Sunderland fans take over Trafalgar Square ahead of Portsmouth final
Sunday 31 March 2019 09:52, UK
Thousands of Sunderland fans took over Trafalgar Square in London on Saturday in a stunning show of support ahead of the Checkatrade Trophy final against Portsmouth.
More than 40,000 Sunderland supporters will help fill a sold-out Wembley Stadium for Sunday's showpiece, live on Sky Sports Football.
Live EFL Trophy Final
Congregating at Trafalgar Square in their thousands, fans illustrated their passion for the club by waving flags and chanting late into the evening.
Sunderland owner Stewart Donald also took to the streets as supporters shared photos and posts to social media, and the hashtag #WontBeHomeForTea was trending on Twitter.
Fans of the Black Cats have not had much to celebrate in recent years after consecutive relegations, but Sunday's final offers the chance for the League One club to secure their first silverware since 1973, when they beat Leeds to win the FA Cup.
It is also Sunderland's first Wembley appearance since the 2014 League Cup final when they lost 3-1 to Manchester City.
Sunday's attendance is set to be the biggest for any final in the competition's history, surpassing the 80,841 who saw Wolves beat Burnley in 1988.
Click on the video at the top of the page to watch the Sunderland fans taking over Trafalgar Square.
A full version of the video can be found on Sunderland's official YouTube account.
