'Weird' - Stoke City boss Mark Robins delivers verdict on Sunderland attendance in FA Cup

Stoke City manager Mark Robins has expressed concern over the declining trend in FA Cup attendances during this weekend’s third-round ties.

The Potters defeated Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in front of only 15,744 fans during a bitterly cold weekend afternoon on Wearside. Tom Cannon’s penalty in the first half put the visitors ahead before Milan Aleksic equalised for Sunderland. Neither team could find a winner in normal time, so the game headed for an additional 30 minutes. Stoke substitute Niall Ennis rounded Simon Moore to hand Robins his first win as Stoke City boss in the second period of extra time.

Robins won the FA Cup as a player with Manchester United and led Coventry City to the semi-final last season. The Stoke City boss, who made only three changes for the game against Sunderland, said: “I’m really glad we got through. The lads deserve credit for sticking at it and the two goals came from our good press. It was two young teams with people making mistakes when they didn’t need to.

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“There wasn’t many chances. No crowd really. It’s a really weird one this. It’s the FA Cup. Where are the people? I understand the cost of things and it must be really biting. The cold is biting, the finances are biting. It isn’t good.

“It’s really worrying and sad. I’ve seen there’s been empty stadia up and down the country and it’s not good. This stadium normally has 50,000 people in it and absolutely rocking so it’s a bit of a surprise. Thank you to everyone who came because that’s really important, and particularly our supporters.

“I’m glad we got through. It was tough watching at times but it’s a start for us. If you can’t play brilliantly then stick at it, which we did,” Robins concluded.

Sunderland are next in action against Burnley at Turf Moor on Friday as Régis Le Bris look to continue their good form in the Championship.