What it’s REALLY like to suffer as a Sunderland fan
The Stadium of Light hasn’t seen a home win for a year...
SUNDERLAND must beat Fulham tomorrow if their winless run at the Stadium of Light is not to extend beyond a year. It was on December 17 last season that home fans celebrated as David Moyes’ side beat Watford 1-0 in the Premier League.
One relegation, another experienced manager in Simon Grayson, 364 days and a new English record of 21 matches later and supporters are still waiting for that winning feeling.
And yet, the club are still declaring attendances of around 28,000 a week this season — third-highest average in the Championship.
Here, Sportsmail talks to those followers who have lived through the pain of the past year…
THE FATHER & SON
Stuart Bailey, 36, Family Enclosure season-ticket holder with son Harry, 12.
What’s been the lowest point? Leaving at half-time is something I don’t do and have vowed never to do again... but against Southampton last season we’d had enough and walked out at 0-2. We were having a beer in town and got news of Southampton’s third and fourth. We just glanced at the score and carried on talking about something else, not football.
Apathy takes a long time to be drummed into a football fan and it’s a horrible feeling. So that was the lowest point, not relegation, that was actually a relief.
How much money have you spent since the last home win?
I would say about £1,000 to include tickets (£30 per game) and food and drink (£20 per game). Although after Harry goes home you can probably treble that given the amount of beer it takes to drown our sorrows!
Do you still enjoy going to the match?
If I just took Harry to the game then that would be a bit cruel! So I try to make a day of it, a few games of pool and seeing friends.
But the actual 90 minutes? How can anyone enjoy what has been served up in the last 12 months?
What does your son think?
I really feel for him, he thinks it’s boring. This is his fifth seasonticket and I’d hate to check how many wins he’s seen (it’s 18, an average of less than four per season).
When I was his age I stood in the Fulwell End at Roker Park with my old man but I’d nip over and see my mates and have a good craic. He hasn’t got that, the stadium is soulless right now and not much fun for anyone.
The happy times are just memories.
So why don’t you stop going?
I’ve been following them since I was six and I can’t help it. I won’t say it’s a habit, because that’s not true. It’s a lot more than that — SAFC are like a family member, someone my wife would like me to stop seeing, but you can’t break that bond.
THE NEW GENERATION
Kevin Carlton, 25, member of the Supporters Liaison Group and North Stand season-ticket holder
What do you think about this unwanted record? Embarrassing. It feels like we’re a laughing stock now. The lowest point for me was the 1-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest in September. There were barely 20,000 there and everyone just expected us to lose.
Who do you blame?
Roy Hodgson! If only he had beaten Iceland and not lost the England job then we would never have lost Sam Allardyce. But the owner, Ellis Short, has put his trust in the wrong people with poor appointments at every level.
This has been coming for a long time. You have to look at the players as well. Too many of them have been mentally weak and don’t have the courage.
Any hope for the future?
Chris Coleman is the best thing to happen to us since Big Sam. It might get worse before it gets better, but I believe we’ve got someone who can stabilise the club. I will never stop going and I urge all those who have left to come back. We have a huge part to play, otherwise the negativity just becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
THE LIFELONG REGULAR
Doug Weatherall, 85, former Daily Mail journalist and West Stand season-ticket holder
How does this season compare to years gone by? As someone who first watched Sunderland 76 years ago, and has followed or reported the ups and downs, this season is the hardest to bear. The saddest part is the sight of so many empty seats at the Stadium of Light.
Thousands of season- ticket holders have not bothered to attend. I can understand the major reason — the lack of quality on the pitch makes watching an ordeal.
Experienced men like Moyes and Grayson could not turn it round!
The judgment of Sam Allardyce’s successors has been abysmal.
His signings and defensive organisation saved Sunderland from relegation. Money has been spent since he left, but most of it has been wasted. My fundamental criticism of so many managers is that they don’t appear to know their best XI. Has football altered so much that Bill Shankly would now be chopping and changing?
When asked what his line-up was he’d say, ‘Same as last season’.
What can change to improve the atmosphere?
My wish for Chris Coleman is that he wins a couple of FA Cup ties.
The change in atmosphere would be amazing. I wished the same for Bob Stokoe when he took over in 1973 with the brief of saving the club from relegation to the third division. They won the Cup and, if there had been promotion play- offs, they’d have qualified. With that thought there can be hope, I hope!