SOL: choosing the name


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Originally the first thought was obviously "Benfica has the Stadium of Light" and as has been said it was said at the time to Fickling at the opening. Didn't Murray or Fickling suggest at the time that Benficas Stadium was a crumbling wreck and wouldn't be up for much longer? I 100% remember that, which was factually correct until they built another next to it and called it the same a few years later....

Wasn't keen at the time, don't mind it now as it's not as dreary as "The Monkwearmouth Stadium" which many wanted at the time.
 
I love it when people bring that up, Benfica's ground was known as The Stadium of Light by every football fan and his dog and introduced as such when televised games came from there before we we given the name. Try Google / Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estádio_da_Luz_(1954)) etc. Uneducated my arse.

The name was the same as the gold taps / boardroom, pretentious crap from Murray

Aye see my later post in this thread that recognises the earlier, original Estadio da Luz.

However that was an actual nickname by fans borne from the district of Lisbon the ground was in, the official name basically translated as the stadium of Benfica football club or something similar. Both the old and new ground are also given the nickname A Catederal, or the cathedral. This is because of the church in the area that is called our mary of the light or something similar, hence the links between Luz and A Catederal.
 
midnight on Tuesday 29 July 1997 Sunderland AFC announced the name of their magnificent new stadium - the Sunderland Stadium of Light. The press release read:

"The name has evolved over a period of time, and is the result of ideas and inspiration from a wide range of sources, not any single individual. The naming of the stadium is a milestone in the history of Sunderland AFC - an event which only takes place once every hundred years. As such, the name itself is one which evokes both the history of the area and the international future of both the Club and the City of Sunderland.

For many years, miners at Wearmouth Colliery carried with them a Davy Lamp as part of their everyday working lives. Reflecting this tradition, the name allows the image of this light to shine forever. The Sunderland Stadium of Light reflects the desire of the Club and its supporters to be in the limelight, and like a torch signifies and illuminates the way forward.

The name - like the Stadium - will radiate like a beacon to the football world. It stands as a symbol of the regeneration of the City of Sunderland; the country's newest stadium in the town, which was, designated a City in 1992.

The new stadium will stand as a Sporting Cathedral for the City, a new and uplifting symbol to help promote the whole area. The City of Sunderland has a growing international reputation as a place where things are made to happen, and the Sunderland Stadium of Light is testimony to this philosophy of searching for international excellence.
 
Forget the actual stadium name, i think it is f***ing shocking that we don't have stand names.

Fully agree. the Emirates went through a process of "Arsenalisation" after a few years when fans complained it wasn't homely, now it's got all the murals, statues and the clock end. There's very little at the ground other than stokoe's statue that actually screams sunderland, or references our proud history. People like Raich Carter and Shack should have statues or stands named after them. The searchlights were good too. Otherwise theres nothing to seperate our ground from any of the other ikea flatpack grounds that popped up around the same time.
 
Fully agree. the Emirates went through a process of "Arsenalisation" after a few years when fans complained it wasn't homely, now it's got all the murals, statues and the clock end. There's very little at the ground other than stokoe's statue that actually screams sunderland, or references our proud history. People like Raich Carter and Shack should have statues or stands named after them. The searchlights were good too. Otherwise theres nothing to seperate our ground from any of the other ikea flatpack grounds that popped up around the same time.

A few things were added like the Cats, gates, bricks, Davy Lamp and there's the parts of the Roker Main stand too, but we did miss out a touch on some other things I suppose.

Some of that Roy Keane mentioned (also in his latest book). He said the AOL (may have mentioned areas of the SOL too, not sure) was a fantastic facility, but it was more like a private hospital and he set about getting it more personalised when he was here.
 
What about the huge controversy when they decided that the club nickname should be of all things "the black cats"! A shocking break from tradition and massive surprise to everyone.
 
Originally the first thought was obviously "Benfica has the Stadium of Light" and as has been said it was said at the time to Fickling at the opening. Didn't Murray or Fickling suggest at the time that Benficas Stadium was a crumbling wreck and wouldn't be up for much longer? I 100% remember that, which was factually correct until they built another next to it and called it the same a few years later....

Wasn't keen at the time, don't mind it now as it's not as dreary as "The Monkwearmouth Stadium" which many wanted at the time.

Not keen on the "The Monkwearmouth Stadium" - fair enough - what about the "The Wearmouth Stadium" though ? - after the colliery and a wordwide advertisement for where we are and that we are Wearsiders.

Originally the first thought was obviously "Benfica has the Stadium of Light" and as has been said it was said at the time to Fickling at the opening. Didn't Murray or Fickling suggest at the time that Benficas Stadium was a crumbling wreck and wouldn't be up for much longer? I 100% remember that, which was factually correct until they built another next to it and called it the same a few years later....

Wasn't keen at the time, don't mind it now as it's not as dreary as "The Monkwearmouth Stadium" which many wanted at the time.
Typical Murray - arrogant as well as ignorant.
 
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Not keen on the "The Monkwearmouth Stadium" - fair enough - what about the "The Wearmouth Stadium" though ? - after the colliery and a wordwide advertisement for where we are and that we are Wearsiders.

I'd have probably favoured it at the time and I guess you're correct, even adding Colliery to it would tell a bit more too. Just don't think it has as good a ring to it as 'Stadium of Light'.
 
What about the huge controversy when they decided that the club nickname should be of all things "the black cats"! A shocking break from tradition and massive surprise to everyone.
Black cats have been associated with the club for over 100 years and with city for over 200 years.
Hardly a surprise either as it was the result of a vote among the fans.
 
I've always thought it was a shite name, Murray had no imagination at all, typical accountant

Anybody who has followed Sunderland for more than 15 years knows Bob was more than just an accountant. For one, he's a Sunderland fan.

What about the huge controversy when they decided that the club nickname should be of all things "the black cats"! A shocking break from tradition and massive surprise to everyone.

Think you're forgetting it was the fans who voted for our new nickname.
 
I'd have probably favoured it at the time and I guess you're correct, even adding Colliery to it would tell a bit more too. Just don't think it has as good a ring to it as 'Stadium of Light'.
Agree with you that the 'Stadium of Light' is a wonderful name but we stole it. That's what annoys me.

And also it's counter-productive. Go anywhere in Southern/Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and ask who plays there. They won't say Sunderland. They will laugh if you tell them it is Sunderland's stadium. It was the arrogance of Murray & Fickling to think they could upstage a world famous club with a world famous stadium.
 
Go anywhere in Southern/Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and ask who plays there. They won't say Sunderland. They will laugh if you tell them it is Sunderland's stadium. It was the arrogance of Murray & Fickling to think they could upstage a world famous club with a world famous stadium.

They would though. It's been 18 years and anybody who knows football would link "Stadium of Light" with "Sunderland."

Estadio da Luz is in Portugal.
Stadium of Light is in Sunderland.
 
midnight on Tuesday 29 July 1997 Sunderland AFC announced the name of their magnificent new stadium - the Sunderland Stadium of Light. The press release read:

"The name has evolved over a period of time, and is the result of ideas and inspiration from a wide range of sources, not any single individual. The naming of the stadium is a milestone in the history of Sunderland AFC - an event which only takes place once every hundred years. As such, the name itself is one which evokes both the history of the area and the international future of both the Club and the City of Sunderland.

For many years, miners at Wearmouth Colliery carried with them a Davy Lamp as part of their everyday working lives. Reflecting this tradition, the name allows the image of this light to shine forever. The Sunderland Stadium of Light reflects the desire of the Club and its supporters to be in the limelight, and like a torch signifies and illuminates the way forward.

The name - like the Stadium - will radiate like a beacon to the football world. It stands as a symbol of the regeneration of the City of Sunderland; the country's newest stadium in the town, which was, designated a City in 1992.

The new stadium will stand as a Sporting Cathedral for the City, a new and uplifting symbol to help promote the whole area. The City of Sunderland has a growing international reputation as a place where things are made to happen, and the Sunderland Stadium of Light is testimony to this philosophy of searching for international excellence.
Again, never seen this before. Cheers
 
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