Awayday Guide: Sunderland
TICKETING INFORMATION
Tickets for Fulham’s trip to the Stadium of Light, where the Whites will be reunited with Chris Coleman and Kit Symons, on Saturday are still available. Tickets have now gone off sale from Fulham directly, but Fulham fans will be able to purchase tickets from at the Stadium of Light from turnstile number 71.Tickets are priced at £25 for adults, £19 for supporters aged over 65, £16 for supporters under 22 and £10 for under 16s. Season ticket holders and members can earn five loyalty points for this fixture.
GETTING TO THE STADIUM OF LIGHT
BY CAR
Leave the A1 at Junction 62 – taking the Durham/Sunderland exit – and follow the A690 towards Sunderland. After approximately eight miles, take the left turn at the roundabout onto the A19 (Tyne Tunnel). Stay in the left hand lane and take the second slip road towards Sunderland (you should see signs for the Stadium Of Light, A1231 Sunderland). Follow the bridge over the River Wear and turn right onto the A1231 following the signs for Sunderland.
Head straight over four roundabouts into Sunderland and proceed through two sets of traffic lights (keeping in the left hand lane at the second set, going straight on towards Roker rather than the city centre) and you will see the Stadium car park on your right, about a mile after the traffic lights.Fulham fans should bear in mind that there is very limited parking at the Stadium of Light and the surrounding street are in a residents’ parking zone that will be in operation on Saturday.Drivers are advised to park at the Stadium of Light Metro station for £4 or in the city centre and make the 10 to 15 minute walk to the stadium. There is a park and ride scheme run from Sunderland Enterprise Park, which you will find clearly signposted off the A1231. Buses leave the Enterprise Park every five minutes from 1.30pm and will continue to run after the game until everybody has departed.
BY TRAIN
There are some direct services from King’s Cross to Sunderland. It is about a fifteen minute walk from the station to the Stadium of Light. Turn right out of the station towards the JJB Sports shop and go through the gap between JJB and a nail bar. Within 100 metres, the Stadium Of Light is clearly visible over the Wearmouth Bridge. Walk over the bridge, turn left into Millennium Way and you’ll find the away fans’ entrance directly in front of you. A taxi should cost around £4.Several trains will take passengers from King’s Cross to Newcastle. Fans coming from Newcastle should travel to the Stadium of Light or St Peter’s metro stations, which are a short walk from the stadium. St. Peter’s is closer to the away end.
BY COACH
The official club coaches will depart from opposite the Earl Beatty pub on West Barnes Lane next to Motspur Park railway station and Craven Cottage at 6.30am on Saturday morning. Prices for adult season ticket holders and members are £30 for adults and £20 for supporters over 65 and under 16. For non-season ticket holders and members, the coach is priced at £35 for adults and £25 for supporters aged over 65 and under 16.
AWAY PUBS
Sunderland run a free fan zone from 12pm outside the south east perimeter of the stadium, with live bands, large screens, and plenty of food and drink outlets.
Two social clubs within five minutes of the Stadium of Light welcome away supporters. The Sunderland Companions Club (39-41 North Bridge Street, SR5 1AH) and the New Democratic Club (34 North Bridge Street, SR5 1AH), both located on North Bridge Street before the Wearmouth bridge, do get very busy on a matchday but they are friendly venues that serve an excellent selection of very reasonably priced beers.
The Albion (Victor Street, SR6 0EN) is a five minute walk from the ground and welcomes away fans, offering complimentary snacks and food after the game. The Colliery Tavern (12 Southwick Road, SR5 1EQ) – barely 100 yards from the Stadium of Light – has also previously welcomed away supporters. This pub has large screen televisions that show the televised games as well as a well-priced food offering.
The Harbour View (1 Benedict Road, SR6 0NX) is a little bit further away from the Stadium of Light but offers beautiful views of the coast and excellent real ale, regularly featuring prominently in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. You can enjoy an excellent selection of reasonably-priced food in a welcoming environment with large TV screens available.
The William Jamieson (30-32 Fawcett Street, SR1 1RH) is a popular Wetherspoon’s in Sunderland and attracts a big crowd both before and after a game, although don’t let that put off. The pub puts on extra staff on a matchday and keeps waiting times down to a minimum.
