Sunderland 2-1 analysis: Black Cats take the handbrake off with their fans on board; Suderland's fans have been put through an awful lot in recent years but they stayed with their team and inspired them to a dramatic opening-day win.
Byline: Stuart Rayner
They came with high hopes, and for once they did not leave the Stadium of Light disappointed. For a long time it had looked like they might.
The energetic Stewart Donald buying out the apathetic Ellis Short had built a mood of optimism on Wearside, but a summer is a long time to keep that balloon in the air.
It would be just likeSunderlandto ruin everything by losing.
Before kick-off fans mingled withDonald,having a pint with them in the reopened fanzone. Long before the end, Short had stopped going to matches, never mind mixing it with supporters.
But once it came down to the football, things started to look ominously familiar.
Enjoying their pre-match drinks delayed some getting to their seats and when they tried to, their season cards were not playing ball. When the game started, plenty were outside, anxious to get in.
If the fans were late to the party, so were many players.
To say Alim Ozturk looked rusty would be polite. He has had just three disrupted pre-season matches, and does not look up to speed. With Glenn Loovens just as pedestrian, Lyle Taylor was having a field day.
Taylor ballooned an early free-kick and Karlan Grant hit one into the wall either side of the opening goal.
With Sunderland unable to lay a glove on Charlton Athletic, it threatened the mood.
When Prokofiev had belted out earlier than usual, the south west corner responded by drowning it out with songs of their own.
It would be nice if having set the terrace chants rolling, the PA system left them to it. Instead the players came out to some awful rave music.
The noise as the whistle blew to kick off was impressive. With the fans now concentrated into the lower bowl of the Stadium of Light, it makes for a much better atmosphere. They roared their approval whenever there was anything positive to get excited about -- the problem was, it was not very often,
By the time everyone was in the ground there was not quite the 31,079 announced -- Sunderland's attendances include season ticket holders whether in the ground or on a beach enjoying their summer holidays -- but it was certainly an impressive League One crowd.
As the half went on, the volume turned down. The players were giving them nothing to feed off.
Verdict: Sunderland claim a dramatic opening day victory
Suddenly you could hear the Charlton fans -- the one group of supporters left in the upper tiers -- lapping up their lead. Last season the home fans would have been silent, struck dumb...
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