CHANGING COLOURS
Chairman reveals order for 31,500 red seats at stadium but also that‘ not many’ players want to stay at SAFC
Sunderland fans say they will be left red faced no more after new club owner Stewart Donald announced he is to replace the pink seats at the Stadium of Light.
The faded red seats at the ground have long been a source of frustration for supporters, with the process of replacing them stalling in recent years.
However, Donald confirmed on Twitter that they will soon be a thing of the past, saying he has ordered 31,500 new red seats for the stadium.
He also urged fans to help with the process and added that he will release further details in the coming days.
Donald, who struck a deal to take over the club from American billionaire Ellis Short last month, wrote on the social media site: “Not the most important job at Sunderland AFC but one ticked off nonetheless.
“An order for 31,500 seats to replace those pink seats is being made so please look out for a press release over the coming days where we hope the fans can come down and help us to replace them.”
The news follows a strong campaign to boost season ticket renewals for the upcoming campaign, with more than 20,000 fans committing for the 2018/19 season, despite the Black Cats suffering a second successive relegation to League One last sa season.
Paul Dobson, deputy editor of A Love Supreme fanzine, said: “It’s excellent news.
“In reality, the colour of the seats doesn’t really matter, but fans of other clubs have taken the Mick for years because it looks bad if they’re faded and no-one’s sitting in them. I think it will really get people on side with the new owners.
“It adds to the feeling that this is a new start.
“Most fans seem to be the most positive they have been in four years despite two successive relegations because of the new regime doing things like this.”
Veteran supporter George Forster, of Sunderland Supporters Association, also gave the news the thumbs up.
“It looks terrible on the television when you see the faded seats, so this will be a good move.
“We used to have red and white scarves at our former supporters shop and I know that red is the worst colour for fading.
“I thought we had bigger priorities than seats, but I’m sure it will be popular with the fans.
“Hopefully now we can have a fresh start and make a go of things again.
“Now I’d just like us to sign some players with a bit of body weight because we’ve been lacking that for a while.”