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Sunderland warn of ‘serious consequences’ after incident at Morecambe game

Sunderland warn supporters of ‘serious consequences’ after an incident at the League One game against Morecambe earlier in midweek.

Northumbria Police are working with the North East outfit by carrying out enquiries after a smoke bomb set off during the game at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night.

It took place around 65 minutes into the game, everyone inside the ground seeing bright red smoke discharged from the device as Sunderland beat their Lancashire opposition 5-0.

It was billowing from the lower tier of the Carling (North) Stand with claimed from Black Cats fans that it came from the away end who were seated in the upper tier of the same stand.

Northumbria Police and Sunderland City Council are aware of the incident and are working with SAFC, with supporters now urging that the travelling supporters should be housed in the lower tier going forward to prevent this from happening again, or worse, someone getting hurt.

The football club has issued a statement which said: “Sunderland AFC is currently working with the local authorities and enquiries are ongoing. The use of pyrotechnic devices breaches ground safety regulation and poses serious risk of injury to supporters and their fellow fans.

“We would like to remind all supporters visiting the Stadium of Light of the serious consequences they will face surrounding the possession or use of pyrotechnics and any other illegal items.”

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “We are aware of reports of a smoke flare being discharged at the Sunderland v Morcambe football match held at the Stadium of Light on December 7.

“Our officers are working closely with stadium officials as we carry out enquiries.”

A Morecambe FC club spokesperson said: “Morecambe Football Club will take the strongest possible action against the perpetrator(s), if it emerges that they are our ‘supporter(s)’.

“We pride ourselves on being a family friendly club and are in dialogue with Sunderland AFC over the incident so action can be taken against the culprit(s).

“This kind of behaviour has no place at football grounds and both Sunderland AFC and Morecambe are as one in condemning action of this nature.”

Previous incidents involving smoke bombs at Sunderland have led to lengthy bans from all football grounds, and it’s not the first time we’ve seen them from the away fans in the top tier.

Twitter users reacted as Sunderland warn of ‘serious consequences’ after an incident at the Morecambe game…

@ShaunMiddleto66: Another smoke bomb threw onto the north stand where there is bairns!! SHOCKING Morecambe 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 #SAFC @SunderlandAFC

@PCoundon1: About time the club put away fans on bottom tier.

@GARP1967: Happened too many times now. The club aren’t doing their job.. they shouldn’t be getting smuggled in & certainly shouldn’t have chance to throw them on our fans. Netting needs to go up immediately.

@ltp1966: Put netting up. If it blocks their view so be it. Something needs to be done ASAP.

@hursty_1: Get them back in the South stand in front of Security and the police cells. Absolute shambles moving them up there. It’s made the SOL a Library

@robbo212x: @SunderlandAFCRotten Shaun mate. About time @SunderlandAFC moved the away fans from the top tier. Better atmosphere and shit like that wouldn’t happen

@challiscj: Shocking from Morecambe. Not Wise.

@Safc_FLAF: It’ll be a long night for that helmet who threw that smoke bomb down from the away end into the North stand. A 5-0 away defeat and most likely a 3 year ban and your mates just let the stewards straight in to take you away 👏🤣🤣 #SAFC #SUNMOR #SunVmor

@andy11841100: When is my club @SunderlandAFC going to sort the away fans out with smoke bombs my 8 year old daughter nearly got hit off them she wanted to go home crying her eyes out she was scared!!! Well get this sorted out oh my season ticket is getting cancelled 😡

@Philip_RJ89: Disgraceful. As long as the away fans are seated in the upper north stand, perhaps it’s time to put netting in front of them, to prevent things from being thrown. It’s an ongoing problem.

@DeanoCummings85: or search fans properly, never mind netting and where they’re sat… search them properly before they enter the ground. They have the nerve to take bottle lids off pop bottles but let fireworks in

@SafcBucky76: The away fans should have never been put into the Upper North Stand. The logical place to put them would be the upper echelon of the prem concourse close to the SWC end! They are out of the way, the atmosphere gets better and the movement logistics improve massively!

@dean_longstaff: The reason we moved them was a good one, when the away team are attacking a full away end behind that goal gives them an advantage, I’d move them back down but not behind one of the goals, will have to be one of the corners, there’s police cells below the SWC tho 🤷‍♂️

@pjennings73pj: But them back in the South Stand and move everyone back to the North Stand.

@richy_choc: My season ticket is lower down in the North stand. This shouldn’t still be happening. Hiw ae these things getting past the searches? Why no police? Let’s not wait until someone gets seriously hurt!

@Philipberesfor2: Need more security, cost cutting again.

@g12mur: I have to admit that the away fins in the upper North Stand can be problematic. It needs to be resolved before someone get hurt. I have sympathy with the poster as I was only a few rows in front of where it landed and my first thoughts were shock and anyone hurt. Please sort it.

@lord_barrold: This is not the first time and it won’t be the last. Stewart Donald claimed after the first time it happened (vs Coventry in bloody 2019) we would sort it. Still waiting. And in that time Pompey and Oxford fans have hurled stuff down too! Who can we contact @CWaters_SAFC?

@johnkaystractor: This is an ongoing problem There was also an incident against Bolton an object was thrown down and hit a poor kid on the head a couple of rows infront of the row I was sitting with my kids. My 9 year old was very upset and worried it would happen again. A net is needed

@GunnerSAFC1973: It’s an absolute disgrace from the idiots who throw them. Hopefully no one got hurt. But moving fans isn’t the answer, they can still throw them left or right. Proper searches and harsh punishments are needed.

@ForeverAYellow: I agree with the net thing, I’m sure they have this at Sheffield United if I’m not mistaken and they dont have these sort of problems

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