With Sunderland a-buzz, Paul Dobson looks back on his 30 years at A Love Supreme
In the golden summer of 1996, Paul Dobson was working in America, soaking up the Florida sun but dreaming of a pint of Samson back home in rainy Sunderland. Such was the extent of his existential crisis, Paul felt he had to write about it. But who would want to read his strange tale of woe?
“I sent it into A Love Supreme and it became my first published piece,” says Paul, ‘Sobs’ to all at the award-winning fanzine where he has been a major contributor ever since.
Launched on March 21, 1989 for Sunderland’s game with Chelsea at Roker Park, ALS is one of the last of its kind yet remains a thriving operation, with a busy fan shop close to the Stadium of Light. They publish books, organise coach travel to away games and act as a key point of contact for Mackems, particularly match days. “People either meet here or by the statue of Bob Stokoe across the road,” says Paul.
Through the week, a steady stream of followers browses the bobble hats and badges, baseball caps and coffee mugs – but the heart of the business remains the fanzine first issued before there was even a Premier League.
“This was during the first wave when everyone was doing them,” remembers Paul, referring to the cottage industry in samizdat, fan-run publications that swept the country in the late 1980s. Stoke’s The Oatcake, St Mirren’s There’s a Store Where the Creatures Meet and Blackburn’s 4,000 Holes, each plugged into something unique about the club readers worshipped yet endured week in, week out.
“So many of them have disappeared. Credit to Rob at Boro’s Fly Me to the Moon for keeping going. Nice lad. Wrong club, mind.” Humour is never far from the surface at A Love Supreme…
“A lot of fanzines have gone online,” laments Paul. “They’re not physical copies, something you can hold in your hand, something you can collect, something someone else can read over your shoulder – you can’t do that with a phone.”
Then again, few shared the same production values as A Love Supreme: “I always used to pick up other clubs’ fanzines at away games. I dug a few out the other day and many were pretty poor quality, with cheap paper, rusty staples and grainy photos”.
Along with gathering a loyal following, ALS made a point of encouraging ambitious local writers to contribute, many of whom went on to carve out successful careers elsewhere : “Jonathan Wilson used to write for us and sell copies, too,” recalls Paul. “There’s Phil Buckingham at The Athletic, Phil Smith and Chris Young joined the Sunderland Echo…”
Much has changed around Sunderland, too, beyond the club leaving Roker Park for the Stadium of Light. First, A Love Supreme moved in opposite SAFC’s new home, though it was hardly as prestigious: “Our offices was through the side door of the Roker End Cafe that used to stand here. When their lease ran out, we took over the building and converted it into a shop”.
Overseen by a separate team, a little hatch still serves drinks and pies, while on match days, ALS sets up a street stall outside the store to alleviate the crowding in the run-up to kick-off. After the final whistle, contributors hurry back to write up their match reports from the back of the shop, ready to be posted up on the fanzine’s website and Facebook page.
These days, the magazine is published quarterly, although there’s more than enough to write about. Much like the successful revival of Vaux beer which grew too big for its bar and brewery by the stadium, too, ALS has benefitted from the city’s recent transformation, locals preferring to stay in town for entertainment rather than hop on the metro to Newcastle.
“There’s a real buzz about Sunderland these days, and not just around the football team,” says Paul. But having an overperforming club back in the Premier League, whose home record was unblemished for six months until a few days ago, also helps.
The new Keel Crossing, whose official opening in October was scheduled to coincide with a home game with Wolves involving a fan parade and the appearance of revered ex-SAFC stars, provides direct access to the stadium, cutting walking time from the city centre to the ground to ten minutes.orem
Meanwhile, ALS keeps publishing books to benefit charitable foundations – the Meckem Dictionary, the Meckem Cewkbewk – and earning further recognition. “The last time was an award presented by the Football Supporters’ Association in a plush London hotel with a 1,000 guests and famous journalists on stage – that gives you a chance to step back and see what you’ve achieved.”
With Sunderland threatening to qualify for Europe before too long, one worry remains. “I wouldn’t like to travel too far,” admits Paul, “like Newcastle going to Azerbaijan this week. Scotland or Ireland would suit me fine.”
A Love Supreme, 1 Hodgson’s Buildings, Stadium Way, Sunderland SR5 1BT. Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Match-day Sat 9am-3pm, 5pm-6pm & evening games.
All photos by Mariia Makarova. Follow Mariia’s football travels across the UK on her YouTube platform.
