David Bruce on Sunderland’s Roker End redevelopment and Legends’ Way plan | OneFootball

Sunderland have confirmed plans to revamp the exterior plaza by the Roker End at the Stadium of Light, to be finished before the 2026-27 season. At its centre will be Legends’ Way, a supporter landmark celebrating the club’s history.

Running through the development, Wembley Path will link the existing Bob Stokoe statue to a newly commissioned statue of record appearance holder Jimmy Montgomery.

Sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn will create the Montgomery piece, having also produced the original Stokoe statue. Stokoe’s figure will be repositioned to recreate the 1973 FA Cup celebration as he ran towards Montgomery.

Fourteen further stones honouring club legends will be set in the pathway after a supporter vote. The famed ‘Welcome to Sunderland’ sign from Roker Park will return on the Roker End side and be illuminated.

Chief business officer David Bruce said Legends’ Way celebrates the past while creating a new focal point, and credited historian Rob Mason with first proposing the Stokoe and Montgomery link.

He added that changing travel patterns have shaped the design, and that seeing the restored sign then entering via Legends’ Way will be a special experience for years to come.

Supporters can buy personalised stones priced from £99 to £500, from 200mm by 100mm up to 400mm by 400mm. Each allows two to four lines with up to 15 characters per line, and some include the club crest.

Fans can also choose placement, including along Wembley Path, beside the legend stones, around the Stokoe and Montgomery statues or elsewhere in the Roker End plaza.

Source: Sunderland Echo