Hail the angel of Sunderland

STADIUM ALIGHT was the irresistible if somewhat excitable front page headline on the Sunderland Echo last Wednesday.

The story beneath reported how firefighters had prevented “a devastating blaze” at the Stadium Of Light but not before the early morning fire had destroyed the club’s directors’ suite.

Once Black Cats fans had come to terms with the news, probably the only surprise to them was that it required the efforts of the emergency services to save their ground.