 | |
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| Full name | Stadium of Light |
|---|---|
| Address | Millenium Way |
| Location | Monkwearmouth,Sunderland England SR5 1SU |
| Public transit |  Stadium of LightSt. Peter’s |
| Owner | Sunderland A.F.C. |
| Capacity | 49,000 –football 60,000 – concerts |
| Record attendance | Football: 48,353 (Sunderland v Liverpool, 13 April 2002) Concerts: 60,000 (Ed Sheeran, 3 June 2022) |
| Field size | 115 × 75 yards (105 × 68 metres) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | May 1996 |
| Opened | 1997 (1997) |
| Expanded | 2000 |
| Construction cost | £24 million[1] |
| Architect | PNF Architects |
| Main contractors | Ballast Wiltshire PLC |
| Tenants | |
| Sunderland A.F.C. (1997–present) | |
TheStadium of Light is anall-seaterfootballstadium inSunderland, England, and theeighth and current home toSunderland A.F.C. With space for 49,000 spectators,[2] the Stadium of Light is theninth largest football stadium in England. The stadium primarily hostsSunderland A.F.C. home matches. The stadium was named by chairmanBob Murray to reflect thecoal mining heritage of the North East and the formerMonkwearmouth Colliery site on which it stands.[3] ADavy lamp monument stands at the entrance to reflect the coal mining industry that brought prosperity to the town.[4]
As well as hosting Sunderland games, the stadium has hosted three matches for theEngland national football team, as well as anEngland under-20, anEngland under-21 and twoEngland women's team matches. With an original capacity of 42,000, it was expanded in 2000 to seat 49,000. Its simple design is apparently to allow for redevelopments up to a capacity of 64,000.[5] The attendance record at the Stadium of Light is 48,353 set on 13 April 2002, when Sunderland playedLiverpool with the visitors running out 1–0 winners. Along with hosting football matches, the stadium has played host to performers such asBeyoncé,Rihanna,Oasis,Take That,Kings of Leon,P!nk,Coldplay,Spice Girls andElton John. The ground also holds conference and banqueting suites, the 'Black Cats Bar', and a club shop selling Sunderland merchandise.
Following the release of theTaylor Report in January 1990, Sunderland was obliged to make plans to turn theirRoker Park home into an all-seater stadium.[6] Roker Park was a ground that mainly consisted of standing terraces, and if converted into all-seater it would have held far fewer spectators than before.[6] Enclosed by residential streets on all sides, expansion was practically impossible. So, by 1991, Sunderland chairmanBob Murray had started to scour the local area for possible sites to build a new all-seater stadium.[6]
The front-runner that emerged was a proposed stadium located on an area of land adjacent to theNissan car plant.[7] The 49,000 all-seater ground was labelled "theWembley of the North" by Sunderland fans and would boast a capacity that not evenManchester United'sOld Trafford exceeded until 1996.[7] The plans did not come to fruition. Shortly after the plans were announced in 1992,Nissan launched an official objection, ultimately forcing Sunderland to abandon the idea.[7] By 1995, the site of theWearmouth Colliery, which had closed in December 1993, was identified as the club's preferred location for a new stadium.[7] The area, on the north bank of theRiver Wear in the Sheepfolds district of Sunderland, was only a few hundred yards from Roker Park, and close to the centre of the city.
In 1993, Sunderland's planned new stadium was on the shortlist forEuro 96 venues, as England had been named as hosts of the competition in May 1992. However, it soon become clear that a new stadium in Sunderland would not be ready in time for the tournament.
On 13 November 1995, the Sunderland chairman Bob Murray announced that theTyne and Wear Development Corporation had approved plans for Sunderland to build a 34,000-seater stadium on the Monkwearmouth site.[8]Ballast Wiltshier plc, a contracting company that had built theAmsterdam Arena, was contracted to build the stadium at an initial cost of £15 million.[8] In June 1996, as the planned capacity rose to more than 40,000, construction work began.[8] The capacity was revised again in early 1997, and the stadium was completed on time, with a capacity of 42,000.[8] The stadium's design allows possible expansion of a further tier; completed expansion of the whole upper tier would produce a capacity of 63,000, although it is believed by some that the stadium can expand to a maximum capacity of 84,000, this would seem unlikely ever to be exercised.[5]
The stadium was opened on 30 July 1997 byPrince Andrew, Duke of York, with bands such asStatus Quo,Upside Down andKavana playing. To celebrate the opening of the stadium, Sunderland played afriendly against theDutch sideAjax, which was drawn 0–0.[8]
The move did not happen without criticism. Famous actor and Sunderland supporter, often named in the media "Sunderland's most famous supporter",[9]Peter O'Toole, said he wasn't as much a fan as he used to be since the team leftRoker Park.[10][11] Playwright Tom Kelly and actor Paul Dunn created a one-man play called "I Left My Heart at Roker Park" about a fan struggling with the move and whatRoker Park meant for him - the play originally ran in 1997, and had a few revivals since.[12][13][14]
The North Stand was extended in 2000 to bring the capacity to 49,000, costing the club a further £7 million, making the final cost of the stadium £23 million.[5] On 18 July 2006, a statue of1973 FA Cup Final winning managerBob Stokoe was unveiled outside the stadium.[15] At the end of seasonFootball League awards, the Stadium of Light was named theBest Away Ground, with other contenders includingCrewe Alexandra'sAlexandra Stadium andPlymouth Argyle'sHome Park.[16] Sunderland celebrated the tenth anniversary of the stadium with a pre-season friendly againstJuventus on 6 August 2007; the game was drawn 1–1.[17]
During construction, the stadium had not adopted an official name, and had been known colloquially as the "Wearside Stadium" and "New Roker Park".[18]
The name was eventually revealed as the Stadium of Light at a naming ceremony on 30 July 1997, hours before the opening game againstAjax (0-0).[19] Speaking at the naming event, Bob Murray explained the inspiration for the name came from theCoal mining heritage of the region and the stadium'sMonkwearmouth Colliery site:
"For many years, miners at Wearmouth Colliery carried with them a Davy lamp as part of their working lives. Reflecting this tradition, the name allows the image of this light to shine forever."
To emphasise the fact, a statue of a miner'sDavy lamp was located in front of the stadium's ticket office, adjacent to the stadium.[18] The stadium name had been associated with the area since 1970 when it appeared in aMonty Python's Flying Circus episodeLiterary Football, which was hosted by a native of South Shields,Eric Idle.[20]
The name initially drew mixed reactions from Sunderland fans many unhappy that the name was already associated with the home ground ofS.L. Benfica.[21][22] A film crew for thePremier Passions documentary series recorded the moment that Bob Murray faced Sunderland fans immediately after the naming with many expressing their disappointment. The similarity to the name of Benfica's home,Estádio da Luz, often anglicised toThe Stadium of Light, has led to some visiting fans and reporters to erroneously assume that Sunderland's home was named after the Portuguese stadium.[23][24] Murray responded directly to this in a 2017 interview with theEvening Chronicle, in which he said
"The Estadio de Luz in Portugal isn’t the Stadium of Light, it is named after the area – Luz. It’s like, say, Elland Road or Old Trafford. We are the only club whose stadium has that name, and it was because of the history of the region that I named it".[3]
In the same interview, Murray revealed that shortly after the stadium opened he was approached by a representative of theLabour government asking if he would consider renaming the stadium afterDiana, Princess of Wales, who died in September 1997.[3] Murray refused the request as he believed the stadium should be named in honour of those in the region who had worked in darkness.
The 'Of Light' suffix became a recognisable part of the Sunderland A.F.C. brand, and was used in a number of other areas related to the club; theAcademy of Light is the club's training facility and youth academy, theFoundation of Light is aregistered charity affiliated with the club and theBeacon of Light is a sports and education centre, owned by the Foundation, which is adjacent to the stadium. The club's official magazine was calledLegion of Light before it was discontinued in January 2017.
In March 2010, Sunderland ChairmanNiall Quinn announced the club were considering plans to sell naming rights to the stadium as a new way to boost income.[21] The plans were shelved shortly after. The possibility of selling the naming rights was floated again by chief executive Margaret Byrne in 2013.[25] Discussing the options of selling the stadium name in October 2018, chairmanStewart Donald said:
"I think the fans should have a say on whether they are comfortable with it. My gut feel is that even if we didn't consult with them, the vibe I get is that they aren't particularly attached to the name of the stadium. It's not a sacred thing like some of the other grounds."[26]
The stadium is in the shape of a square bowl, and is separated into the West Stand, North Stand, East Stand and the Roker End (South Stand). The stands have all formerly had commercial names as part of sponsorship deals, e.g. the Vaux Stand (West), the Carling Stand (North), Fosters Stand (East) and the Metro FM Stand (South).[27] The South Stand was renamed to the Roker End in December 2018, following a poll organised by the Red & White Army supporters club.[28] The Roker End was the name of the stand behind the goal at the southern end Sunderland's former ground, Roker Park.[29]
The West Stand includes the Premier Concourse which is the name of the upper tier[30] and a number of executive boxes.[31] The North Stand also includes an upper tier, formerly branded the Strongbow Upper, which contained the exterior seating for the Black Cats Bar, an enhanced match-day experience with padded seating and an exclusive catering facilities and bar. When the away fans were relocated in 2012, the Black Cats Bar seating was relocated to the rear of the North Stand lower tier.[32]
Within the stadium is a concourse, housing theturnstiles, emergency exits, food kiosks, bars and toilet facilities. The concourse allows uninterrupted spectator access throughout the inner stadium bowl, with the exception being a gap between the South Stand and the South West corner. The concourse is linked to the seating bowl via a series of access ramps. The South East corner of the stadium is designated as the Family Zone,[33] and has family-oriented branding within the concourse, as well as entertainment such asPlayStation 4 consoles.
Away fans were seated in the west half of the South Stand when the ground opened in 1997, but in November 2011, the club announced that the away supporters' section would be moved from the South Stand to the North Stand Upper from the beginning of the2012–13 season.[34][35]
Thepitch is several metres below the level of the ground outside the stadium.[36] The pitch uses a lighting system from Stadium Grow Lighting to ensure the grass can grow at any time of year. The device controls various aspects of the pitch, including exposure to light, temperature, water, and air, to make the grass able to grow in any conditions.[37]
To the North East of the stadium stands the Black Cat House, a separate building which was the location of theBox office and club administrative offices, but became the SAFC club merchandise store in 2024, with the ticket office transferring to a unit in the West Stand. There is a large car park behind the West Stand and two car parks behind the East Stand, but match-day parking is permit only.[38] Fragments of the iconicArchibald Leitch latticework, taken from the Main Stand at Roker Park, is used to separate parts of the Western Car Park.[39] Wooden boards mimicking the Leitch lattice work were also added to the Roker End in 2019 as part of an initiative by the Red & White Army supporters group to bring a sense of identity to renamed stand.[40]
The perimeter walls of the stadium incorporate a "Wall of Fame" feature, where names can be engraved into the bricks of the walls.[41] The interior of the stadium holds a banqueting suite, which can seat from 460 to 600 people.[42] The stadium also contains several conferencing suites, that can be hired for events.[43] Quinn's Bar, housed in the West Stand, was named after former player and chairmanNiall Quinn and includes memorabilia from the club's history.[44] Originally it was available for non-match-day visitors, but has since become exclusive for match-day hospitality and event packages.
In 2004,TheCentre for Light was opened by theSAFC Foundation within the Stadium. The £1.6m learning facility, built over multiple floors, included five learning areas supporting up to 120 visiting children per day.[45] In 2015, Sunderland became the first football club in the world to open asensory room within the Stadium - thereby allowing people on theAutism spectrum to watch matches in a sound-proofed environment.[46] It was named theNathan Shippey Sensory Room after Nathan's parents petitioned the club to set the room up.[47] The sensory room provided a huge success, with the model being adopted at other clubs around the world. Sunderland opened their second sensory room in 2018.[46]
In March 2018 it was announced that after the relegation toEFL League One, the Premier Concourse would be closed during the2018–19 season,[48] although it was temporarily reopened to accommodate a large crowd for theBoxing Day game againstBradford City[49] and again on the final home league game againstPortsmouth. After promotion back toEFL Championship, the Premier Concourse permanently reopened.
The stadium originally had mainly red seats, except for a Sunderland emblem and the words "SUNDERLAND A.F.C" in white lettering on the East Stand, and the slogan "HA'WAY THE LADS" ("Ha'way" is aMackem dialect equivalent of theGeordie word "Howay", meaning "Come on"[50]) in white lettering on the North Stand. A thin band of white seats also circled the top of the East and South stand.
Over time, sections of red seats become bleached by the sun, turning them pink - which became a source of mockery from opposing fans.[51] Sunderland fans petitioned the club to replace the seats, even noting on the inclusion of the faded pink seats in the digital replica of the Stadium of Light in theFIFA video game.[52] In 2016, the club announced that a programme of seat changes would take place as part of a face-lift for the stadium's 20th anniversary.[53] Sections of the East Stand were replaced, but further work stalled.
WhenStewart Donald purchased the club in the summer of 2018, frustration over the pink seats (and the general state of the stadium) came up frequently in his early engagements with fans. In June, Donald announced that he had purchased 31,500 seats and requested Sunderland fans to volunteer to help change them.[54] The seat change took place in phases, with hundreds of volunteering fans joined occasionally by club officials and players. Phase I was the South East corner and was completed on 19 July 2018,[55] Phase II was the North East corner and North Stand on was completed on 15 September 2018,[56] and Phase III the South West corner completed in October 2018. The fourth and final phase, replacing 10,000 seats in the South and West stands, began on 29 October 2018.[57] The corners were replaced with white seats, while the sides and ends were left red. The emblem and lettering remained. The club were nominated as a finalist in 'Best Club Marketing Initiative' category at the 2018 Business Football Awards for the seat change activity.[58]
A 6,000 capacity Fan Zone, modelled on similar schemes atManchester City and those atNFL games in theUnited States, was approved by Sunderland City Council in July 2015.[59] It followed a successful trial prior to a game againstWest Ham United in January 2013.[60]
It was opened on the first home game of the2015–16 season. The zone was located in the car park outside the East Stand and South East corner, and included live music, children's activities (including aFive-a-side football pitch), food and drink kiosks and on-stage interviews with club legends.[61] The Fan Zone opened three hours before kick-off and for a few hours after the game, and was accessible to ticket-holding spectators, including away fans.[60] Due to the temporary structures in use, the Fan Zone was closed for safety reasons during periods of high winds.[62] An enhanced version of the Fan Zone was opened for theEngland senior international game vsAustralia in 2016.[63]
The Fan Zone re-opened for the2016–17 season opener againstMiddlesbrough,[61] but as the season progressed, poor performance on the field and financial troubles off the field led to the Fan Zone being cancelled.
In a Q&A with supporters association 'Red & White Army', new club ownerStewart Donald committed to bring back the Fan Zone.[64] It returned for the opening game of the2018–19 season againstCharlton Athletic, although smaller than the 2015 version, it was open to anyone - not just ticket-holding spectators. The Fan Zone no longer re-opens after a game.
A 30hectare site area around the Stadium, including the SheepfoldsIndustrial estate, was designated as the 'Stadium Village' development zone by Sunderland City Council in 2007 - and a draftSupplementary planning document was released in 2009.[65] The plan, adopted in 2010, described a framework for redeveloping the Stadium Village area into a mixture of commercial, residential and entertainment facilities with a focus on health and well-being.[66] The plan was consistent with wider redevelopment plans across Sunderland, then under the umbrella ofSunderland Arc agency. In preparation for the redevelopment plans, the council began buying up plots in the area in 2008.[67]
Initial redevelopment work focused on the Northern end of the site, adjacent to the stadium's North Stand and the Black Cat House ticket office. The buildings in this area haveStadium Park as their address. TheSunderland Aquatic Centre, including an Olympic-sized swimming pool and fitness centre, opened in April 2008.[68] In December 2014 construction work began on a new 141-roomHilton Garden Inn[69] which opened on 28 April 2016.[70][71] TheBeacon of Light, a sports, education and community centre, opened in the summer of 2018 alongside the Aquatic Centre.[72]
In 2009, during a review of the Stadium Village plans, city councilors expressed ambitions to build anIndoor skiing facility on the site and an expression of interest was issued to potential developers.[73][74]
In the spring of 2011, the Sunderland Arc redevelopment agency was shut down, after its funding was pulled due to austerity cuts.[75] This put the long-term future of the Stadium Village plan in doubt. However the council partnered with IDPartnership Group to push ahead with the plan,[76] and in September 2017, a 'masterplan' for Phase II of the Stadium Village area was approved by Sunderland council and released forpublic consultation.[77] The Phase II area covers an area to the South and East of the stadium and proposals included facilities such as aVelodrome, anIce rink, aConference centre and aClimbing wall.[78]
A key part of the new masterplan isStadium Way, a proposed tree-linedboulevard linking theSt Peter's Metro station with a proposedPlaza at the South East corner of the stadium.[79] The plaza would incorporate an enhanced Fan Zone, and is modelled on a similar space being developed as part of theTottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.[80]
As well as holding Sunderland games, the stadium has also hostedEngland matches. The stadium was one of several venues used as temporary home grounds for theEngland team while the redevelopment ofWembley Stadium took place.[81] It hosted its first England game in 1999, when they playedBelgium in a friendly match, which England won 2–1.[82] It played host to its first competitive England match on 2 April 2003, when they playedTurkey in aEuro 2004 qualifying match, which England won 2–0.[83] The Stadium of Light also held anEngland under 20 match againstItaly on 27 November 2002, Italy beat England 5–3.[84] On 10 June 2003 it hosted anEngland's under-21s2004 U21 European Championship qualifier match againstSlovakia's under-21s. The hosts beat the visitors 2–0 throughPeter Doležaj's fortieth minute own goal andPhil Jagielka's eighty third-minute goal with 11,223 in attendance.
On 4 March 2016 it was announced that the Stadium of Light would host England for a friendly againstAustralia on 27 May 2016 as part of their preparations forEuro 2016.[85] The sold-out match finished in a 2–1 victory for England, with goals fromMarcus Rashford (on his international debut),Wayne Rooney and an own goal fromEric Dier.[86]
On 30 September 2021, it was announced that the Stadium would host its first women's football international; anEngland2023 World Cup qualifier againstAustria on 27 November 2021.[87]
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 October 1999 | England  | 2–1 |  Belgium | Friendly | 40,897 | [88] |
| 27 November 2002 | England | 3–5 |  Italy | U20 Four Nations Tournament | 6,544 | [89] |
| 2 April 2003 | England | 2–0 |  Turkey | UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying | 47,667 | [90] |
| 10 June 2003 | England | 2–0 |  Slovakia | 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 11,223 | [91] |
| 27 May 2016 | England | 2–1 |  Australia | Friendly | 46,595 | [92] |
| 27 November 2021 | England | 1–0 |  Austria | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification | 9,159 | [93] |
| 22 September 2023 | England | 2–1 |  Scotland | 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League | 41,947 | [94] |
The Stadium of Light has hosted the final of theDurham Challenge Cup three times; in 2008, 2019.[95] and 2023.[96] It was due to host the 2020 final, but this was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Stadium of Light has also played host to finals for youth football, including the U14 Premier League Cup Final in 2014.[97]
In August 2023, the stadium was confirmed as one of eight host venues for the women's2025 Women's Rugby World Cup.[98][99] In December 2023, it was confirmed that the stadium would host the tournament's opening game.[100][101]
| Date | Country | Score | Country | Use | Attendance | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 August 2025 | England | vs |  United States | 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup |
| Date | Artist | Tour | Attendance | Revenue [citation needed] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 June 2009 | Take That | Take That Presents: The Circus Live | — | — |
| 6 June 2009 | ||||
| 10 June 2009 | Oasis | Dig Out Your Soul Tour | — | — |
| 27 May 2011 | Take That | Progress Live | 206,334 / 206,334 | $21,600,077 |
| 28 May 2011 | ||||
| 30 May 2011 | ||||
| 31 May 2011 | ||||
| 11 June 2010 | Pink | The Funhouse Summer Carnival Tour | — | — |
| 17 June 2011 | Kings of Leon | Come Around Sundown World Tour | — | — |
| 7 June 2012 | Coldplay | Mylo Xyloto Tour | 55,220 / 55,220 | $4,331,891 |
| 21 June 2012 | Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band | Wrecking Ball World Tour | 41,564 / 52,900 [clarification needed] | $3,693,333 |
| 24 June 2012 | Red Hot Chili Peppers | I'm with You World Tour | — | — |
| 13 June 2013 | Bon Jovi | Because We Can Tour | 41,649 / 41,649 | $2,612,563 |
| 20 June 2013 | Rihanna | Diamonds World Tour | 54,259 / 54,259 | $4,413,716 |
| 28 May 2014 | One Direction | Where We Are Tour | 51,231 / 51,231 | $4,383,490 |
| 25 May 2015 | Foo Fighters | Sonic Highways World Tour | — | — |
| 28 June 2016 | Beyoncé | The Formation World Tour | 48,952 / 48,952 | $4,996,960 |
| 6 June 2019 | Spice Girls | Spice World – 2019 Tour | 45,429 / 45,429 | $4,512,900 |
| 3 June 2022 | Ed Sheeran | +–=÷× Tour | 106,641 / 106,641 | $8,887,711 |
| 4 June 2022 | ||||
| 19 June 2022 | Elton John | Farewell Yellow Brick Road | 33,771 / 33,771 | $4,609,018 |
| 23 May 2023 | Beyoncé | Renaissance World Tour | 44,790 / 44,790 | $6,727,118 |
| 10 June 2023 | P!nk | Summer Carnival | — | — |
| 11 June 2023 | ||||
| 22 May 2024 | Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band | 2024 World Tour | ||
| 4 July 2024 | Scouting for Girls | Stadium of Light Summer Sessions | — | — |
The Stadium of Light currently hosts the annual graduation ceremony for the students of theUniversity of Sunderland.[102] The stadium won the RSVP magazine'sMost creative use of a sporting venue award in 2007 for its usage as the university's graduation site.[103]
The highest football attendance at the Stadium of Light is 48,353 set on 13 April 2002 for a Premier League game between Sunderland and Liverpool. The Stadium attendance record for non-football is 60,000 on 3 June 2022 for an Ed Sheeran concert.[104]
The lowest league attendance at the stadium was 22,167 againstWigan Athletic on 2 December 2003.[105] The lowest recorded attendance for a first-team competitive game at the Stadium of Light was 3,498 vsOldham Athletic in theEFL Trophy Second Round on 1 December 2021.[106] Adead rubber game vs.Bradford City in the same tournament on 9 November 2021 did not have an officially recorded attendance.[107]
The highest seasonal average at the stadium since it was opened was 46,790 in the2000–01 season while Sunderland were playing in the Premier League.[108] The lowest average attendance at the Stadium of Light was 27,119 in the2003–04 season in Division One.[109] The highest total seasonal attendance was recorded during the1998–99 season when the aggregate was 890,660 in a season where Sunderland were First Division champions, andLeague Cup semi-finalists.[110] The lowest seasonal aggregate at the Stadium of Light was 572,241 in the2019–20 season, as Sunderland played only 19 of a planned 23 games due to the season's curtailment because of theCOVID-19 pandemic. The following season saw all games played behind closed doors due to the pandemic.
In the2018-19 season, Sunderland averaged a home league crowd of 32,156, setting a new record forthe third tier, while theBoxing Day game againstBradford City attracted 46,039, both a League One record, and the highest attended league game outside of thePremier League that season.[111]
On 13 October 2024,Sunderland A.F.C. Women andNewcastle United W.F.C. set a new attendance record of 15,387 for theWomen's Championship in their first meeting in the league, aWear–Tyne derby match played at the stadium.[112] The previous record had been an attendance of 11,137, set in 2022.[113]
Sunderland's largest margin of victory at the stadium was a 7–0 win overOxford United in Division 1 during the1998–99 promotion season.
Sunderland's biggest defeat at the Stadium of Light was 5–0 in a preseason friendly (marking the 20th anniversary of the stadium) againstCeltic on 29 July 2017.[114] Sunderland's biggest league defeat at the Stadium of Light is 4–0 which has happened on five occasions: vs.Arsenal (11 May 2003), vs.Manchester United (26 December 2007), vs.Aston Villa (14 March 2015), vs.Southampton (11 February 2017) and vs.Middlesbrough (7 October 2023).
The highest scoring matches at the Stadium of Light with nine goals are a 6–3 Sunderland victory overExeter City in Round 2 of theEFL Cup on 25 August 2015, and a 5–4 Sunderland defeat toCoventry City in League One on 13 April 2019.[115]
Sunderland railway station is connected toLondon King's Cross by main line services run byLondon North Eastern Railway connecting via Newcastle or Darlington and by occasional direct services run by the Open Access operatorGrand Central. The station is near the stadium.[116] TheSt Peter's andStadium of Light Metro stations were built as part of the Sunderland extension. Both are quite near the stadium, though ironically St. Peter's is nearer to the stadium than the Stadium of Light station. TheMetro was extended into Sunderland in 2002.[117] Apark and ride system is available on match days to allow spectators to park away from the stadium,[118] and a new footbridge has been proposed to link the stadium to the south bank of the river as part of the stadium park regeneration project.[119]
General
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)54°54′51.94465″N1°23′17.42269″W / 54.9144290694°N 1.3881729694°W /54.9144290694; -1.3881729694
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