Sunderland RCA eye collaboration with Black Cats as non-league strain grows | OneFootball

Sunderland RCA are now the city’s only Northern League club, and their manager Mark Forrest wants to explore ways to boost gates alongside Sunderland’s Premier League boom.

As reported by Sunderland Echo, Forrest views collaboration and fixture tweaks as potential 'out of the box' responses to fragile times for clubs at this level.

The Black Cats returned to the Premier League last season when Regis Le Bris won the play-off final against Sheffield United. Summer signings, including Granit Xhaka, Robin Roefs and Brian Brobbey, have underpinned sell-outs and wins over Chelsea, Brentford and twice against Newcastle United.

Below that, the picture is stark. Ryhope CW folded three years ago weeks after lifting the Durham Challenge Cup, Farringdon Detached have quit the Wearside League, and Sunderland West End will leave the Northern League at season’s end.

That leaves RCA as the city’s sole Northern League side and its highest-ranked non-league club, despite playing in Division Two. They even lodged a provisional resignation in February 2023, citing finance, support and committee numbers, before withdrawing it to begin a rebuild.

Forrest praised Sunderland’s resurgence and noted Middlesbrough’s efforts to direct fans towards clubs such as Boro Rangers. He said moving some fixtures to Friday nights and better avoiding clashes with Sunderland could help, a concern echoed across the Northern League.

Source: Sunderland Echo