Régis Le Bris allowed a rare smile to break across his face as he reflected on the impact Sunderland’s supporters had in the weekend’s victory over Middlesbrough. The head coach noted:
“It was tough on the pitch today, but the crowd – the fans – were very, very strong with us. This link is one of the key pillars of our game model. With this power behind us, we can solve many problems on the pitch.”
For Sunderland, this marked their fifth win in six league games – a run that has seen them concede just four goals, score 13, and keep four clean sheets. It has been an impressive start to the season, but it is not just the player performances on the pitch which stand out. Le Bris himself deserves praise. Appointed in June, the Frenchman arrived in a new country, in an unfamiliar league, and has largely relied on players already in the squad.
The results speak for themselves.
Yet, Le Bris’ words offer a timely reminder that Sunderland’s supporters are just as integral as any player or coach.
Perhaps because of ‘that back-heel’ – his post-match “key pillars” comment has somewhat gone unnoticed. However, it seems this link is now formally accepted within club’s fabled model.
Indeed, Le Bris highlights a fundamental truth – the connection between the team and its fans is more than symbolic – it is crucial. That bond is as vital to Sunderland AFC’s identity as any contribution from a Chris Rigg, Romaine Mundle, Patrick Roberts, or anyone else on the pitch, however impressive it may be.
Of course, some will say this is true of all fans, but few will compete with breaking attendance records in League One (46,039), fewer still will do so after witnessing years of decline and mismanagement, even less after once not witnessing a single victory at home during a full calendar year (2017).
Given what we bring to this club it is ok to pat ourselves on the back too from time to time.
A passionate identity
For some, supporting a football club may seem like somewhat of a passive role. We sit in the stands, we chant, we cheer, and, yes, we buy match tickets and replica shirts. The ownership have treated us as just another revenue stream at times and we rightly call it out when it does; but when the team and the fans are truly united, the impact is undeniable. We saw it in action against Boro and Le Bris was right to bring it into focus once again.
As touched on above, few clubs, particularly outside the elite, can claim to harness this relationship as effectively as Sunderland.
So, what does it mean to be “Red and White? A passionate identity that no doubt offers different things to different people – but, if nothing else, it surely means playing a vital part in something far larger than ourselves. It is more than just spectating – it is a commitment to being a part of a collective, one that fuels the team and shapes the club’s future. More so than the most in the footballing pyramid.
So, how exactly do we do our bit? And, how does that impact the club?
On the pitch
To help understand the direct impact Sunderland supporters have on results, we need only look back at the Covid-affected season. During the 2020-21 campaign, the Black Cats played 23 matches at the Stadium of Light behind closed doors, winning just nine – a win percentage of 39%. In the season prior, with fans in the stands, (and in the same league of course) that number was 53%. The season before that, the win percentage was at 52%. This stark contrast directly challenges the comments of many over the years including former player and pundit Liam Bridcutt, who once claimed:
“They’re actually ruining their own club in terms of how they are with players on the pitch… their home record is probably the best they’ve had in the past four or five years because there’s no fans, which is embarrassing.”
Clearly despite what Bridcutt and others have espoused, facts tell a different story, debunking any notion that Sunderland supporters negatively affect the team’s performance. Instead those stats prove – without debate – the opposite is true. The recent display organised by the fan-led This is Wearside and those arranged prior, are another example of how supporters have a positive influence on atmosphere and results. The League One play-off match against Sheffield Wednesday at home was electric, helped by the ‘Cats Eyes’ display and the return of the players running out to Ready to Go. The match was a totem of what is possible when the fanbase and the team serve each other equally.
It also helps when the team is set up in a manner that supporters can get behind. It does not need to be possession based. Indeed, it can be as we are seeing now, offering up the ball to the opposition without losing control of the match, as long as the attacking threat is there to be enjoyed. Le Bris has, thus far, received that memo.
If there was any doubt – we are not to be feared, instead, with an average attendance this season higher than all but the Premier League’s top eight and indeed higher than a European giant like Juventus, Sunderland’s support underlines the invaluable role we play, not just as spectators, but as a significant force behind the club’s success.
Financial support
With a passionate fanbase comes an undeniable appetite to support the club financially, and Sunderland AFC has certainly reaped the benefits. It could have generated even more cash from supporters in recent times too had its commercial arm of the business been up to scratch sooner.
The club’s matchday income of £10.7 million ranks as the 20th highest in the country – outstripping all other Championship clubs and even one Premier League side. That’s a staggering feat, especially given the size and history of some of those sides in the second tier.
According to recent accounts, Sunderland’s total revenue of £35.5 million places them seventh in the second tier, trailing only parachute-receiving clubs and Bristol City. When you break it down further, it becomes clear – given the club currently sits outside of the Premier League riches – how crucial the fanbase is to the club’s financial wellbeing. Subtract the £10.1 million in broadcast income and some other external sources, and the numbers show just how much supporters contribute. From the matchday revenue (£10.7m) to retail and merchandising (£2.7m) and conference/banqueting (£8.4m), Sunderland fans are responsible for injecting approximately £21.8m into the club in a single season. Given the huge success of the recent Hummel partnership, this figure is likely to have increased by the time the next accounts are published.
The financial impact of Sunderland’s supporters goes way beyond a presence in the stands or footfall in the new club shop. For the club it is a necessity. If truth were told it sometimes feels taken for granted whilst at the same time we are one of its driving economic strengths.
Incidentally, it should be noted that our significant financial contribution comes against a backdrop of, according to ons.gov.uk, our city being ranked 23rd most ‘income deprived’ in England (out of 316 Local Authorities). For avoidance of doubt, the Government’s own definition of ‘income-deprived’ measures those people who are out of work and those that are in work but who have low earnings according to relevant means testing.
As an aside, despite the positive financial income, the fact that Black Cat chiefs only spent 72.1% of its entire revenue on player wages (note in last published financial records only Rotherham United spent less as a percentage of their revenue. Also note the higher the wages the more likely promotion to the Premier League follows) is an interesting debate but one for another day.
Red & White Army
If Sunderland’s leadership is serious about deepening its connection with the fanbase, they will continually need to go beyond the usual social media campaigns and surface-level engagement. While there have been some encouraging signs of progress in recent seasons, especially since the arrival of David Bruce, Chief Business Officer, the relationship between the club (the owners in particular) and its supporters still requires improvement. Especially when trust in the ownership was so severely eroded after the Black Cat Bar/derby day debacle.
Notable exceptions are of course the squad/team itself and that of Chris Waters, Head of Supporter Engagement and Supporter Liaison Officer, who has on occasion appeared to almost single-handedly taken it upon himself to try and maintain cordial relationships between Black Cat chiefs and supporters during some very turbulent times. Recent positive results on the pitch have dampened some of that distrust. Clearly, as already noted, the relationship between fans and the team itself is arguably at a considerable high. However, frustrations with the owners likely exist just below the surface and for many it will take more than simply words to fully heal those wounds.
And on that note, given the clear link between fan loyalty and the team’s performance on the pitch, it would seem logical to suggest greater fan involvement in the club’s governance could strengthen both Sunderland’s long-term stability and help improve relations with the club hierarchy. This writer cannot truly buy into the ownership’s aspiration of club self-sustainability. It has never resulted in a Championship side being promoted and for that reason there should always be a healthy dose of scepticism about it working now. Yet, success from true sustainability can never just come from ticket sales and merchandise it will only ever come – if at all – from giving supporters a meaningful voice in the way the club operates too. Thats not about ‘Derek’ from the East Stand having input into whether we ‘sign player x or sell player y’ but about sensible fan-led voices ensuring that situations witnessed during the last derby-day are never repeated.
Enter the Red & White Army – a Supporter Trust with clear aims:
“The Red and White Army Supporters’ Trust is an independent, democratic and inclusive supporters group that aims to provide a voice for our membership. We seek to represent our members and try to reflect the views of Sunderland supporters through structured meetings with decision makers at the Club. We aim to assist SAFC as much as possible and to positively influence aspects of how the Club is run, through constructive feedback from our members. Through continued dialogue, an appropriate level of trust and transparency can be fostered between the ownership and the fans.”
It would be fair to say that despite Sunderland bosses meeting with the group semi-regularly there have been multiple frustrations over many months. A lack of urgency and failure on the club’s part to adhere to jointly agreed timescales and promises in the past feels – at best – apathetic on the part of the Black Cats. We can be sure this has led to many of those who were chosen to represent fans’ voice feeling disillusioned. However, the fact that a structured dialogue exists at all helps ensure that at least those in power are held accountable and both praise and criticism are vociferously directed towards those who deserve it. It is hoped the next meeting between RAWA and the club, to be held on 10th October 2024, is a success and that discussions can be more productive going forward.
A rare and powerful thing…
In the end, if Sunderland’s journey is to progress forwards, it is as much about the ownership fully recognising and respecting the support in the stands as it is about the performances on the pitch. Indeed, Régis Le Bris’ recognition of the supporters’ role highlights how integral he feels the fanbase is to the club’s identity and success. It now appears to be something which is factored into the ‘game model’.
Time will tell whether, so far as the club are concerned, it is truly ‘baked in’.
We should also recognise that Sunderland AFC’s potential is not just tied to financial sustainability or positive results on the pitch; it is the collective force of both, alongside a passionate fanbase, that genuinely sets this club apart from the rest.
One has no chance of success without the other and all parties should be mindful of that.
The relationship between the team and its supporters is a rare and powerful thing but for the club to maintain and build upon this bond, more constructive and genuine engagement is surely required. Involving supporters in more meaningful ways – not just emotionally but operationally – is arguably the key to unlocking the next phase of success.
With movements like the Red & White Army offering a voice for the fans, there is hope that a more collaborative, transparent, and united future lies ahead for Sunderland AFC and its supporters. It is down to the ownership to ensure it grasps that ‘hope’ with both hands and does something constructive with it.
Simply put, the club’s heart beats through us – its supporters – and that influence, our influence should never be underestimated.
Photo by Barrington Coombs via PA Images/Alamy
