An eight-figure investment programme was implemented throughout the Stadium of Light during the summer following our promotion to the Premier League.
The club announced in late July that there had been significant work in areas such as the concourses, the players’ dressing room and tunnel, as well as media and player interview facilities.
Add this to the newly christened Jimmy Montgomery Stand and hospitality outlets such as Banks on Wear, 76 Yards and The Founders, and it has been a busy time in bringing
our 28-year-old home up back up to date.
It came 12 months after earlier investment, which saw Black Cat House transformed into a new club store, a new ticket office, the introduction of safe standing in the North Stand, as well as a new elite playing surface, PA and lighting systems.
Some aspects of this investment are more visible than others. Indeed, most fans have been impressed with the transformation of the concourses, with large-scale artwork bringing our proud history to life.
For £20 per person, however, there is a way to go behind the scenes, to explore and fully appreciate the extent of this facelift. I always consider stadium tours to be an absolute privilege and having previously done one back in 2011, I was pleased to secure a place alongside my wife Jayne for one of the latest offerings.
Just as it had been 14 years earlier, there was an informal welcome and a relatively small group (of about 20 people). We were invited to take photos at our leisure and to ask all the questions we wanted.
After starting with the ever-impressive Thomas Hemy painting inside the stadium entrance, we were straight through onto the concourse to explore the art-inspired décor of the main stand. With the place empty and no need to rush, it you could really admire the attention to detail.
There’s no doubt that the concourses feel much more welcoming now, evoking memories and emotions of past glories. It really has been tastefully done. The new bar facilities look impressive too.
We headed out into the stands for a while, which is always a treat on a non-matchday, but were soon back inside and seated in the press conference room. Our tour guide stated that this spacious area had previously served as the players’ lounge.
It was warm and welcoming, kitted out with all the technology you’d expect and had cosy red padded seats. Notably, the current (1997) crest was embroidered into the leather so if these seats are new it’s surely a sign that the badge is likely to be with us on our future journey, despite the re-emergence of retro crests in recent times.
The corridor and steps leading down to the dressing rooms has been transformed with our new club branding. As we approach the tunnel, there’s a huge black cat bearing its teeth, ‘Ready To Go’ is emblazoned on the wall, the whole area has been decorated to a high spec with a bold choice of colours.
At first glance, the home dressing room didn’t look too much different to my previous visit, but has clearly been given some love. It looks immaculate and is a warm and inviting place for our Premier League players to prepare for matches. Motivational quotes are strategically placed in this area, while it was insightful to learn that some players have superstitions and, for example, always use the same massage table.
The tunnel area has changed. Bright red décor adorns the walls with a white trim, but the pull-out canopy, which appeared to make the walk down the tunnel longer, has gone. We were told this was due to TV filming requirements on matchdays, perhaps for better access and camera angles. It was amazing, I must add, to walk out onto pitchside and look up towards the Jimmy Montgomery lettering on the stand.
Other areas of note included Regis Le Bris’ personal matchday room. Previously used by the likes of Peter Reid for a post-match tipple, this is a relaxing space with a sofa and vintage-inspired SAFC wall décor.
During the tour, we had access to some but not all of the Stadium of Light’s summer overhaul. It was interesting to note that during our visit, workers were spraying the outside of stands which are gradually looking cleaner and fresher.
It’s a by-product of our progression as a club, but it is also incredibly reassuring that our beloved stadium is being given the makeover it has needed following several years of neglect in the not too distant past.
Well done to Sunderland AFC not only for this, but also for continuing to give fans access – for less than the price of a matchday ticket – to the stadium and to areas we wouldn’t usually see.
