Sunderland fan in peace. I live out of the country (nothing glamorous I assure you!) and as there are still cheap flights over New Year I've just booked to come back for our New Year's Eve home game, and then 2 January away game against you lot. Obviously I'll try to get a ticket with our fans, but over the years generally Sunderland have sold out the away allocation (although with the recession this could well not happen this time) and I'm just wondering about the attitudes of your Club and fans to away fans sitting in the home sections. I've only done this once in my life, an away game at Forest when we were both in the EPL. I didn't wear colours and shut my gob when we scored. I got a couple of strange looks but that was all. I didn't like it, but it was that or no match. There were a couple wearing Sunderland tops who did cheer when we scored, and an irate Forest fan called the stewards and had them thrown out. Of course the thing could be spun different ways. Immature Forest fan who can't stand losing gets inoffensive couple chucked out. Or two fans breaking the law thrown out and lucky not to be arrested. Anyway, just wondering what I could expect, a 49-year-old old fart with 11-year-old son who would keep quiet while Sunderland went 3-0 up and would clap politely as Wigan pulled one back (just joking!!!) BTW, your escape from the drop last season was great stuff. Who would have thought it at 2-0 down at H-T against West Ham? I'm not scribbling this just to curry favour, I'm passionate about my own team but obviously follow the game and the last-day relegation drama last season was edge-of-the-seat stuff. All the best.
If you're able to get a ticket for the South or West stands then it's just common courtesy not to put on a display should your lads score. There are plenty of clubs whose fans sit in those stands because the away end wil be sold out and they know they can get a ticket - both the Mancs and Scousers for instance. Pretty much any time they DO draw attention to themselves they get thrown out.
It's the same everywhere as far as I'm aware, treat the local fans with the respect they deserve and you'll get the same in return, jump up and down, screaming and shouting for our opponents and you'll be ejected from the ground quicker than it takes Cattermole to get a yellow card
Thanks for the replies lads, much appreciated. Agree totally mate. Hopefully we'll get tickets in the away end, if not it's just common sense to keep our mouths shut. LOL! Why did you have to remind me of that insane charge and lunge for his second yellow last year against you lot? I'd hidden it away in the dark depths of my mind! I remember Gyan's goal, that great bit of skill for your equaliser, but I'd forgotten about Catt's bit of insanity! Ta again.
I've sat in the home sections twice at Wigan, and not only felt safe, but actually quite welcome and had some good craic with the locals. Probably helped that we lost both games to nil, and as a result there was no call for us to make a scene!
BB, ta for the info. I'm like a small bairn at this time of year, madly excited about coming back to Britain and getting a few games in! My kid wants to come over for New Year, I saw flights for €100, so that's us back for the Man City & Wigan games. Hope life's treating you well in sunny Spain.
Cheers, yeah it's treating us very well indeed, worked out really well for us. I'm home for the derby, then for Chelsea home, then after that who knows! It's gonna be a big adjustment, i still renewed my season card like, and will continue to do so till the day i die, but i have one fro CF Malaga as well now!
