Sunderland at Wembley: When a Russian sun festival messed with SAFC fans' plans

Tens of thousands of Sunderland fans had been hoping to descend on Trafalgar Square for a pre-cup final party the night before the Capital One Cup Final on March 2 2014.

Related: Sunderland AFC's Checkatrade Trophy ticket allocation for Wembley final against Portsmouth and how fans can buy themBut a spanner was thrown into the works after it was revealed the area will be closed for Maslenitsa, as Trafalgar Square was playing host to the Eastern slavic religious and folk festival.

A spokesman for the Greater London Authority said at the time: “We understand from social media that some Sunderland fans may be planning to meet up in Trafalgar Square on the evening of Saturday, March 1, ahead of their team’s Capital One Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

“While we hope supporters will enjoy a fantastic weekend in London, we are advising fans not to come to Trafalgar Square on Saturday as a large event build will be underway in preparation for the annual Maslenitsa Festival the following day.

"As a result, the majority of the square will be closed off to the public throughout the day on Saturday and into the early hours of Sunday morning.”

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Other locations were suggested, and Covent Garden, which was just half a mile away, was chosen as an alternative location.

Editor of Seventy3 fanzine, Mal Robinson, told the Echo at the time: “Obviously having a Russian festival on at the same time as Sunderland fans heading to Trafalgar Square is logistically not ideal.

“The one thing I do know is that Sunderland fans are resilient and will find a way.”