Nine pictures remembering Sunderland's first league game at the Stadium of Light, including fans, goals and parachutes : photo gallery
A film tribute to that very first league game at the SoL in 1997
What an atmosphere. What a stadium. What a result.
Sunderland played their first competitive game at the Stadium of Light in August 1997 and we want your memories of it.
Red and white from the skies
Manchester City were the opposition but the entertainment began long before that with a parachutist who landed in the stadium in his Sunderland kit.
The action on the pitch was just as dramatic with Niall Quinn, Kevin Phillips and Lee Clark all scoring in a 3-1 win.
Tell us if you were there
The fans loved it and we want your memories of it. Email [email protected]