I wrote recently about the Shadowlands - a quiet place we’ve reached after a long battle, where we can rest and recover before going again. In some mythical cultures, the Shadowlands are sustained by a life force from the deceased: our forefathers of the Roker Roar, the twelve pit deaths at Monkwearmouth Colliery in 1862 and 1869, directly beneath the Stadium of Light. The energy of long-gone miners, glassblowers, and shipbuilders, woven into the fabric of this great club.
The Roker Roar was noted by visiting players and fans, none more so than the - possibly apocryphal - story of a newspaper reporter lingering around Roker Park after the 1973 FA Cup tie with Manchester City.
When asked what he was doing, he reportedly said it was a great gimmick, but where were the speakers hidden to make the crowd so loud?
The roar is a blend of fans cheering for their team, fused with the emotion and togetherness they feel for their club and community. Some dull scientific theory suggests the noise was amplified by an onshore breeze from the coast, mixing with a dense sea fret to create a swirling cacophony.
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Whatever it is - it’s coming. Be ready.
This mighty club was heading the wrong way. It has navigated choppy waters throughout its history, but since its refurbishment at the Stadium of Light, Ellis Short put it in reverse. Perhaps a necessary evil, but Stewart Donald may have slowed our backward drift.
Now, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and his team have turned this great sailing vessel around. We’re picking up speed, heading back to familiar waters. This is a mighty club on the banks of the silvery Wear. Don’t let anyone claim it’s not a big club, whatever their definition.
I see the Stadium of Light’s searchlight beam piercing the night sky, calling all to arms. I’d love to see it working again. I feel the rumblings of euphoria approaching. Native American scouts once pressed their ears to the ground to hear distant hooves.
great liner HMS Sunderland is gaining speed. The excitement in the city and among supporters is almost tangible. If you listen carefully, you can hear it.