Steve Bruce calls on fans to back Sunderland owner by filling stadium

Steve Bruce has urged Sunderland fans to help convince the club's owner, Ellis Short, to maintain his generous level of investment by regularly filling the Stadium of Light to its 48,000 capacity. Bruce is well aware that Short has been disappointed by the recent dip in attendances on Wearside where, despite the team's challenge for a Europa League place, crowds have frequently fallen beneath the 40,000 mark this season. The chairman, Niall Quinn, recently described those Sunderland fans who watch the team's games via satellite transmissions in local pubs as "despicable". Bruce and Quinn are concerned the dip in crowds may cause Short to have second thoughts about a commitment which has seen him invest £55m in Sunderland in the past two seasons, and Bruce hopes to recapture stayaways courtesy of a charm offensive. "I know football can be expensive and I certainly know how difficult it can be for people in the north-east to find the money to come but, according to our research about 5,000 or 6,000 fans a game are watching in pubs," said Bruce. "That's why Niall spoke to the supporters, we need those thousands to return." While the club remain outwardly unconcerned by both a £25.5m loss in the financial year to July 2010 and the fact that 82% of their £65.5m annual turnover is spent on player wages, they are heavily dependent on Short's enduring largesse and Bruce is praying the owner does not turn off the financial taps. "Without the owner's huge investment we would be perennial strugglers," said Bruce. "I'm sure he hasn't finished investing yet, at least I hope he hasn't. We all know that, eventually, we've got to have a better wages/turnover ratio; we can't expect the owner to go digging in his pocket for another £30m every year. For the moment, though, my job is to keep making sure that he does – my job is to keep knocking on his door." Football finance experts generally agree that a club's wages/turnover ratio should, ideally, be no more than 50% but Sunderland say they are speculating to accumulate and such investment is essential if they are to establish themselves as a Premier League force. Steve Walton, the club's chief executive, believes he is overseeing responsible development. "Businesses don't get into difficulties because they don't make profits; they get into trouble because they run out of cash, that's a really important distinction," said Walton. "Remember, when we buy players we are also buying assets. If we buy wisely then there is a good chance they will appreciate in value. "I'm a lifelong Sunderland supporter and we never want to dream too much because we've had too many false dawns. Well, I think it is time to start dreaming."