I'll be going to the game on the 10th September and I was just wondering how easy it is to get in and around SOL after the final whistle. From what I understand, SOL is 15 minutes away from Sunderland Station. I imagine I will leave the ground around 5pm but plan on getting a train at 5.30pm? Do you think I'll be okay or are there often delays after the match. At Stamford Bridge, we often have to wait ages to get on a train which is why I ask. Cheers in advance.
Should give you plenty of time to get to the station for your train mate - it's not that long a walk from the ground over the bridge to the station !
Grand Central trains leave for King's Cross at around 5-20 I believe. That gives you about half an hour to do a fifteen minute walk over the Wearmouth bridge tops. You should do it easily.
Not too sure mate but most away fans get let out around the same time as our lot, (often walked back with opposition fans around us) as there is not a lot of bother with the cops on show, should get there no probs.
Thanks for the swift responses, much appreciated. I always like playing Sunderland but have never been SOL before. Good luck for the new season
You always like playing Sunderland cos you generally murder us, no doubt! We meet up with a few Chelsea lads every yer for this one, we had a bit craic the day the Mags went down, ended up out on the piss all night with them, and they are pals for life now, top lads. You'll have nee bother up here, we're a welcoming bunch, and it's always a good game at the SOL between us, every year without fail.
Haha well you got your own back last year. I've seen us play Sunderland more times than any other team so it always holds found memories. Plus I took a ribbing from a Sunderland fan I know after the 3-0 and celebrated Newcastles relegation as much as any Mackem would
Ha, i think the majority of you're lads joined in the celebrations like It's a great thing really that football brings people together, we absolutely took your lads back to school on the pool table, bantered, all ended up in Newcastle on the curlers while they were still licking their wounds, i was delighted when the fixtures came out, cos the Chelsea home game coincides with a 6 day dart home for a mates stag weekend, hopefully we'll get summat off you at home this time. We always go in front, and then someone, Anelka last season, Deco the year before, always seems to step up and put in a 14 out of 10 performance and splatter us. How i wish i'd been at the Bridge for the 3-0, sadly i was there a year earlier for the 2-7, and the last time i was down before that was a 2-6 in the Reidy days. I vowed never to go back, i guess you'll understand why!
I still have painful memories of the 4-1 when Quinn and Phillips tore us to shreds so never underestimate you guys. Good luck in the NE derby as well. I know they weren't great for you guys last year but I'm sure you'll get your own back this year, some good signings you'be made already to go with an already decent squad. I was pleased for you when Richardson fired in that cracker in 08/09. I can't wait for SOL, will be my first time travelling up to the North East and Northerners in general are really friendly and accommodating
You'll have a great time mate, there are no bars whatsoever that are off limits to away fans, if you see a packed bar full of red & white, feel free to walk in, you'll find friendly banter and footy chat, you might get some light hearted jibes (par for the cause), but you won't get any abuse, literally nowhere is off limits to away fans, bar the Mags of course. All the best
You are most welcome, but for god's sake do NOT wear a black and white shirt, even jokingly because they are certainly not welcome ! and you would get lynched !.
Thank you guys, you've all been really helpful and wouldn't dare wear anything Black and White lol! I know what a passionate derby the Tyne-Wear is and how much you both hate each other, although I have to admit some of the banter between you both on the old 606 was great. My A-Level teachers was a Sunderland fan and came from the area so I know about the intensity. I'd love to experience a NE derby one day, I bet they most be great. Bar Spurs and West Ham, there isn't usually any trouble for us wherever we go in the PL these days. Chelsea fans are decent and it should be a good day out for both supporters (providing neither of us get Spanked) Hopefully if you guys can get off to a home flyer against the Toon you might go easy on us in the next home game
I dream of a day when we can take it easy on Chelsea mate! The atmosphere at our derby is absolutely incredible, you really have to be there to appreciate it. Before kick off it's always wonderful, both sets of fans are in full voice, the place (our place or there's) is literally shaking to it's foundations. The nervous tension makes it all the more electric, the fact that we haven't been trophy bothering for 30+ years means we live for this game, you can feel it in the air from the final whistle of the game before. The scenes when somebody scores are insane, you won't see a goal celebrated like a Wear/Tyne derby goal, it's incredible and ****ing awful all at once. Every attack you are convinced you are going to concede, and you are often convinced you are never going to score, it is torture, beautiful torture. Both sets of fans make it what it is, bar a few idiots on both sides, our 2 clubs have the most incredible bunch of passionate, loyal and completely biased fans, considering the lack of any success and the amount of false dawns and kicks in the teeth, to both sit comfortably in the top 6 of average attendances in the land year on year is simply magnificent.
Them days are gone mate...Chelsea fans these days are ok.. To the OP, Just ask any genuine Sunderland fan to direct you over Wearmouth Bridge and then the station is virtually straight on from there. Ten minutes walk from the stadium in total...
Yer, it's ironic that you still thought you needed to bring the subject up when this lad is obviously a genuine football supporter.
I look forward to the North East Derby more than any other in English Football, that and the North London Derby are the best and most passionate in my view. But I think there is a lot more riding on the Tyne-Wear Derby for reasons you earlier stated, from what I understand I don't think either team views Boro as much of a derby. I just hope it is on Sky this time, I thought it was a disgrace last time when they had Tottenham vs Man U in what was the only non-derby (well derby for the fans lol )
Not on Sky mate, it baffles me as to why, they could sell 100k tickets for this game. Boro, in all seriousness may as well not exist, i personally don't even look for their results, although some will, and for all we'll try and g=big it up when we're in the same league, we know it means nowt. There's only one derby up here!
