Watch as Sunderland AFC fans queue in hot sun outside ticket office as season card problems continue

The Echo reported last month that some fans had not received cards in time for the Black Cats’ opening day Championship clash with Coventry City.

Alex Neil’s men host Queens Park Rangers at the Stadium of Light on Saturday – but with the season already a fortnight old, some supporters are still waiting for season cards to arrive.

The ticket office is not normally staffed until Friday ahead of weekend games, but it has been open for three hours on Wednesday and Thursday this week, with fans lining up outside in a bid to secure their seats despite sweltering temperatures.

Michael and Maureen Victory travelled from Ashbrooke to collect a card for 13-year-old grandson Henry, after it failed to arrive.

Michael 75, and Maureen, 71, had picked Henry up from his home in Fulwell on the way: "I applied in April or May to renew my season card and move Henry next to my seat,” said Michael.

"There used to be four of us but the two in the middle have given up their seats, so he has only moved two seats along.

“I got my season card through the post several weeks ago, but Henry has not received his. He was away for the first match and I assumed that by this Saturday, his card would have arrived but he texted me to say it had not and he wondered if it had come to our house instead.”

Michael criticised a lack of organisation at the club: “It is poor, they just seem constantly to be understaffed,” he said.

“We are going to have to wait a couple of hours at this rate.”

Michael Parkin, 32, from Seaburn, said: “I renewed mine and my daughter and nephew’s cards and added one for my niece but the new card and my nephew’s have not been delivered.

“It was alright for the first game because we were all on holiday. I thought they had been delivered but when I opened the envelope, I realised they were not there.

“I emailed and they said they would get back to me within three days.

“It was the same last year – we did not get them in time. We had to come down and get tickets for the first game and they arrived after that.”

Paul McBeth, 53, and 17-year-old son Joel had travelled from Hetton in person after Paul gave up trying to buy tickets through the club website.

"I’m trying to get tickets for the pair of us and I have been trying for a fortnight but you can’t buy them online,” he said.

"This is on top of the time I have already spent on-line.

"I don’t know of any other business that is like that, where you can’t buy the product, it is so much trouble to buy the product.

However, when contacted by the Echo to provide a response to fans’ concerns, a SAFC spokesman declined to comment.

Adult season cards at the Stadium of Light cost a minimum of £390, with Under-16s able to secure their seat from £48 and over-65s from £270, while Under-18 and Under-22 season card prices start from £96 and £165 respectively.