CTWD have been speaking to Sunderland fan SAM LIGHTLE from ‘A Love Supreme’ a popular Sunderland fanzine ahead of the crucial game with Hull City this Saturday. Here’s what he had to say on the proposal of a name change ever arising at his club…

Not at my club… Sunderland

 Football today seems to be run on the principles of money, money, money … If you have a lot of cash then you’re going to be successful. Football has almost become a platform for the world’s richest men to show off their wealth by buying a Premier League club…

Yes we all want to see super stars come to our club and for us to win more than we lose but is that really what the real values of football are about? As a Sunderland fan I love the history behind the club, I love how our ground is built on the site of one of the City’s old mines to honour the city’s heritage something that my family were involved in as well as my friend’s families.

But when this foreign investment comes in, do they really care or are they quietly ignorant to the fact of the huge traditions that we have in this country and at our specific clubs individually? However, if our foreign owners were to change our name to SFC and take out the Association part, I wouldn’t be too fussed, it’s just when they change the name to suit their bulging pockets.

When we got the nickname as ‘the Black Cats’ our former one as Rokerrites was never an official one, however, our new one came through an internet vote. Although, it was at the time when the internet was in its infancy so not many people knew about it (making it a pointless process really).

When we moved to our new stadium many people wanted to name it ‘New Roker Park’ in memory of the old ground but I suppose it was inevitable that the club would change it as part of a new start but we felt we were in good hands at the time because the then chairman, Bob Murray, had close links to the city.

If my club was to change their name, nickname, kit colour, stadium name for commercial and business reasons I would hate it. Because from an outside point of view it turns you into a laughing stock but do the owners care about that? Of course not. They only care about the money in their pocket and the profit margins. The idea of a working class game is no more; it’s all about corporate people as that’s who the club can make more money off.

Football has lost its soul.

Sam Lightle – A Love Supreme (Sunderland fanzine)