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THE FANS MUSEUM: DRINKING IT IN
The matchday pint is somewhat of an institution for football fans up and down the land. Pubs in villages, towns and cities all over are filled up with supporters eagerly anticipating the upcoming match. Each and every drinking establishment has their own charm, that is one reason why supporters choose it as their pre match drinking venue.
For fans in Sunderland, one drinking establishment stands out in the city for more than one reason. The thing with this building is that it is so much more than a place to go for a pint. The Fans Museum has become a key component in Sunderland’s rich footballing tapestry. An organisation operated by a dedicated team of volunteers; the museum is located in a building which is a piece of local history in itself.
Monkwearmouth train station served the city from 1848 to 1967. Half a century after it closed the building was commissioned as a footballing treasure trove. After several years a vast range of footballing memorabilia, both Sunderland AFC related and otherwise, has been collected and now displayed on the walls of this Victorian era, now Grade II listed, building.
Some pieces go back to the days of when the building was still an operational station, whilst some shirts are from an era of not too long ago. The museum is open during the week, with some community events taking place in the building from time to time. Two bars located within the museum with plenty of choices make a good experience even better.
They also give fans a chance to buy a pint for someone who has gone down in SAFC folklore. Bobby Kerr played over 350 matches for Sunderland, and during his spell as captain he earned himself the nickname of ‘The Little General’ as a result of his short stature and tough style of play.
Kerr, who is also an ambassador for the museum, was the last man to lift the FA Cup for Sunderland when he led the Black Cats to a 1-0 victory against Leeds in 1973. Now, almost 50 years later, you can join him for a drink in the museum. How many football clubs can boast this? The number is even less than those who can boast a venue like the fans’ museum.
He is an important figure in an establishment that has been built from the ground up during a period of time that has (mainly) been disappointing for Sunderland AFC on the pitch. Michael Ganley started with a small collection of his own, creating essentially a one man travelling show to various events.
He set this up in 2012 and took on a building that was closed and created the only interactive museum of its kind in the world. In 2022, Michael has a collection with roughly 10,000 pieces in it without programmes. The displays change from time to time and around 300-500 pieces are displayed monthly.
It was during this time that I spoke to Michael and other volunteers at the museum for the first time. It was clear to see that the building was quickly coming together, and what was even clearer were the ambitious plans the group had moving forward.
The enthusiasm from all involved was clear from the off, and it was easy to see that the building was in excellent hands. Like all public buildings in the UK when the nation went into lockdown, the museum closed its doors. The place which has become a social hub for people from all
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