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On Friday night, the reputation of Sunderland, both as a club and a city, was tarnished by disorderly actions of certain individuals who disgracefully behaved as ‘patriots,’ some of whom wore our red and white stripes.
This issue isn’t unique to us, and I acknowledge that various societal problems need to be addressed appropriately. However, that wasn’t what occurred last week, and it certainly doesn’t represent what Sunderland stands for. Our city and club, known for valuing hard work and unity, should not be divided by hateful extremists exploiting tragic incidents elsewhere to spread their venom.
I’m incredibly proud of the strides my city has made in recent years to overcome disadvantages imposed by external forces, none of whom are being targeted now. I firmly believe Sunderland will continue to thrive if it remains welcoming to those who wish to be part of it. Those who aim to destroy our communities and divert attention from real dangers are not welcome. Their actions left everyone heartbroken and bewildered on Saturday morning.
The positive aspect of this story is that by the time we headed to Bradford, numerous volunteers had already begun to make a positive impact by cleaning up the streets. These individuals deserve to wear Sunderland colors, and thankfully many of them were. It was heartening to see them while driving past Keel Square, a reminder that the majority of people are respectful and caring. Their message, and hopefully that of everyone reading this, is that those who intimidate the innocent and vandalize working people’s property do not represent us.
