No miner ever wanted to be without a “Marra” and now the Durham Miners’ Association (DMA) can count Sunderland AFC amongst its friends after the football club backed its bid to revamp the Miners’ Hall in Redhills, Durham City, as a community hub.
The club’s Stadium of Light home is built on the site of Monkwearmouth Colliery, which closed in December 1993, and their shared history is commemorated at the ground, which is home to the Monkwearmouth Lodge’s historic banner, plus a large Davy lamp, pit wheel and “men of steel sculpture” outside.
The DMA will parade banners before Saturday’s final match of the regular League One season, at home to Portsmouth, and the Colliery Band is due to play in the Fan Zone before the game.
The club has become a “Marra” – an official friend of the Durham Miners’ Gala – and will play an active part in it for the first time at the 135th annual event on July 13.
Alan Mardghum, DMA president and secretary and a former Monkwearmouth miner, says Saturday is about more than symbolism.
“Hopefully it will get younger people to think, ‘What’s that all about?’ and ask the questions,” he said. “Then we’re there to answer.
“I see it as a fantastic opportunity to do all that, provide some spectacular entertainment and acknowledge the football club.”
Mr Mardghum, a Sunderland season card holder, thinks it is important his association stays relevant a quarter of a century after the last pit in the Durham coalfield closed.
“Dave Temple, a mate of mine, put it in great context,” said Mr Mardghum. “He said the Tories saw the miners as a dangerous animal and the way you control a dangerous animal is to destroy its habitat. But what Thatcher hasn’t destroyed is the community spirit.
“We’re still here today, parading our banners, we’ve still got the biggest working-class gathering in Europe every July.
“She smashed the industry, it’s gone forever, but we have got a very, very rich history. The Durham Miners’ Association is 150 years old this year – it started in 1869 through a strike at Monkwearmouth Colliery – and we want to be here for the next 150 years.
“We want to support the community because they’ve always supported us and we’ll support the football club because they’ve supported us.”
The £5m appeal to renovate the former Redhills trade union building is part of the plan to keep the DMA a relevant part of the community.
“It’s listed as one of the top 100 buildings in the country, including the Houses of Parliament,” said Mr Mardghum.
“We want to renovate it and make it a community hub to promote our working-class culture, political culture and trade union culture and also the general community.
“We want to make Redhills a centre where the community can come in, have a look, get guided tours and understand the whole culture of Durham miners. It’s important we celebrate our heritage.
“In Sunderland it was predominantly the shipyards, then the pits, and I think we need to celebrate those cultures because there are shared values of community and society which we believed in and we still believe in.”
Executive director Charlie Methven explained why Sunderland have stepped up their engagement.
“This stadium was build on the last great pit in the North East and many of our fans or members of their family worked in the mines, both in County Durham and in Northumberland,” he said.
“It’s recognising that history as part of our identity but also about looking forward to the next 10, 20, 30 years, as two institutions who need to be strong and relevant.
“Teaching children about their industrial past, the history and values that come from that, is really important.
“The restoration of the Redhills hall is a really worthy enterprise, and likewise I think they see our efforts to re-root Sunderland AFC in the community of County Durham as a worthwhile exercise. That’s why it is a true partnership.”
Portsmouth's Nathan Thompson admits Aiden McGeady's injury will 'play on his mind'
Jack Ross wants to stay at Sunderland next season - regardless of Scotland or promotion
