Sunderland are the best supported side in the Championship and are not short of celebrity followers either, with many high-profile names spotted watching the Black Cats in action.
Sunderland have one of the largest fan bases in English football, so it is no wonder that there are a host of celebrities who support the North East club.
From sporting legends to reality television stars, we take a closer look at the stars who follow the Black Cats.
Paul Collingwood
In recent times, Paul Collingwood must go down as one of England’s greatest cricketers. The all-rounder enjoyed an international career that spanned 16 years, following his ODI debut against Pakistan in 2001.
The County Durham born former cricketer retired with 301 international caps across three formats of the game and contributed with bat and ball. One of Collingwood’s greatest moments was his career high batting score of 206 against Australia in the 2006 Ashes. In doing so, he became only the third Englishman to score a double century in Australia.
Collingwood is a trustee of the Foundation of Light and has spoken openly about his allegiance to Sunderland.
Jordan Pickford
One of Sunderland’s success stories of recent times is Jordan Pickford. Having come through the club’s academy, the goalkeeper has made a name for himself on the international stage with England.
The 30-year-old has made 68 appearances to date for the Three Lions and played in the final of the Euros on two separate occasions.
Jill Scott
Former Sunderland women’s player, Jill Scott, is one of the city’s greatest success stories. In 2022, she was part of the Lioness’ squad that lifted the UEFA Women’s Championship at Wembley Stadium.
In the same year, she continued her success story and was crowned queen of the jungle by winning ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ after retiring from football. Scott has since been a pundit for both the men’s and women’s international games and was the first female captain to lead a team at Soccer Aid in 2023.
Like Collingwood, Scott is also a member of the board of trustees at the Foundation of Light.
