Watch as The Fans Museum transports dementia patients and Sunderland AFC fans back to glory days of the past

Dementia patients at Sunderland Royal Hospital were transported back to the halcyon days of Len Shackleton, Charlie Hurley, Jimmy Montgomery, FA Cup final triumphs and a time when the Black Cats were known as the Bank of England club.

It was all thanks to the Fans Museum Sunderland who took over two hundred items, including old shin pads, balls and boots, medals, rattles and football annuals and books into the Delirium and Dementia outreach ward.

Patients could also handle and see a host of nostalgic shirts - the oldest dating back 130 years - including SAFC legends Jimmy Montgomery, Kevin Phillips and Nial Quinn, as well as the recently deceased King of Football, Pele.

Delighted patients were also able to try on England caps and hold aloft a life size replica of the World Cup.

With the women's World Cup currently taking place, the museum had also brought along England shirts worn by former SAFC players Jill Scott, Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze and Beth Mead.

It’s the tenth year the fans museum has teamed up with the hospital to use the memorabilia to help transport people suffering with dementia back to their youth and use the power of football to evoke happy memories.

Fans Museum founder Michael Ganley said: “We are here to help with cognitive care and to evoke memories for these people and bring smiles to their faces.

“We have rattles here which were used by fans in the 1937 FA Cup final and some of the boots and balls many of these patients would remember from when they were children.

“There is a real tactile element, with people getting to hold and touch the items and this really does evoke memories for people.

“It’s fantastic to see them smile and can also inform families and staff of events which can be used in the future as a stimulus to break down barriers and get people talking.”

In a city which lives and breathes football, Michael believes the sport has a powerful role to play in engaging dementia patients.

He said: “The power of football is the fans. They have the memories and they just need something to evoke it.

“Being able to see Monty’s European Cup winners medal or see a shirt Pele has worn acts as a real stimulus for people in remembering a period from their past.”

While dementia patients may struggle to recall recent events, they often have a much clearer memory when recollecting memories from their youth and childhood - which for many Wearsiders often includes playing or watching football.

Elder Life Specialist Practitioner, Claire Boylan, said: “Part of the therapy the outreach team offers to patients is the use of memorabilia and items from the past and so the Fans Museum bringing in these items very much fits with what we do.

“Many dementia patients can’t remember what has happened in the last few days but have clear memories of the past.

“Using these items to evoke happy memories is really beneficial as it really brings patients out of themselves and gets them talking and can turn a negative experience of being in hospital into something positive.

“It’s great to see the items bring a smile to their faces.”

The event certainly seemed to have the desired effect on the patients.

Bill Richardson, 89, said: “My favourite player was Len Shackleton. He was known as the Clown Prince of Football and I remember one game where he ran the length of the pitch and then sat on the ball.

“I remember using the rattles at Roker Park and seeing all these things beings back good and bad memories of supporting Sunderland.”

Alan Brown said: "I enjoyed seeing all the items and Jimmy Montgomery was my favourite player. I remember as a child going to Roker Park and climbing over the wall to see the second half."

Norman Lowe, 83, added: "This has really brought back memories of when I used to watch the team. George Mulhall was my favourite player."