Why are we so well supported

bernardbresslaw said:
Yep, the amount of southern accents at Wycombe away a couple of seasons ago brought that home to me.
We've got thousands and thousands of "sleepers" - we just need a team to be proud of.


I don't agree, this mags "religion" is just made up media bollocks that they now strive to live up to. A bit like taking their tops off in the middle of winter.
It wasn't there when I grew up in the 70's & 80's.
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Nah, look how many pile into the shit tip. They'll go regardless. Berks
 


Think it’s because you tend to represent the whole area. Most of County Durham. Most clubs from cities the size of Sunderland represent their town and that’s it, as too much competition in the area
 
To be fair it’s a regional thing.
both clubs in the region are supported in numbers very well.
it’s probably loads of things rolled together to make it up.
lack of success is one for me who’s gone since 1990. I think that brings us together to want more and to hope for better times.
It’s a working class thing aswell, our team is a chance to let go of the week and meet up with people for a day or few hours out or away from normal life.
milder generations have bred it into us and it’s hard to move away from.
memories aswell from people past and present. Good times with good people generally are more important in the grand scheme of life than a football result.
Fir me I’ve went to safc with my grandad dad uncles cousins and best friends. I know go with my 2 boys and wouldn’t have it any other way.
 
We probably have a bigger percentage of the population that just love football up here for our sins and that’s reflected in attendances. Right up to the eighties I knew lads from places like Jarrow and Hebburn that would go to Sunderland and Newcastle games because their mates followed the other club.
 
I dont actually know why I started supporting us I think it must have been the irish connection. Fairly sure it was the season McCarthy took over in ther premier league and we were awful aswell . I guess I'm just a gluten for punishment . Haway the lads
cauldbairn said:
-- because when our support base was being established we were actually winning trophies and usually always in contention for the league

-- large demand for weekend leisure/social events for the working classes and no real rival in terms of team sports in the region (amateur rugby used to be more popular here but lost out when football professionalised)
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I doubt 1936 has much bearing on support these days . Or 1973 for that matter as not many still alive or even born from any of our last glory days .
 
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Irishblackcat said:
I dont actually know why I started supporting us I think it must have been the irish connection. Fairly sure it was the season McCarthy took over in ther premier league and we were awful aswell . I guess I'm just a gluten for punishment . Haway the lads

I doubt 1936 has much bearing on support these days . Or 1973 for that matter as not many still alive or even born from any of our last glory days .
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Loads of 73 lads around man ffs
 
chriswallace85 said:
Did I read somewhere that there used to be a Saturday shift in the shipyards? Just thinking about sometimes smaller crowds.

I think what people need to appreciate about Sunderland and it's surrounding areas, is that it's never been the most affluent of places. It's a (post)industrial area, and without trying to be cliche a hardworking area, but there's been a lot of hard times to go with that. Whilst we were once one of the most successful clubs in the land, two World Wars, strikes, dwindling contracts, closures of the shipyards and the pits etc takes a toll. People can't always get to the match, and we all know about our fortunes on the field since that first relegation in the '50s. Then you have to factor in actual problems at the game itself like crowd violence, hooliganism, and the at best uncomfortable and at worst unsafe stadia.

By the mid '90s, Nissan helped to stabilise employment in the area, tertiary industry was on the rise, the minimum wage had come in and football was becoming safer and more glamorous. Unfortunately, as much as I loved the place we had a dilapidated old ground and a struggling 2nd Division side. Enter Peter Reid and the move to the Stadium of Light and of course people came flooding back in their droves. Well done Bob Murray for realise the place was ripe for a 40,000+ seater stadium.

And yet, as ever, the fortunes of the side, and the fortunes of the surrounding area will always affect the crowds. About ten year ago, with one of the best sides we've had in generations, crowds suffered, and Niall Quinn's left scratching his head. What he failed to appreciate is how much the economic downturn will affect the gate. It's not always the football, as paradoxically crowds recovered as the team got worse.

Historically, we've had some massive crowds - especially for the Cup. Sunderland supporters loved the FA Cup. I use loved deliberately.

When Bob Stokoe was appointed, crowds had dwindled massively. We were a Division 2 side going nowhere. His remit was to get the crowds back. The Cup run obviously did that. The people have always come out for the big games.


Sunderland is a massive club. Huge. Never let anyone tell you different 'cos they're wrong, and probably support somebody a lot smaller. We have fans all ower, for all kinds of weird and wonderful reasons. There's some of them on here. We have a tremendous catchment area. We're historically entwined with the County and it's people. The fortunes of the club will always resonate with the populace. I know plenty of people who don't or can't get to the games, but it's not for lack of caring. It's just people have lives. My Dad had to stop going once upon a time - I was to blame for that. Doesn't stop ya loving the club though. And a lot of people love this club.

That my waffle for the day. x
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Excellent waffle.

SAFC is a major part of the culture and heritage of the region, which isn’t exactly known for much else. It’s part of the family - like your granny.
 
S H R E K said:
I'm pretty sure with good away attendances eg mk Don's on a tue night are due to a lot of people leaving the area over time for work and settling in other areas.

Constantly had stewards saying they weren't expecting this many through in midweek games being able to pay on the gate etc.
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Spot on. SAFC have shamed us all at times by not taking up the max allocation for SE games. If tkts were available I could rustle up a possee of 12 exiled down here or so who’ve not been to double figures worth of games between them since all ticket became a thing. Mind I’m not saying the match would be the primary reason for the day out like.
 
It's because we draw our support from not just Sunderland but have huge numbers from Durham, South Tyneside and Northumberland.
 
Big Jeff said:
A lot of us have supported the lads for more years than is logical.

We get big crowds and we are passionate about our team.

It has not always been this way mind as we had games at Roker with 8000 there.

(Swindon - 5-2)

But why is it there is such passion for our team when we are not exactly Real Madrid?
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1 club city and not much else to do in Sunderland
 
Fletch said:
Both us and mags have tremendous support and huge potential , prior keegan era there was nowt to split the two clubs.
we still don’t know the true potential at safc .
Sunderland also represents County Durham IMO
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Of course it does. Anyone supporting the mags from Co. Durham deserves to be ridiculed and more.
 

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