Travel agent predicts dramatic fall-off in Irish fans travelling to Sunderland

THE number of Irish football fans travelling to Sunderland to support Roy Keane will “dramatically decrease” following his departure as manager, according to a Cork-based sports travel agent.

Paul Dawson of Dawson Travel said supporters who had been travelling to Sunderland to support Keane’s team would more than likely now not bother. He said Roy was the sole reason so many — hundreds a month — had been travelling to the north-east city, just a half an hour from Newcastle.

However, he said many had already purchased season tickets. “The problem for some people is that they will have bought season tickets.