Travelling Jacks – Sunderland

Distance from the Swansea.com Stadium: 333 miles.

Address: Stadium Of Light, Sunderland, SR5 1SU
Telephone No: 0871 911 1200
Web-site: www.safc.com

What’s the Stadium of Light Like

The Stadium of Light generates a lot of noise with the PA system blasting and the Sunderland supporters really friendly. 3,000 Swans fans are in the upper tier of the north stand at one end of the stadium. The facilities and views are excellent. Food and drink on offer are fish & chips, pies, pasties, and jumbo sausage rolls. Carling, Carling cider, Worthington and wine are sold. Also a 2 pint, 2 pie deal for £12.

Visiting Sunderland

If you’re going to do a footy weekend, there’s no better place than just up the road at Newcastle, and a good number of hotels makes this possible (way too many to list).

Loads of restaurants, pubs and clubs make Newcastle a party destination, where you’re bound to encounter countless hen and stag parties.

Sunderland itself has plenty of places to stay. It has a Marriott, a Best Western and a few B & B’s.

Pubs and Grub

Outside the South East stand there’s a Fan Zone with free entry open 3 hours before kick off and an hour after the game. There’s live bands, large screens and food and drink outlets. The ‘William Jameson’ (SR1 1RH), a Wetherspoons in the centre of town is welcoming. ‘The Albion’ (SR6 0EN) on Victor Street, is a 5 minute walk from the ground, with parking nearby; it’s friendly and has a chippy a few doors away.

Two social clubs – The Sunderland Companions Club (SR5 1AH), and New Democratic Club (SR5 1AH), are both a walk 5 minute away, on the road approaching the Wearmouth Bridge on the North (stadium side) of the river. They both get very busy, and will offer a warm welcome to away fans, and serve cheap beer. The ‘Colliery Tavern’ (SR5 1EQ) is mainly a home fans pub but allows away fans in and shows football several TVs. It also has a marquee outside, also serving beer as well as a burger van.

If you have spare time, the ‘Harbour View’ (SR6 0NU) is a 15-20 minute walk. Go along Roker Avenue, opposite the main entrance to the stadium to the seafront. Turn left along the seafront and you’ll see the pub up on the left. It serves good beer, reasonably priced food with large screen TVs. You’ll get some good views along the coast here. The Wolsey (SR6 0ES) a few doors away and has real ales, a large eating area and outside decking with glass windbreaks. It also has live music Saturday and Sunday night

Parking at the Stadium of Light

There’s limited car parking at the ground; but traffic for a few miles around the ground is pretty bad, so allow plenty of time. Alternatively, park in the city centre and walk to the ground (10-15 minutes).

There’s free ‘Park & Ride’ on match-days at Sunderland Enterprise Park, (SR5 3XG); buses run every 5 minutes, for 90 minutes before kick-off and after the game.

You can also choose from a selection of private car parking spaces near the Stadium of Light – including on-street parking, off-street car parks and around 278 reservable parking spaces from just £3.00 per day.

Trains to Sunderland

A train from Swansea is an 8 hour trip and given the train times, we’d recommend an overnight stay.

The station is a 15 minute walk to the stadium. Exit the station opposite Greggs, turn right towards a JJB store; walk through the gap between JJB and a nail bar. Keep walking ahead and you’ll see the stadium in 100 metres over the Wearmouth Bridge. Cross the bridge, and turn left into Millennium Way, opposite ‘The Wheatsheaf’ (SR6 0BN), a football pub that welcomes away fans with open arms; the away entrance is straight ahead.

‘Stadium of Light’ and ‘St. Peters’ Metro stations are a few minutes’ walk from the stadium, Swans fans should use St Peters as its closer to our entrance.

Flying to Sunderland

If you don’t fancy the drive, bus or train journey to the north east, then you can always fly to Newcastle instead!

With Newcastle airport just 24 miles away, the Metro runs from the airport to the stadium every 15 minutes with the trip just 55 minutes.

For the Travelling Jacks making the trip – Be Loud, Be Proud and Be Positive!