Planned protest swerved after Sunderland AFC apology for Black Cats Bar fiasco

A planned protest outside the Stadium of Light by Sunderland supporters did not take place after the club issued a statement to reduce public anger.

SAFC has presented itself with some public relations challenges recently, notably the decision to give the stadium's entire North Stand to Newcastle United supporters for the FA Cup tie on Saturday, January 6 with North Stand season ticket holders being told to sit elsewhere.

Part of this arrangement is to sell hospitality to Newcastle supporters. Home supporters who usually use the Black Cats Bar have been removed from there so that Magpie fans can pay to take their place.

But anger was heightened when it emerged on social media that the bar had been decorated in black and white livery to make the visitors feel more welcome.

This led to a protest being arranged with SAFC supporters urged to protest against club chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and chief operating officer Steve Davison.

However, the club issued a public apology to its supporters for the fiasco and admitted "a serious error in judgement".

The protest was supposed to take place outside the stadium at 7pm on Thursday, January 4. But the anger vented through keyboards had clearly abated and when an Echo reporter turned up, he was the only one there.

The Black Cats Bar's short-lived new look reportedly included “Cheer up” signs. This refers to a 1990s terrace song about Sunderland's then-manager Peter Reid, which was then crudely adapted by Newcastle fans from the Sunderland original.

It is not yet clear how the bar was even decorated that way in the first place, or who sanctioned it.

The game, televised by ITV, kicks off at 12.45pm and is Sunderland's first derby match in almost eight years.