Sunderland’s Renaissance Is Gathering Pace!

For far too long, Sunderland — as a city and a football club — was a source of ridicule for people outside the area. It was easy to be derogatory towards both because the city needed a boost and for years, the club struggled in the third tier after being run into the ground.

As someone from the city and who grew up in County Durham but lived further away, the ridicule was regular. I’ve always taken pride in being from the North East but now it finally seems like we have something deserving of our pride.

When you drive into Sunderland nowadays, you’re greeted with a mural that depicts two of the biggest moments in our recent footballing history.

If you carry on past it towards the city centre, you’ll see some of the development that has come about in recent years. Next to all of this is the Ray Lonsdale-created sculpture, Gan Canny, depicting dray horses at the old Vaux brewery that was located close to the site.

In this part of the city, the past is respected whilst the future takes centre stage.

Keel Square is brimming with food and drink spots, as is Sheepfolds, which also occupies a historical part of Sunderland and is being brought back to life. The city is thriving more than it has for years and there are plans to bring about plenty more job opportunities and creative projects in the coming months and years.

One huge event to look forward to next year is BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend Festival, which will take over Herrington Park in May.

During the 2025 edition, 50,000 people attended each day of the festival and it’l, be another huge event on the regional calendar — firmly placed in Sunderland. The wait is on to see who’ll be taking to the stage in the park, with recent years suggesting it should be pretty eye-catching.

I don’t get back to the North East too often at the moment, and this has given me a new appreciation of the area.

I’m back on Saturday for the Bournemouth game, and it might be the most excited I’ve been to get back to the Stadium of Light. Watching Sunderland grow from a distance is fun, but the occasional trip back to Wearside is appreciated far more these days.

Both Sunderland and the North East in general are moving forward in ways they deserve to.

It’s a beautiful part of the world and as well as friendly people and stunning scenery, there’s a football club that we can be proud of. The future is bright both on and off the Stadium of Light pitch; it’s something that’s been a long time coming and an even longer time deserved.

Saturday at Fulham was a bump in the road and when we return to the Stadium of Light on Saturday, we’ll be back at home in a city on the rise as a club that is in the best shape it’s been in living memory. The sky is the limit for both.