Source: Daily_Mail
Northern Exposure: Ignore Quinn's last orders at your peril as Sunderland fight exodus to the pub
The threat should be taken seriously. Niall Quinn says he will have to question his role at Sunderland if he can't persuade a core of the club's fans to turn their back on illegal live coverage of matches at the Stadium of Light in the region's pubs. [LNB]It is a large-scale practice which is hitting the club's attendances and Quinn's aim of reaching a 40,000-plus average to prove to owner Ellis Short that his enormous investments are worthwhile. [LNB]Read more: Sunderland reveal losses of ?25m as Ellis Short extends investment Choppy waters: Niall Quinn pictured for Sportsmail looking out over Roker beach[LNB] More from Colin Young... Northern Exposure: Newcastle's Plan D... ?35m Carroll to journeyman Finn11/02/11 Northern Exposure: Broken promises, sackfuls of cash and a star departure01/02/11 Northern Exposure: Barton's form has earned him a second England chance26/01/11 Colin Young: Bent's fantasy deal brings Sunderland crashing back to earth18/01/11 Northern Exposure: Three reasons why the hotbed of football became a laughing stock during a weekend of FA Cup shocks 11/01/11 Northern Exposure: New Year's resolutions for the north east big three05/01/11 Northern Exposure: Barton, from villain to the man Newcastle can't lose22/12/10 Northern Exposure: Pardew better not promise that Carrolll is going nowhere14/12/10 VIEW FULL ARCHIVEMore than 40,000 did turn up to see Saturday's defeat to Tottenham, which was legitimately televised, and that matched the promising October attendances. It's the games againstsides outside the top six where Sunderland often struggle.[LNB]The run-up to Christmas also hit pockets and crowds hard in a region hardly over-flowing with cash, and with West Brom, Wigan, Fulham and Wolves to come in the final four games of the season, Quinn needs manager Steve Bruce to help sustain interest in those encounters with a push for Europe. [LNB]The relationship between the club and supporters has been fractious for years and it is understandable that Mackems are among the most pessimistic supporters in the land. [LNB]They have been so close and yet so far for decades and most of the blame does lie in the boardroom, despite any good intentions in there. Some Sunderland fans still struggle to forgive and forget. [LNB]Quinn has changed the relationship, and it is certainly a lot healthier than the one that exists between directors and supporters on Tyneside, and he has brought them close to the sort of success they enjoyed, but certainly didn't appreciate enough, under Peter Reid. [LNB]He has also drastically reduced ticket and season ticket prices, particularly for younger fans. It's cheaper to watch Sunderland than non-league Darlington. [LNB]The defeat to Newcastle this season hasn't helped matters, however, and Bruce and Quinn - and the players - must never forget their vow to put that dreadful day right.[LNB] But it was the excuse quite a few fans were looking for to stay away, and there is no doubt an afternoon in the pub has its attractions. And it can't help that every time they go well over that magic mark (42, 892 home to Blackpool December 28), they seem to lose (Sunderland 0, Blackpool 2). [LNB]The manager and chairman know that. No one could ever accuse them of not understanding the joys of a few beers with your mates while taking in a game. But whatever their selfish intentions and the money saved, this illegal trade is harming all levels of the game. Quinn has had enough. [LNB]He used strong, emotive and insulting language deliberately last week when he challenged the stay-aways to give up their pub time to return to his stadium. [LNB]Quinn said: 'I did use emotive language, I did think long and hard about using the word despise. It was a tactical thing to say, which worked and it got a response. [LNB]'I'm delighted it got us to the frontpage of the papers and radio programmes and at last I can have a meaningful debate. I'm able to highlight the problem, I'm able to tell you our crowd has lost around 6,000 people in the time we became successful. [LNB]'Anybody who says they can't afford to come down to the game, there's no way I would ever criticise, the problem is that people are going down to thepub and spending equivalent amounts of money. [LNB] Big problems: Sunderland have often struggled to fill the magnificent Stadium of Light[LNB]'If a core number of people want to start doing it that way instead of coming to support the club, then maybe I'll have to question my role here. That's how seriously I take this. I want to say I'm delighted to have the debate.' [LNB]And as long as some customers have an opportunity to watch live games in the comfort of a pub, especially during the kind of winter once again just experienced in the North East, they are bound to seek refuse indoors with a pint in front of them. These are difficult economic times for football, for pubs and breweries, and for all their customers. [LNB]Landlords and football chairmen will grab any marketing ploy or cost-cutting measure to get customers through their doors, even if it is illegal. And especially if they can get away with it. Ask any pub owner and he or she will tell you they pay too much for Sky's coverage. [LNB]And if they can get the same coverage cheaper, it's a no brainer. The European Courts, and not Niall Quinn, will decide the future of illegal broadcasts in our pubs and the indications are that the European Court of Justice favour allowing British pub landlords to show live Premier League matches from foreign channel feeds if they want to. [LNB]A decision in their favour has wide-ranging repercussions for clubs like Sunderland and the final judgement on Portsmouth landlady Karen Murphy's case will be eagerly anticipated by the broadcasters, football directors, and of course fans.[LNB]It is a complicated and emotive subject, as Quinn knew, but at the root of it, for Sunderland supporters at least, there are serious repercussions. [LNB] Point to prove: Darren Bent walked out on Sunderland during the January transfer window[LNB]Quinn has not had a particularly good year off the field at Sunderland. The loss of England's World Cup bid was a big blow on Wearside where Quinn had to shelve plans to re-develop areas around the Stadium of Light, including a new hotel, plus all the benefits to the entire region hosting a few games would have brought. [LNB]Then Darren Bent did what the modern footballer does and abandoned Sunderland for Aston Villa, and more money. Only Quinn knows what happened in private between the player and the two clubs. And he was not impressed, to put it mildly. [LNB]It is now nearly five years since Quinn put together the original team from Ireland to buy out Bob Murray, and start building a board which would learn from his predecessor's mistakes, and re-build the relationship with the fans he adored him as a player, and a man. [LNB]He has overseen the handing over of power to Short, and brought in new board members to support him. He has attracted box office managers, found the resources to build enough Sunderland squads to last a lifetime, and steadily shifted them up the Premier League table. [LNB]From the start of this difficult and energy-sapping experience, Quinn warned that five years would be about enough, and he would start to look at handing over the reigns. Living between Ireland and Sunderland, with a growing family and wife, cannot be easy, on top of the daily demands that come with being a football club chairman. [LNB]He still hasn't finished the job, Sunderland are still (slowly) making progress, but there is no doubt major progress has been made on his watch. And it would be a devastating blow for Sunderland, and their supporters, and English football, if he was to see out his threat and walk away over an issue which Sunderland fans themselves can control. [LNB][LNB] Explore more:People: Darren Bent, Steve Bruce, Niall Quinn Places: Newcastle, United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe
