Fan Letters: Reader slams Sunderland for “shameful episode”

Dear Roker Report,

As you’ve probably seen, Boris has been hosted at our ground. I’m disgusted. Here is the email I’ve just sent to the Supporter Liaison Officer Chris Waters, and I would like it published in Roker Report please.

Cheers, best wishes.

“Hi Chris,

I’ve been a season ticket holder for 10 years. I’m proud to come from a family of coal miners and steel workers in Consett in County Durham. I’m deeply interested in the history of the club and the region, and how the city of Sunderland was built by the sweat of working class men in the shipyards and the pits. We have a proud tradition of trade unionism, hence the Durham Miners Association good relationship with the club. When Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven took over the club, I was pleased and I’ve been mostly supportive of them since then. I was slightly concerned that the were described as “Thatcherite, Thatcher-worshippers” in newspapers, but gave them the benefit of the doubt.

However, I’m really sad and a little bit disgusted that the club have welcomed a hard-right, xenophobic, Tory prime minister like Boris into the Stadium of Light. The Stadium of Light is literally called that because it is built on the site of a former colliery and has a miners lamp outside. The stadium and the club belong to us all. This was a shameful episode and I never want to see that man in my club or in my ground again.”

Yours in disgust,

Benjamin Eckford

Ed’s Note [Tom]: Thanks for writing in Benjamin, and fair play for making your feelings known. I’m sure plenty of other people would agree with your sentiments, I imagine there’d be a few who disagree, too. That being said, you’re totally right in the sense that the club is a huge part of the local community - many would do well to remember that.