LOYAL football supporters pay a lot to follow their team home and away, and their money buys them the right to expect 100 per cent commitment from the players.

That expectation was not fulfilled when Sunderland were humiliated 8-0 at Southampton at the weekend.

The issue is not the fact that Sunderland were beaten. Anyone who has followed any of the North-East teams knows that learning to live with disappointment is part of the deal.

It was the nature of the defeat, with some of the players apparently giving up in the face of Southampton's superiority.

That is not acceptable and today's announcement that the players will refund the cost of supporters' match tickets is the right move. The option for fans to ask for the refunds to be donated to a local hospice is also a nice touch.

It is the kind of positive public relations which is consistent with a club which values the work of its charitable foundation and its community links.

It may be a course of action which begs the question: Where should clubs draw the line? But an 8-0 scoreline is exceptional and, therefore, it warrants an exceptional response.

Too often, the fans are taken for granted in the modern game and this is a refreshing example of a club remembering that its supporters are its lifeblood.

What the Sunderland players need to do now is follow up their financial gesture with a full-blooded performance to make their fans proud against Arsenal at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

The ticket price may have been refunded, but the Sunderland players still owe the fans.