Sunderland have confirmed that away fans will remain in the North Stand Upper section of the Stadium of Light following an 'extensive' review process to explore other options. Away supporters were moved from the South Stand to the current location for the start of the 2012-13 season, with the club at the time claiming it would improve the atmosphere within the ground, while it also had the secondary effect of avoiding photos taken of that end of the ground featuring a large number of empty seats when visiting teams with a small travelling support played on Wearside.
But, while the move has allowed the South Stand - now dubbed the Roker End - to be populated by the most vocal contingent of home fans, the fact that away supporters are now so far away from the pitch is widely regarded to have detracted from the matchday atmosphere. In addition, there have been a number of incidents where away fans in the upper tier have thrown objects onto home supporters below, including in October when Burnley offered their 'sincere apologies' when a vape thrown from the away end struck a child, causing minor injuries.
That led to the club stepping up security measures in the short-term while also looking at alternative locations within the ground where away fans could be housed, but a decision has now been taken not to change the current configuration. The club has also considered installing netting to reduce the chances of objects being thrown from the away end, but has decided that it would not prevent items such as coins getting through and has therefore opted not to go ahead with that proposal.
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A statement released by the club said: "Sunderland AFC today confirms that visiting supporters will continue to be situated in the North Stand Upper at the Stadium of Light. The club has conducted an extensive review to identify the most suitable long-term location for away fans, during which it frequently consulted with local authorities in addition to meeting with the Supporters’ Collective on several occasions.
"All parties unanimously agreed throughout the process that the safety of all supporters attending fixtures at the Stadium of Light is of paramount importance and this was ultimately the determining factor behind the decision taken. The ongoing implementation of enhanced safety measures in the North Stand Upper, including an increased stewarding capacity complimented by enhanced training, an upgraded stadium CCTV network and enhanced lighting system, and the banning of items such as coins and vapes, was also considered.
"These measures have had an extremely positive impact on away supporter conduct and dramatically reduced the incident rate to ensure it is now in line with other areas of the stadium. The installation of a protective netting was also explored and several UK and overseas options were evaluated, but following the implementation of the measures above, it was determined that they would not further reduce the risk of missiles due to the items commonly used.
"The review also considered a range of other implications alongside supporter safety, including stadium strategy, atmosphere and potential disruption to home fans should the stadium configuration change. Full consideration was also given to the likely changes in ingress and egress once the new bridge and Sheepfolds development are completed.
"The club recognises that unacceptable conduct by a small minority of home and away fans is fundamentally a society-wide behavioural issue and we have made recommendations to the EFL to pursue further research to address the root causes. We are also in regular dialogue with the Sports Grounds Safety Authority, who are currently assessing a proposal from the club to introduce railed seating in the Roker End and North Stand Upper ahead of the 2024-2025 Season to address persistent standing.
"The club appreciates that any discussions relating to changes to the stadium and matchday experience could result in understandable concern and we thank all fans for their patience and support throughout the review period."
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