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Football club chairman Niall Quinn and City Council Leader Coun Paul Watson were joined by pupils from Dame Dorothy Primary School at the Stadium of Light to launch Wearside's bid to host group matches – if England wins the right to stage the 2018 tournament.

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Quinn was quick to emphasise that a win for Sunderland would put the whole North East on the global map.

>> Visit www.sunderland2018bid.com to register your support for Sunderland's World Cup host city bid

Club and council have teamed up to lead the bid, and are working closely with partners across South Tyneside, County Durham, Tyneside, Teesside and Northumberland to make it a truly regional proposal.

"I've experienced first-hand the huge excitement a World Cup generates and it would be absolutely fantastic to see the Stadium of Light and the North East play a big part in such an international sporting phenomenon," said Quinn.

"In the Stadium of Light and the Academy of Light in particular, we have some of the best sporting stadia and training facilities in England, if not the world, and I know that we've got what it takes to be a host city.

"But that's just part of the story – we also have fantastic facilities across County Durham, Northumberland, South Tyneside, Tees Valley and Tyneside and we want to create a bid that brings them altogether to showcase this region to a world-wide audience.

"The warmth and enthusiasm of the people are such assets for us and I ask everyone, young and old, to put their heart and soul into supporting our bid."

The World Cup bid was unanimously backed by all councillors at a full meeting of Sunderland City Council last night.

Sunderland Tory leader Lee Martin backed a motion put forward by his opposite number Coun Watson and said it would encourage tourism and hospitality industries which everyone wanted to see grow.

Labour councillors Mel Speding and Kath Rolph were among those taking a trip down memory lane, remembering what fantastic support football fans in the city had shown at the group games held in Sunderland in 1966.

They promised a similar success and atmosphere if the tournament came to Wearside once more.

Fans can register their support for the bid by visiting www.sunderland2018bid.com