Popularity of Sunderland AFC in Ireland

[Ryhopian]

Here in Sunderland we are hearing a lot about the increased popularity of Sunderland AFC in Ireland since St Niall bought the club and Keano took over as manager. Apparently airlines are having to make more flights available on matchdays next season to cope with the demands from fans wanting to fly from Ireland to watch home games. Is it just paper talk or has there been a noticeable increase in red and white shirts on the Emerald Isle?

[GavinZac]

This isnt about the Irish international team. This should either be in World Football, or if you feel lucky, the Eircom League section.

I've seen one or two, which is a noticeable increase on none. Then again I live around the corner from Roy Keane's old house.

[noby]

There is a lot of interest in the Irish players there, which was there pre-Niall/Roy, just like there's a lot of interest in Reading. As far as people becoming fans - I'm not so sure (in my experience anyway).
Although, I've seen a few offers for flights/tickets to Man Utd v Sunderland games alright.

[Roadend]

I've not seen one Sunderland jersey round my way. I did notice them on sale(gathering dust) in a few sports shops though

[bellavistaman]

Jeses theres loads around cobh and cork city, remember when i was in college in may passin mahers sport seein sunderland jersey with 16 gaffer on the back. come on like!

[reder]

Seen a fair few around Cork when I was down there. Reckon there will be a large rise in the number travelling alright. Always saw a few Sunderland jerseys in the airport now and again last season.

Most of the new people travelling will be corporate though I reckon.

Hope to venture up to the S.O.L in a few weeks when you are playing the greatest club in the history of British football.

How do you think you will fare this season?

[Dodge]

Haven't seen a single person in a Sunderland jersey in Dublin but the flags are flying outside Chawkes and Fitzgerald's pubs

Think a fair bit of it is hype by Sunderland but a few years ago they wouldn't have sold out friendlies in Ireland and now they are...

[Lionel Ritchie]

I've seen several kids and a couple of students wearing Sunderland shirts around Limerick.

Taking a long view -kids would be the ones for Sunderland to target as any adult "convert" to Sunderland will likely have already discarded a black Cantona shirt, a blue Drogba shirt and will move on to whatever the next flavour of the month happens to be ...probably Keane dumping Sunderland for Man U.

[Steve Bruce]

I know, Belfast is in a seperate country, but as their are different areas of Belfast that regard themselves as Irish, I can confidently say, that Sunderland have made no impact in West Belfast(i go through the West several times a day)

I can go further and actually say I have seen more LINFIELD merchandise on the falls than Sunderland.(I seen 1 Linfield top on a child, playing football with another child in a GAA top, how things are changing)

[Bald Student]

Haven't seen a single person in a Sunderland jersey in Dublin but the flags are flying outside Chawkes and Fitzgerald's pubsChawke owns shares in Sunderland.

[Dodge]

Yep and so does Fitzgerald...

[Roadend]

Jeses theres loads around cobh and cork city, remember when i was in college in may passin mahers sport seein sunderland jersey with 16 gaffer on the back. come on like!

Who did they sign this Gaffer chap from or has he been promoted from the reserves?

[galwayhoop]

Here in Sunderland we are hearing a lot about the increased popularity of Sunderland AFC in Ireland since St Niall bought the club and Keano took over as manager.
There is definately an increase in the popularity of Sunderland. Especially in the media.


Apparently airlines are having to make more flights available on matchdays next season to cope with the demands from fans wanting to fly from Ireland to watch home games.
The new Galway - Newcastle flight is marketing Sunderland on their adverts and in a recent photo shoot. So in a way, yes, it is true about the flights as I reckon the Newcastle flight wouldn't be overly successiful on it's own.


Is it just paper talk or has there been a noticeable increase in red and white shirts on the Emerald Isle?
I have seen Jerseys on younger football people. 8-15 year olds mainly. Perhaps when the Premiership season starts this may increase even further.

[jebus]

I've seen jerseys on kids, and on sale, and also HMV stocking the Sunderland season review DVD, so thats noticeable enough for me

[holidaysong]

Seen a SAFC rain jacket on a guy in the IFSC today.

[DmanDmythDledge]

A Drogheda fan was wearing a Sunderland jersey in Belfield last Friday.

[superfrank]

I only know of two Sunderland fans and they have been Sunderland fans for a lot longer then the Keane/Quinn deal.

[pete]

I saw an "adult" wearing a Sunderland jersey in Cork last week.

Just wait for the massive media hype when Sunderland arrive for the friendlies & it will be out of control when the Premiership starts... Its amazing what a few free junkets will buy you...

:rolleyes:

[Ash]

I think Quinn was trying to get some hotel chain to build a new one near the
ground to accomodate all the travelling Irish and to keep them around
Sunderland for the weekend instead of flying and staying in Newcastle and
bus/train it to Sunderland.

Only half read the article the other week so might not have got the details right
but I think that was the bones of the story.

[reder]

Something must have changed cos the price of flights to Newcastle for the Sunderland v Liverpool game are ridiculous with both aer lingus and ryanair.

[galwayhoop]

Just wait for the massive media hype when Sunderland arrive for the friendlies & it will be out of control when the Premiership starts...


yeah.

can't wait for the mass hysteria and the all of the closet "i always liked sunderland" fans who pop up in galway during race week.

come to think of it i may sell my reduced price ticket to some such muppet at an over-inflated price and bring the family away for the weekend!!

[Ryhopian]

Seen a fair few around Cork when I was down there. Reckon there will be a large rise in the number travelling alright. Always saw a few Sunderland jerseys in the airport now and again last season.

Most of the new people travelling will be corporate though I reckon.

Hope to venture up to the S.O.L in a few weeks when you are playing the greatest club in the history of British football.

How do you think you will fare this season?

It all depends who he signs over the coming weeks. The two signings Keano has made so far, whilst being useful additions to the squad, have hardly whetted the appetite of the fans. If we are to prosper then we need to sign some genuine Premiership class players but I think the club is finding this harder to do than they expected. Having said that we can hardly do any worse than we have the last two times we have 'graced' the Premiership, going down as the worst team in its history twice.

[OwlsFan]

2 minute wonder. Sunderland are relegated. Keane abandons ship. The new Sunderland Irish supporters go back to following Man U or Liverpool or whatever team Keane moves on to.

[Neish]

I know a couple of Sunderland fans both were fans long before Keane & Quinn got invloved. Don't notice many Sunderland top about but have heard quite a few people refer to Sunderland as their 2nd team after Celtic, Man U, Liverpool etc of course none of these people support LOI teams.

[shakermaker1982]

I hope Sunderland stay up. I think they'll need 3/4 more decent additions to do it but I think Keano will make a go of it up there. Good luck to him and the Irish lads. I'm excited at seeing Stokes and co take on these so called 'big guns'.

[Ryhopian]

Chawke owns shares in Sunderland.

So Chawke and Fitzgerald, are we talking millionaires or billionaires? Excuse the ignorance but not being from Ireland I know little about both of them.

[Dodge]

Millionaires. Both earned their fortunes as publicans with Fitzgerald owning quite a number now.

[OwlsFan]

Was in DID Stillorgan at the weekend. A whole stack of Sunderland dvds on sale (only those dvds - no others) about the promotion season. Very wierd :confused:

[RogerMilla]

Who did they sign this Gaffer chap from or has he been promoted from the reserves?

from walsall reserves ??steve staunton to sunderland ? i've heard it all now , backup for baird??

have seen sunderland jerseys on young fellas in cork.

[OwlsFan]

2 minute wonder. Sunderland are relegated. Keane abandons ship. The new Sunderland Irish supporters go back to following Man U or Liverpool or whatever team Keane moves on to.

Might happen yet. Worrying part of the goals I saw on tv, McShane seemed to be at fault or involved in at least 4. I think Harte was also on the pitch as well.

I fear for McShane's future.

[Dodge]

I fear for McShane's future.
He has the worst positional sense I've seen in a top flight league. Loads of heart and hustle and sometimes covers his mistakes but he generally looks lost

[shanman2]

He has the worst positional sense I've seen in a top flight league. Loads of heart and hustle and sometimes covers his mistakes but he generally looks lost

Mc Shane has been really exposed as a defender in the last couple of weeks. I genuinely thought he would be a great signing for Sunderland (maybe I hoped) meaning he would break into the Ireland side and be a success, Keane has got serious problems now he hasnt got a decent defender in the ranks, no premiership quality midfielders he is up sihts creek without a paddle now.. But you live and die by the players you sign so he made his own bed in that sense.

[dcfcsteve]

I pray every night that Sunderland will get relegated.

Not because I have anything against the club or town. I actually quite ike the place, as used to do voluntary work there.

But I despise the numerous goons who have jumped on the SundIreland bandwagon. I can't wait until the wheels fall off it and they find themselves having to crawl back to whichever other sh!tty English club they swore heart-felt allegiance to in advance, pretending they were only following Plunderland 'for the craic' anyway....... :o

[NeilMcD]

Has anyone met any of these good. I hear about them but I dont know one person who has jumped on the Sunderland bandwagon here in Ireland.

[shanman2]

Has anyone met any of these good. I hear about them but I dont know one person who has jumped on the Sunderland bandwagon here in Ireland.

Ill second that I dont know any. Most (including myself) wish them well.

[Dodge]

Ill second that I dont know any. Most (including myself) wish them well.

How sure are you on the most bit? I wish them nothing but relegation. And I say that as a Roy Keane fan. Most I talk to want the publicans egotrip to fail...

The media bit into Quinn's rubbish almost immediately and have definitely given Sunderland more airtime/column inches than their footballing status/Irish connections deserved. There's even books about it FFS. And bar a couple of fools at a Cork-Pats game earlier this season I haven't seen any sign of their "massive irish following"

[Risteard]

Jayz, I'm amazed at that.
It's huge in Cork anyway.

[Dodge]

Jayz, I'm amazed at that.
It's huge in Cork anyway.

Doesn't surprise me. In the real world its alittle different...

[Risteard]

I suppose people follow their own.
No doubt there'd be a big Inchicore Sunderland Supporters Club if Quinn gave the job to . . . . . . eh . . . . . . . . . . em . . . . . . .

[pete]

If Sunderland came back here for a few friendlies I would be surprised if they could sell the tickets.

Keane has bought some exceptionally average players for large sums of money. IMO his teams are set up to score goals but also to concede goals. Whatever about the defence the midfield is like a sieve - how he though Yorke could survive in Premiership is beyond me :eek:

Any one else noticed how many substitutions Keane makes at half time?

[OwlsFan]

Kenwyn Jones was a good signing. Not sure about the rest. Ian Harte is hardly going to tighten up a defence that already has its frailties. They have played 2 more games away from home than at home and there is a fair bit of dross in the bottom half of the table so two good signings in the window period should see them survive (if they can get them).

Was really surprised to hear him sounding off about England and egos. Surely he should concentrate on his own job but then you know the way one hates to see one's own faults in other people.

[shanman2]

If Sunderland came back here for a few friendlies I would be surprised if they could sell the tickets.

Keane has bought some exceptionally average players for large sums of money. IMO his teams are set up to score goals but also to concede goals. Whatever about the defence the midfield is like a sieve - how he though Yorke could survive in Premiership is beyond me :eek:

Any one else noticed how many substitutions Keane makes at half time?

You have hit the nail on the head there.
If you were listening to Martin Tyler yesterday he was saying about the money Mark Hughes has spent since coming to Blackburn for 3million he got Bentley, (Keane got Stokes for 3), bought Samba for 500,000 (keane bought Rusell Anderson for 1 million) the list goes on, he is on a very slippery slope.

They look as though they can score but surely he shouldnt be so naive as to think he can buy a keeper for 8 million and expect him to make up for the incompetence of his defenders.

I want to see Keane do well because he is an Irish manager in England, same way it was good to see David O leary do well.

[Dodge]

I suppose people follow their own.
No doubt there'd be a big Inchicore Sunderland Supporters Club if Quinn gave the job to . . . . . . eh . . . . . . . . . . em . . . . . . .

At least you've realised Cork is the equivalent of a small Dublin suburb

[Risteard]

. . . . . . in quantity of idiots terms, ya.

[osarusan]

I pray every night that Sunderland will get relegated.

Not because I have anything against the club or town. I actually quite ike the place, as used to do voluntary work there.

But I despise the numerous goons who have jumped on the SundIreland bandwagon. I can't wait until the wheels fall off it and they find themselves having to crawl back to whichever other sh!tty English club they swore heart-felt allegiance to in advance, pretending they were only following Plunderland 'for the craic' anyway....... :o

Shouldn't you just be praying that the numerous goons see the error of their ways and stop supporting Sunderland? Wishing relegation on a club you say you have nothing against, just becase they've (deliberately) attracted some misguided football fans seems excessive.

[dcfcsteve]

Has anyone met any of these good. I hear about them but I dont know one person who has jumped on the Sunderland bandwagon here in Ireland.

Well - someone is buying the Sunderlad shirts and taking up space on the Dublin to Newcastle/Durham Tees Valley flights when they're playing at home.

Ive even seen Keane turn-up at Newcastle airport to meet the goons.

[dcfcsteve]

Shouldn't you just be praying that the numerous goons see the error of their ways and stop supporting Sunderland? Wishing relegation on a club you say you have nothing against, just becase they've (deliberately) attracted some misguided football fans seems excessive.

Relegation will see these band-wagon hopping big game suppporters stop supporting Sundreland, and is therefore the easiest way to achieve my stated objective. How else would you suggest they are likely to stop supporting them ? :confused:

They're like moths attracted to bright lights. Once the Sunderland glow fades, they'll be off after another bighter source of footballing luminessence instead.

[gustavo]

I havent met anyone who has actively taken up supporting them since Keane took over , I suppose some people just have more of a feeling of good will towards them , there was some guy on that Today FM phone in thing , an Everton fan after they beat Sunderland he was saying how it was a pity it was against Sunderland

[dcfcsteve]

I havent met anyone who has actively taken up supporting them since Keane took over , I suppose some people just have more of a feeling of good will towards them , there was some guy on that Today FM phone in thing , an Everton fan after they beat Sunderland he was saying how it was a pity it was against Sunderland

Would he have said the same if Keane was managing Liverpool ? Of course not.

Which proves what a crock of bullsh!t it all is......

I bet if Everton humped an Irish team in Europe by that scoreline he wouldn't offer the same sympathy.... !

[an_ceannaire]

I am an everton fan and i was sorry it was sunderland we thumped. I would rather it was anyone else. ANYONE
once it got to 5 I was wincing.
And no I am not the fella who rang in!