Sunderland AFC news: Cats fans deliver CLEAR message to ownership on Stadium of Light condition

Sunderland’s home ground remains a massive asset for the club but the 49,000-capacity seater ground is now over 25 years old and is showing its age in some places.

Former owners Madrox (led by Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven) successfully started a scheme whereby supporters helped the club to change the faded pink seats back in 2018.

However, since then, little has been done to the Stadium of Light with supporters quick to notice. The Echo asked Sunderland fans how the club could improve supporters’ experience at the Wearside ground – here’s what they said on Facebook and Twitter:

@RJXMEDIA: “Around the stadium could do with cleaning up. Signposts hanging off and we could do with some new marketing imagery en route to the stadium showcasing our history.”

@Sunderlandpaul: “Get improvement outside the ground as it looks like a dump at the moment change pictures also.”

@fiona2608: “Move the away fans to NE or NW corner; better food and drink options with more variety; update the flags and banners in and around the stadium; more stuff in the concourses showing Sunderland as a whole - needs more personality and history of the city and club.”

@darrenord: “The stadium looks scruffy from the outside and could do with a clean. Also, move the away fans back to the lower bowl as the atmosphere hasn’t been the same since they were shifted. The concourse acts like a megaphone making the away fans sound so much louder.”

Paul Williamson: “Fix the 2 broken hand dryers in the men’s toilets in the West Stand behind Block L17 ( bookmakers in middle of the 2 entrances). One has been broken for at least 4 seasons, the other just gave up this season. Minor things make a difference, if you cannot be bothered to fix the minor easy things what chance of fixing the major ones.”

Adrian Metcalf: “Speaker/sound system is poor by modern standards. Sometimes doesn’t work at all in the South East areas.”

Jamil Khan: “Better protection for disabled fans from the elements of our great weather.”

Kev Brown: “Improve the WiFi as the latest upgrade has made no difference. Also, improve the efficiency of the bar staff, they take forever in serving and with only a couple of different drink choices it should be rapid getting through the volume of customers.”

Paul Anderson: “Healthy food options, and some decent lager in the Roker End. Carling is horrendous!”

Sandra Wales: “Black Cats bar …. The bar service is sooo bad, vodka Bacardi and gin usually served in a half glass, often a pint glass! The majority of the staff are young and inexperienced ( not their fault of course ) some experienced staff on the bar would be a great help and reduce the size of the queues.”

Andrew Rochester: “Food and bar service is terrible at half time needs improving. Wi-Fi doesn’t work at all.”