Quote Originally Posted by Young_Nudger View Post
Yes - but you are talking about the influence of history there regarding Sunderland.

If Sunderland had the same history as Barnsley they would be getting the same attendances as Barnsley.

You have mentioned the word ‘doldrums’.
In my time watching Barnsley the club has rarely been out of the doldrums.

I can say Alan Clarke years, Norman Hunter years, the Glavin era, the John Dennis era were good.
All the rest have been doldrums years.
Including most of Patrick’s 15 year reign.

And then PMG took over and those yo yo years were going to end.
But didn’t.
The club (and Town) are crying out for a sustained period of success.
So history in your opinion has a bearing on what kind of support that a football club can drag. I don't necessarily subscribe to that school of thought and here's a few examples why...

Sunderland have a good history of course but so too do Huddersfield Town, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton wanderers and Preston NE. I don't see those clubs dragging at times gates of 40k in league one or the championship in this day and age. They aren't even close Nudger.

Sunderland have won one major trophy in the last 86 years- the FA Cup in 1973 which as we know was an unexpected bolt from the blue- they were a second division outfit at the time.

Modern history? I think you'll agree that it's fair to say that Sunderland haven't had that sustained success barring the Peter Reid era where they were a mid table Premiership club forra few seasons with the odd top ten finish chucked in.