I'm nearly 70 Joe so doubt I'll be asked to enlist. Having said that I've already done 14 years in defending the Realm. In case you didn't know Watford is way North to us being the most Southerly Club in the Country. My father was from what is now Cumbria after they moved the borders around and all of his family that are left still live Up North in the area. Maybe not quite as far North but a lot closer to you than where I live now.
There are 30+thousand at the SOL because Sunderland FC have a history of Top league football and have even won the FA Cup. The numbers that go to grounds often fit with the history of a club even if they fall from grace into the lower reaches. Portsmouth being another exmple of that who could boast 17000+ in league 2 most home games. We have only ever achieved the Championship and never won the FA Cup and the club almost went out of business following a severe case of Administration several years ago. We played virtually the youth team at one stage. So, previous history is my answer. Am I close?
Some of my comments previously were actually a bit tongue in cheek by the way.