The red and white army turned out in full force last season travelling over 8,500 miles – but this season they will travel even more!
Sunderland’s 2017-18 campaign will kick-off at the Stadium of Light on Friday 4 August against Derby County in the Sky Bet Championship’s curtain-raiser.
And their first away outing of the season will see the Black Cats make a 501-mile round-trip to take on Norwich City on Saturday 12 August.
Their last visit to Carrow Road ended in a stunning 3-0 win as Jermain Defoe, Fabio Borini and Duncan Watmore struck a seismic blow in the battle for survival.
The longest round-trip of the campaign will see Sunderland travel 628 miles to Cardiff City, with a journey to the Bluebirds’ neighbours, Bristol City, serving up a 596-mile slog.
And trips to Reading (598 miles) and Fulham (584 miles) will be equally mountainous.
By contrast, the Black Cats’ shortest journey of the campaign will see them travel just 70 miles south to Middlesbrough, with a trip to Leeds United ranking second at 200 miles.
Sunderland will travel to the capital on four occasions to take on Brentford, Fulham, newly-promoted Millwall and Queens Park Rangers, who they defeated 2-1 in last season’s EFL Cup.
And the Lads will also regularly visit Yorkshire and the Midlands with two trips to the Steel City – to take on Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday – on the agenda alongside visits to Barnsley, Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Nottingham Forest and Preston North End among others.
Saturday 25 November will also mark a first-ever trip to the Pirelli Stadium to face Burton Albion, with the sides yet to meet in competitive competition.
But there is a connection between the two, with the Brewers managed by Nigel Clough, son of former Sunderland striker Brian.
The Black Cats’ final away outing of the season will come on the penultimate weekend of the campaign, as a trip to Craven Cottage clocks up the final miles to bring their total to 9,232.
