Travellers on the East Coast mainline may have seen a huge Sunderland AFC sign as they approach Peterborough and wondered what it was. The huge sign points to the Stadium of Light one way and Wembley Stadium another.
It will be there for all Newcastle United fans to gaze at as they travel down to the capital this weekend to see the Magpies take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final. And rather than being a mickey take, as some have wondered, the real reason behind its existence has been revealed.
The eye-catching sign is all down to rail haulage company GB Railfreight and their CEO John Smith, who is a lifelong Sunderland fan. It was put up in 2023 after the Black cats beat Wycombe Wanderers to end their Wembley hoodoo.
“I’m a massive SAFC fan and some of my team, including one guy who is a big Newcastle fan, decided to arrange for this sign to be constructed and it has been positioned next to the mainline just outside our maintenance yard,” Smith told the Sunderland Echo.
“It was a fantastic surprise and was very kind of the team to do this form me – I’m really grateful.
“Gary Bennett travelled down to unveil the sign and it’s great that so many people will see the name of the club as they travel up and down the country.”
It stands next to a maintenance depot – the first depot GB Railfreight owned after it was launched in 1999. Now one of the largest freight companies in the UK, it operates 173 trains and employs more than 1,400 people and is responsible for moving moving 22% of Britain’s rail freight.
Decorated in red and white and with the Black Cats’ badge positioned centrally alongside the company’s own logo, the sign points north with 188 miles to the Stadium of Light and South, with 85 miles to go until reaching Wembley. It was erected after the Wearsiders finally enjoyed some success at the famous stadium after seven defeats in a row.
Also engraved in the centre of the sign are the names of all the home grounds the Black Cats have played at throughout their history. It also has the ‘ha’way the lads’ chant heard on the terraces of Roker Park and the Stadium of Light.
Smith added: “The design is based on the famous East Coast Mainline sign which sits halfway between Edinburgh and Kings Cross stations.
“I didn’t get to Wembley in 73 but I went to the following seven appearances in which we got beat. I think they decided to put Wembley on the sign after we eventually put this to bed by beating Wycombe Wanderers in the play-off final.”
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/giant-sunderland-afc-sign-east-31193122
