There’s something special about the Stadium of Light on a Monday night, and Sunderland’s return to the Sky Sports spotlight against Everton perfectly captured the spirit of a club reborn. Régis Le Bris’ side battled to a 1-1 draw in front of a vibrant home crowd, with every tackle, pass and near miss greeted by a wall of noise from the Roker End. From young fans waving flags to families wrapped up in red and white scarves, the occasion was as much about the people as it was the football.
It’s been a long road back to nights like this for Sunderland supporters – under the lights, against one of English football’s most established clubs, in a fixture that felt truly Premier League again. Here are 86 brilliant photos capturing the passion, colour and emotion of the Black Cats faithful at the Stadium of Light.