Why I am a Sunderland AFC absentee supporter

When Bob Murray announced the name of the new stadium I was gobsmacked.

How could he give those up the road the opportunity for derision? Mind you, 2017 and 2018 would give them justification.

For many years at Roker Park the team ran onto the pitch to the rousing tune of the Z-Cars theme, which always got the crowd warmed up, but in his wisdom Murray foisted a dreadful dirge onto us. This, combined with my aversion to sitting in a stadium to watch the game has made me an absentee supporter, and I look forward to the time when the decision for all-seater stadia is rescinded.

J Jones