Roker Roar! Call for Sunderland fans to help fund new Stadium of Light crowd surfer flags and banners

The mural unveiled at the Roker End earlier this month.

RAWA is aiming to raise £10,000 from supporter donations to fund new surfer flags, smaller flags and large banners for the newly-named Roker End - formerly the South Stand - along with artworks around the ground.

The overall aim is to work with fans to increase the sense of local identity, history and tradition to help build the matchday experience for supporters of all ages.

And they are well on the way to hitting their target, with 180 fans having already donated £7,776 - 77% of the total.

RAWA is an independent and democratic SAFC supporters' group.

Chair of the Red & White Army, Andrew Hird, told the Echo: "I’d like to recognise and thank those supporters that have generously donated so far.

"Their donations will allow red and white army to provide more of an identity within the Stadium of Light and help improve the atmosphere by bringing in crowd surfers and other banners into the Roker End."

A statement on the Just Giving page added: "In the past, Sunderland has long been historically known as a vociferous, passionate and difficult place for away sides to come too. With the return of the Roker End, the Red and White Army would like to reinvigorate the Roker Roar within the SoL.

"The independent and democratic SAFC supporters' group The Red and White Army are working with supporters in the Roker End to increase the sense of local identity, history and tradition to help build the atmosphere.

"We will be buying surfer flags, smaller flags, large banners and anything else supporters come up with that will look class and get the place going.

"In essence, we need to hark back to the region's proud industrial heritage, celebrate the historic successes of the past and combine that with the new era of Sunderland."

The Red & White Army fan group led on the new mural of the five Sunderland AFC captain's, recently unveiled in the Roker End concourse.

* Visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/redandwhitearmy to donate and for more information.