SAFC club chaplain on his new book Faith and Football and the city's cathedral of sport the Stadium of Light
“Going to a Sunderland AFC match has many similarities to going to a cathedral”
Sunderland AFC chaplain and city parish priest Father Marc Lyden-Smith has been exploring the intrinsic link between sport and religion in his new book called Faith and Football.
Born in Hebburn, Father Marc has been a passionate SAFC fan since childhood and for the last 14 years has been the Black Cats club chaplain and someone players, coaches and fans can confide in for spiritual support.
Father Marc rose to prominence as a key figure in the Netflix documentary Sunderland Til’ I Die, which chronicled the trials and tribulations of SAFC fans as their faith was truly put to the test as the club suffered back to back relegations to League One.
The book captures the fans unwavering ‘Keep the Faith’ mantra as well as giving a fascinating insight into Father Marc’s experience as both club chaplain and parish priest.
Father Marc was originally asked by his publisher McCrimmon to write a book about saints, but it quickly evolved into a literary analysis of the link between his two great passions; football and faith.
Father Marc said: “It’s a common saying in the North East that football is like a religion and and for many fans, going to a Sunderland match has many similarities to going to church, with the Stadium of Light very much a cathedral of sport.
“There are many parallels between faith and football. It’s about a community coming together with a shared belief of hopes and aspirations, making friendships with strangers, and taking part in songs and chants, in the same way we sing hymns in church.”
The book has chapters on the test of faith experienced by players and coaches as well as an in depth look at the passion of the Sunderland AFC, Newcastle United rivalry.
There is also a chapter on the different saints connected to sport and football.
Father Marc added: “I look at the patron Saint of Sport, Saint Sebastian, and Saint Luigi Scrosoppi and why he became the Patron Saint of Football.
“The former pope Saint John Paull II is also covered in the book. He was a massive football fan and played as a goalkeeper.
“I also look at Saint Rita, who overcame challenges in her life and how this can inspire football fans.”
The last 10 years saw the club spend an unprecedented four years languishing in the third tier of English football testing the faith of even the most ardent SAFC fan.
Father Marc said: “It certainly was period which tested the faith of the fans, but the success we are experiencing now just shows how our faith can be rewarded. Many priests I know are season ticket holders at Sunderland, Newcastle, and some of our non-league clubs.
“The book also includes a foreword from Cardinal Vincent Nichols who is a massive Liverpool fan. There seems to be a link between being a football fan and a member of the clergy. Maybe it’s that shared belief in hope and seeing the good in something.”
The book was officially released this week and is retailing at £7.95. Faith and Football can be purchased from Amazon and a range of book stores.
On Monday (September 7) Father Marc spoke to the Sunderland AFC Senior Supporters Association about the book, during a signing event at the Stadium of Light.
He said: “The book highlights the importance of bringing people together and will hopefully also appeal to people who aren’t necessarily football fans. We’ve already sold over 2,000 books and it has proven to be particularly popular in Glasgow.”