Roker Park Move, history/nostalgia



I worked at Roker Park from 1970 to 1977. The directors at the time had come up with the re-development of the ground as early as 1974. The idea was as previously described of turning the ground 90 degrees. They would also buy the houses at the end of the streets that ran opposite the Clock Stand. There was plenty of ground opposite the existing Main Stand to extend it on the waste ground that was beyond the garages etc. It looked quite good iirc.

Cheers, I didn't know that. I recently learned of plans for a new ground in 1970 which I was unaware of previously - there'an article on that here if you're interested...

The Owen Luder Sunderland AFC Stadium – Ryehill Football

Seem to remember a red card protest. Activists handing them out before a match iirc, still got mine somewhere.

Someone else mentioned this. I don't think it was related to the ground move. Was it a red card protest against Murray and lack of investment? Was there a stand-in protest wehre people stayed in the Fulwell End after one game? 'be interested if anyone can remember it?
 
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Cheers, I didn't know that. I recently learned of plans for a new ground in 1970 which I was unaware of previously - there'an article on that here if you're interested...

The Owen Luder Sunderland AFC Stadium – Ryehill Football



Someone else mentioned this. I don't think it was related to the ground move. Was it a red card protest against Murray and lack of investment? Was there a stand-in protest wehre people stayed in the Fulwell End after one game? 'be interested if anyone can remember it?

I have seen that before but it was a few months before I joined.
 
Cowboys snack

Food of the gods
Fantastic Hank thats a thing I miss about Roker Park. Cowboy Snck from the chippy opposite the Derby though the chips were hardly cooked cos there was always a que. £1.10 when I was a kid: :)

Is it still there? Might go for old times sake next season.

We had to move from Roker Park its time was up. The SOL is magnificent...we just need a team to match it.
 
Most fans did not want to move but realised Roker Park needed to be totally rebuilt. What is not mentioned enough is that the SOL site which was perfect to save the club was Murray's second choice and at first we were going to move to Washington before that fell through.

Third choice.
1: Nissan/ Washington.
2: Doxford Park.
3: Wearmouth Pit.
The amount we got for selling Roker was so little it should’ve been kept for youth/ressie games, charity matches and local finals etc etc. Could’ve built flats on the Roker and Fulwell Ends ala Orient and Rayo Vallacana. A big opportunity missed there by both safc and the council........there’s a shocker?

He was also offered a free run at the Dalton Park site for the aol.Turned it down as he wanted us to keep a presence north of Sunderland as the mags were invading our territory back then by training in Durham.
 
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What happened with the phone hacking scandals in regards to the move?

Not heard about this? Do you know when it was? The club 'referendum' on a move was in 1992 I believe, which makrs the time whenit was being seriously discussed. Planning permission for the SOL was granted 13-Nov-95, with construction starting in May 1996 and the Ajax game to open it on 30-July-97.
 
I'm doing some research about nostalgia and fan activism and looking at the move from Roker Park in particular.

What do people remember about the move at the time? Was there much in the way of protest about the move?

What do people make of the recent developments at the SOL - naming the Roker End, the lattice work, the flags, discussions about safe standing? How important is history and tradition of the club, or is it all about the here-and-now?

Grateful for any thoughts on this.

[I nicked the first image from someone on here so thanks however it was!]

View media item 4798View media item 4800View media item 4799
I think we spoke about this a few weeks ago? If it’s not your good self there is a lad doing exactly the same thing at the minute for a university thesis

The illustration in that article I have no fcuking clue what it’s supposed to be. Looks like a Viking boat
I researched it and posted it. I wasn’t around at the time so can’t remenber if the papers made much of it
 
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Most fans did not want to move but realised Roker Park needed to be totally rebuilt. What is not mentioned enough is that the SOL site which was perfect to save the club was Murray's second choice and at first we were going to move to Washington before that fell through.

Even now, Murray argues that Washington would have been the better move.
 
What happened with the phone hacking scandals in regards to the move?
I think there may be two conflated issues here

I’m not going to mention any names but an safc fan who I know from the economist got wind of a story of someone that it was alleged basically threatened to withhold money from a certain source for the funding of the stadium

That person was very high profile and was shall we say linked to a certain football club that we all know and can’t stand

It’s a long time ago now and that’s about all I’ll say as I can’t remember the full facts and if I said any more it would be touch and go as to libel

The football club were well aware of the story

Seem to remember a red card protest. Activists handing them out before a match iirc, still got mine somewhere.
Tommy Lynn was involved in that protest
 
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I personally loved Roker Park and was not in favour of moving to a new ground, but we had little choice, as RP had a limited capacity and was in a state of disrepair.
However, in hindsight, relocating to a new build higher capacity stadium, was the correct thing to do, and the SOL, together witb the facilities at our state of the art AOL are the envy of many clubs.
Roker Park will always be our spiritual home, and the Roker Roar is legendary (Danny Blanchflower spoke of himself and his Spurs team being terrified by the wall of noise from 60,000 + Sunderland fans packed into Roker, for a cup tie)
All good things must eventually come to an end thougb, and sad as it was to leave Roker Park, those of us who were fortunate enough to go to games at RP, have some great memories from our time spent watching the Lads playing at the old ground.
 
I personally loved Roker Park and was not in favour of moving to a new ground, but we had little choice, as RP had a limited capacity and was in a state of disrepair.
However, in hindsight, relocating to a new build higher capacity stadium, was the correct thing to do, and the SOL, together witb the facilities at our state of the art AOL are the envy of many clubs.
Roker Park will always be our spiritual home, and the Roker Roar is legendary (Danny Blanchflower spoke of himself and his Spurs team being terrified by the wall of noise from 60,000 + Sunderland fans packed into Roker, for a cup tie)
All good things must eventually come to an end thougb, and sad as it was to leave Roker Park, those of us who were fortunate enough to go to games at RP, have some great memories from our time spent watching the Lads playing at the old ground.
A very good post and a lump came to my throat as I read it
 
A very good post and a lump came to my throat as I read it
Cheers mate.
It's not just the ground I miss MBH, it's the pubs I used to drink in pre and post match.
The Fort, Wheatsheaf, Terminus, Red Lion, Howard Arms, The Navy Club and the New Derby, to name just a few.
Also miss Billy Button's footy quiz, upstairs in the Red Lion, and Sammy's dodgy footy card in the same pub
Sammy promised me if I had a go on his card that I'd win . . . And I did win. ;)
Many many happy memories of Roker Park, even when the football was shit at times.
It was an absolute privilege to be able to watch our team playing at the famous old ground.
 
Cheers, I didn't know that. I recently learned of plans for a new ground in 1970 which I was unaware of previously - there'an article on that here if you're interested...

The Owen Luder Sunderland AFC Stadium – Ryehill Football



Someone else mentioned this. I don't think it was related to the ground move. Was it a red card protest against Murray and lack of investment? Was there a stand-in protest wehre people stayed in the Fulwell End after one game? 'be interested if anyone can remember it?

I was Young at the time but remember it was definitely about Murray, as you say sat down in the fulwell after and when Stewards eventually moved everyone out people went round to the main stand to chant Murray out at the windows where the board would be cue some wifey shitting the curtains on us
 

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