Tributes to Sunderland AFC superfan Eva Lazenby who was still attending the Stadium of Light aged 100

Eva Lazenby at the Stadium of Light with (left to right) great-granddaughter Emily Shutt, and granddaughters Sarah Shutt and Katherine Legge.

Superfan Eva Lazenby, a season ticket holder for at least 50 years, was still attending games at the Stadium of Light as recently as September aged 100.

Her funeral cortege drove past the stadium for her final journey on Friday.

Eva grew up close to Sunderland’s old Roker Park ground and as a small child used to sneak in under the turnstile, starting a lifelong passion that also runs in her family.

Eva with great-grandson Joseph at his first match aged three.

She saw her first game in 1929 aged seven.

Her granddaughter Sarah Shutt, 40, who used to take Eva to the match, said: “She was a huge Sunderland fan. She grew up with it in the family and has been going all her life.

“Back then the players used to live round Roker Park and when we went round the streets she used to point out where people like Len Shackleton lived.

"She was still going with me and my sister earlier this season. We sat in the same place at the Stadium of Light since it opened.”

Eva with former Sunderland players Micky Horswill, Jimmy Montgomery, and Dennis Tueart.

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Another of Eva’s ten grandchildren, Vikki Lazenby-Walker, a funeral director, arranged for the stadium to open the gates of the main entrance as the cortege passed by on the way to Sunderland Crematorium.

“She would have loved that,” added Sarah who said watching Sunderland was Eva’s “happy place”.

She used to go to the match with her late husband Bill who was also a season ticket holder.

As were Eva’s late siblings Rhoda and Freda with the three sisters spending every Sunday chatting on the phone about the club.

Eva, a great-grandmother of 12, who lived in the Strawberry Bank area, witnessed many highs over the years including being at the 1973 FA Cup Final.

Sarah also recalled: “When I went to away games with granddad she used to pack us off with lots of coins for the phone to keep her updated.”

And when Eva spent time in Sunderland Royal Hospital in October and November, the nurses got her a radio to listen to the games.

She died on December 23 just weeks before her 101st birthday. Eva was also mother to Carole, Allen, Eric and the late Patricia.