fans who have put up with hell.

We go to be entertained, excited and enthused, yet time after time depart disappointed, dispirited and dejected.

When I try to remember past victories on Wearside I sound like my mam nostalgically recalling the air-raid sirens and blackouts of her wartime youth.

If this depressing streak continues much longer TV will send Dan Snow or Tony Robinson to the SoL instead of football commentators.

Agonisingly, in the 12 long months since Watford last winter we’ve gone through spring, summer, autumn without success at home – and now we are back into winter again. Christmas, Hogmanay, Easter, May Day, Yom Kippur, Eid, Diwali and the rest came and went without three points.

Britain held a General Election, Donald Trump occupied the White House and a third successive young woman was crowned Queen of the Jungle.

What’s probably most astonishing is our crowds still average 27,675 this season.

Hand out medals for loyalty and long-suffering Macks deserve a clean sweep of gold, silver and bronze. Every time I go, a little bit of me thinks this must be it before sauntering out depressed, as I did after the 3-1 defeat by Reading a fortnight ago.

I’m old enough to have enjoyed 19 home wins and two draws (curiously against the two Bristols, City and Rovers) in the old Division 2 during the 1975-6 season.

Thirty years later, we won just once in the Stadium of Light, beating Fulham when crashing out of the Premier League in 2005-6 with a measly 15 points.

Fulham are back today. It’s the hope I can’t stand.