The Owen Luder Sunderland AFC Stadium - Ryehill Football

04/04/2020 The Owen Luder Sunderland AFC Stadium – Ryehill Football
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The Owen Luder Sunderland AFC Stadium Main Pages
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It was 2008 when researching about the stadiums that Sunderland have had as homes that I came across a story that Limited Edition Art Print – David
I knew absolutely nothing about. It was born out of the following image that I was passed. Sque, Roy Of The Rovers;
Sunderland AFC, Raich Carter
1936
New SAFC Book – World

Champions – Sunderland AFC
1894/95
Opinion
Ryehill Football’s SAFC Image Of

The Month
I immediately set about trying to trace the architect involved in what was to be a planned new super stadium and
managed to track down the man himself; Owen Luder. This is the story of the Sunderland AFC stadium that never Shop
was as told by Luder himself: Shop – Cart
Notes on the 1970 Project for a Sunderland Super Stadium. Shop – Checkout
Shop – My Account
In 1970 my partnership had an of ce in Newcastle as we had a considerable Sunderland AFC 2019 Calendar
architectural work in the North East. The “Get Carter” Car park in the Trinity
The Sunderland AFC Collection
Square shopping centre had been completed some years earlier and the
ryehillfootball.co.uk/stories/the-owen-luder-sunderland-afc-stadium/?fbclid=IwAR2EXC74gaQsj14q-eYtbEPhGTRyB73YMDa1aX1UTa5-buzpuTKYGZe0yl4 1/9
Wickham “Rocket” tower block was in detail design stage in a mainly low rise Up For The Cup! Sunderland AFC
council housing development of which the Rocket tower (the shape is as it sits on And The FA Cup; 1884 to 1899
a circular concrete “cassion” foundation – the only way a tall building could be
supported on land riddled with the tunnels etc. from Victorian drift and deep
mining. Search …
I was approached by Sunderland FC a First Division soccer club to advise on Latest Articles
what to do with Roker Park. Apart from the poor quality of the facilities in the
Sunderland AFC’s First League
ground for spectators (very common with most rst division clubs before the
Champions 1891/92
Hillsborough disaster) there were increasing doubts on the safety of the main
The Art Of Sunderland AFC aka
stand. I was told although I do not know and did not question the truth of the Sunderland Til I Die
statement that the Sunderland Council Borough Engineer who had responsibility
Sunderland AFC And The 1951
for building safety was an avid Sunderland fan and was very reluctant to Festival Of Britain
condemn the stand as unsafe as he would create severe nancial and supporter
On Tour With The Lads: Millwall
problems for the club. 1979
Sunderland AFC 0 v 0 Stoke City

I was advised there was a tentative proposal for land along side the ground to be FC, 4 September 2018,
sold to a supermarket which it was hoped would provide the money to nance Checkatrade Trophy
whatever repairs were required for the stand and perhaps improve other supper Sunderland AFC 1 v 1 Oxford
facilities. United, Saturday 1 September
2018
My original brief was to advise on the condition of the main stand and ground Sunderland AFC 3 v 0 Scunthorpe
generally and the viability of selling off land for a supermarket development. United, 19 August 2018
The Sunderland Board was aware that I was an avid Arsenal supporter but that Sunderland AFC; The Team Of All
quite properly was not seen as an issue. The Talents
Harry Martin, Sunderland AFC

As background I had been writing and speaking in the media on the 1912 to 1922
unacceptably poor quality of accommodation and facilities at top soccer club

grounds, the track record of accidents resulting in deaths and injuries to suppers, Sunderland v She eld
and the economic lunacy of clubs owning dilapidated stadia eating their heads Wednesday, 16 August 2018
off in running costs and only used probably for about thirty home games each Sunderland Albion’s First Game, 5
May 1888
year.
George Holley; Sunderland AFC’s
My initial report con rmed that resolving the problems with the main stand “Shining Star”
would be very costly, maybe virtual rebuilding. Other parts of the ground also Sunderland AFC 2 v 1 Charlton
Athletic, 4 August 2018
needed upgrading to bring them up to reasonable standards of comfort for
supporters. Johnny Cochrane – Part 1
Sunderland AFC As The

My report indicated that I had doubts whether selling off land alongside for a Vancouver Royal Canadians – Part
supermarket would produce enough money to pay for all that was needed. 3
Buy: Sunderland AFC’s Finest

I then went on to explore the validity of the club being sited at Roker Park. Matches 1879 to 1939
Historically it had been built alongside the docks, shipyards and industry where Buy: Sunderland AFC’s Finest
the majority of the traditional supporters worked and most would have lived Matches 1940 to 1973
nearby. The factory whistle would go at 12.30 on a Saturday; many of the workers Third Division Days – Sunderland
AFC 1987/88
would go the nearby pub for a pint and a pie and then to the ground for a 3pm
kick off (2.15 in the depths of winter before floodlights). Wearside Leaves Gracefully;
Manchester City 3 v 2 Sunderland
AFC, 11 May 1991
By 1970 much of the industry, close to the ground – many of the supporters by
then worked and lived considerable distances from Roker Park. Saturday Rare Old Sunderland AFC Videos
morning working no longer applied to them and the logic of a club with 30,000 to Sunderland AFC Icons – Tom
Watson
40,000 supporters travelling in to the docks area for football could be questioned.
By 1970 accessibility and ease of travel were becoming increasingly important Aston Villa 1 v 4 Sunderland AFC,
Villa Park, 29 August 1955
factors in shopping habits and in following football.
In Search Of The Double –
Sunderland AFC 1912/13
Here We Go Again!
I emphasised that increasingly top football clubs would only stay at the top if they SAFC League Champions 1901/02
drastically improved stadia accessibility and facilities, and found ways to make SAFC 1912/13; Almost The
money out of their stadia apart from the alternate Saturday afternoon home Double!
games. SAFC’s 1896 Share Prospectus
Claudio Marangoni
This was a theme I had been writing and speaking about public ally for some
Sunderland AFC Promotion
time (and continued over the following years until the aftermath of the Season 1975/76
Hillsborough Disaster created the dramatic social, economic and political climate
SAFC And The Cup Winners Cup
that enabled the explosion of new stadia in the 1990’s.
SAFC v Man United, 1964; Roker
Park’s 100,000 crowd?
I had also been criticising of cial planning policies that discouraged clubs in the
same towns and cities to share grounds, which would double the pro table use Sunderland AFC’s Final “Non
League” Game
and provide funds to build new stadia to acceptable modern standards. Chelsea
SAFC’s 1895 Tour Of The USA
and Fulham, the two Nottingham and Bradford clubs were classic examples.
Bradley Lowery – Farewell To An
Also the reluctance of city and town councils to providing nancial support and SAFC Icon
indeed owning new or improved stadia recognising the bene t to a town of a Art Print Celebrates Sunderland
AFC’s 1894/95 World
successful top level football club.
Championship Win!
Ground sharing and council ownership of football stadia in Europe and Art Print Celebrates The Club’s
Very First Game
elsewhere was common and very successful.
Birmingham City 2 v 7 Sunderland
AFC; League Champions 1935/36
My advice to Sunderland was that they should explore the possibility of
recreating Roker Park in an area closer to and more accessible to where their Sunderland 7 v 1 Luton Town, 31
December 1960
supporters now lived and worked, build a stadium for multi use – so it earned its
keep if possible seven days a week and 50 weeks in a year, and explore the A Canary Saves The Day For
SAFC?
possibilities of ground sharing.
Roker Park Players Of A Decade –
Who Will You Choose?
I was instructed to explore these possibilities and produce rm proposals and a Thomas Marie Madawaska Hemy
scheme that could be considered by the Board. And The Hemy Painting
April 1888, Sunderland’s First

I investigated various possible sites for a new super stadium. Floodlit Football Match
Sunderland 6 – 0 Millwall,
The one chosen was on the edge of Washington New Town on the motorway with (Saturday 9 December 1995)
fast road links to Sunderland and to the South and North. Sunderland AFC; Daily Express 5
A Side Winners 1979/80
The scheme produced was for a futuristic enclosed multi purpose stadium for Sunderland AFC Team 1978/79
35,000 supporters (mostly seated) on the chosen site with motorway access,
massive car parking and modern facilities.
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December 2018
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May 2018
I emphasised the nancial advantages of the ground being shared and suggested March 2018
that Newcastle was the obvious choice as they had only a short lease on their St. February 2018
James Park ground which needed extensive renovation. My stadia design January 2018
included the ability to temporarily remove some seating to boost the
November 2017
accommodation to 45,000 for local derby’s. I understand Newcastle was not
September 2017
prepared to even enter a room to discuss the possibility.
August 2017
July 2017
The perspective drawing I prepared was included in the 1975 Royal Academy May 2017
Summer Exhibition and the architectural magazine “Building Design” recently March 2017
reproduced this as an archive item from that year. February 2017
December 2016
Sadly as far as I am aware no other drawings of the scheme exist unless they are
in the Sunderland FC archives. I sold out of my architectural practice in 1987 and November 2016
in any event a large part of the archives of my work in the 1960’s and 70’s was October 2016
destroyed in a re in the building where they were stored in the late 1970’s. September 2016
August 2016
As a footnote Sunderland played Arsenal at Highbury on February 28th. 1970.
December 2015
The Chairman invited me to have lunch at the Great Northern Hotel (by Kings
Cross Station) and then travel in the team coach to Highbury.
I had the unusual experience for an Arsenal fan of coming off the visiting teams
coach at the main entrance to the marbled halls, and sitting in the Directors Box
with the visiting team’s directors. At the end of the match in the Directors dining
room after Hill Wood the Arsenal chairman came over to me and commiserated
on my teams defeat. I did not have the heart to tell him I was an Arsenal fan,
season ticket and shareholder.
Sunderland was sadly relegated that season and that prevented my proposals
from progressing further. Subsequently Sunderland did move from Roker Park
and built the Stadium of Light. Good but not as adventurous as my proposals.
Having said that my scheme was 10 or 20 years ahead of time. In 1990 following
the Hillsborough disaster, politically with tax incentives, TV money and the
social pressures for safe stadia the climate was created for a massive investment
in new stadia and in many clubs moving to new more accessible locations that
their traditional locations with the quality of accommodation and facilities that
were then increasingly demanded by the public .
I continued my campaigning for improved soccer stadia. I wrote may articles and
gave interviews on radio and TV (I have recorded of most) and won the
Publisher 1987 Business columnist of the Year for my article on the Bradford Fire.
I organised and Chaired two major seminars at the RIBA on “Sports Stadia Design
after Hillsborough” in early 1990 which set the stage for the revolution in stadia
design and the building of new stadia in many parts of the country.
In 1996 as President of the RIBA I awarded the Presidents Building of the Year
Award to the new Hudders eld Stadium and acted as the architect judge for a
number of stadia design awards.
Owen Luder CBE PPRIBA.
So there you have it, the story of the Sunderland AFC stadium that never was. Whats interesting to contemplate is
that if Sunderland AFC had retained their position in the top ight we might all have been sitting in this stadium every
home game for the past 40 plus years.
 Roker Park, Stories, Sunderland AFC
Sunderland AFC 1960/61 Season Gary Rowell’s Goals!
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04/04/2020 The Owen Luder Sunderland AFC Stadium – Ryehill Football

The Owen Luder Sunderland AFC Stadium Main Pages

Buy; Founding Fathers – The Men

New SAFC Book – World

Ryehill Football’s SAFC Image Of

Sunderland AFC 0 v 0 Stoke City

Harry Martin, Sunderland AFC

unacceptably poor quality of accommodation and facilities at top soccer club

Sunderland AFC As The

Buy: Sunderland AFC’s Finest

games. SAFC’s 1896 Share Prospectus

April 1888, Sunderland’s First

Owen Luder CBE PPRIBA.

 Roker Park, Stories, Sunderland AFC

Sunderland AFC 1960/61 Season Gary Rowell’s Goals!

Copyright Ryehill Football

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