Sunderland AFC kick off their Sky Bet League One campaign on Saturday with an EFL curtain-raiser against Charlton Athletic.
The Black Cats have now sold 21,950 season cards for the new campaign – a record for League One - and the club now has a new target in their sights. The top average attendance over a season in the third tier of English football is currently held by Manchester City, with a total of 28,261 twenty years ago, and Sunderland is aiming to beat this.
Saturday’s game will see a new-look Sunderland side, with manager Jack Ross welcoming ten new signings to his squad so far and counting.
Fans will also see a number of other changes with the much-heralded first tranche of new seats, the FanZone opening once again and changes to the pre-match music schedule.
Further improvements to the matchday experience will be implemented in the coming weeks and months.
26,000 tickets have already been sold for the Charlton game, but executive director Charlie Methven is urging as many fans as possible to come along and get behind the team: “Saturday not only heralds the start of a new season, but also a new dawn at Sunderland.
“We have set a target to beat Man City’s record and become the best supported third-tier side in modern football history. Doing so will send out a clear message that we are Sunderland, we are proud of who we are and that despite the challenges of recent seasons, the club has its chest out again.
"My message to fans is that whether you’re a season card holder or can only attend a handful of games, you have an important part to play in shaping the future of your football club. Having everyone on the same page – fans, players, staff – will make us a tough proposition to beat this year and beyond.”
The Black Cats take on the Addicks in a 12.30pm kick off on Saturday. Tickets are still available for the game, starting from £20 for adults and just £7.50 for under 16s.
The Stadium of Light ticket office is open for sales weekdays from 9am until 5pm. It will be open from 9am until kick off on the day of the game.
Supporters are also reminded that they can book tickets online 24 hours a day, at www.safc.com.
HOW TO BUY TICKETS
Online: www.safc.com (24-hour service)
Telephone: 0371 911 1973 (operating hours replicate the ticket office opening hours listed below.
Calls charged at standard rate, plus your phone company’s access charge. The cost of calls from mobile phones may vary.
In-person: Stadium of Light ticket office, opening hours as listed -
Monday-Friday, 9am - 5pm
Matchday Saturday 9am-kick off (12.30pm)
Non-matchday Saturday, 9am - 2pm
Sunday, CLOSED
Bookings are subject to a fee of £1.25 per ticket and a postage charge (where applicable) of £1 per transaction, on all telephone and online orders to cover service charges and administrative costs.
In the case of group applications, a booking fee of £1.25 will be charged per ticket up to a maximum of £10 per application. Postage charges may vary, please contact the Ticket Office for more information.