Sunderland fan praises club as safe standing plan for U18 is scaled back | OneFootball

A 70-year-old Sunderland supporter has thanked the club after it revised safe standing plans for block U18 at the Stadium of Light. According to Sunderland Echo, the change was confirmed on 3 June following feedback from older fans.

In 2024/25, 2,000 rail seats were added in the Roker End. The club then proposed extending rail seating to parts of the Roker End and the South West corner, namely blocks U40, U15, U16, U17 and U18.

John Marshall, in U18 and a season-ticket holder for 40 years, feared he and friends with hip replacements would struggle to stand for long periods. He and fellow supporters wrote to the club to set out their concerns.

On 2 June the club’s safety team confirmed a revised approach. Rail seating in U18 will be limited to the top seven rows, where standing is most common, with lower rows kept seated to protect sightlines and those with mobility needs.

A club spokesperson said the wider rollout, building on 2,000 safer standing spaces in 2024/25, includes blocks U40, U15, U16, U17 and U18 for the 2026/27 season. They added the U18 area will be monitored and future needs reviewed.

Marshall thanked the club for listening, while A Love Supreme’s Paul Dobson welcomed both the expansion and a solution that protects supporters who cannot stand, noting many younger fans still prefer to.

Source: Sunderland Echo