Soccer fan John Ellison was furious when he missed kick-off at his team's home ground for the first time in his life.

But the fact that he couldn't get into the seat he has occupied for the last six years saved his life.

For three minutes into Sunderland's clash with Walsall a light shattered in the stand and a huge shard of glass split the back of John's seat in two.

Black Cats die-hard John used up one of his nine lives when he arrived late for kick-off at The Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Teacher John, 30, of Jarrow, South Tyneside, has sat in Row 32, Seat 111 in the North Stand to watch his beloved Sunderland AFC since the stadium opened.

On Saturday he failed to anticipate a crowd of 36,000 for the visit of Walsall, and did not set off from home in time to make the 3pm kick off.

He said: " A steward showed me to another seat.

"It was only when I went to have a look at half-time that I saw the damage to my seat, the back had been cut in two by the glass. I feel very lucky indeed to have arrived late.

John sits next to friends, father-and-son Peter and David Robson.

Retired Peter Robson, 67, said: "Two to three minutes after kick-off we heard a loud noise and glass shattered everywhere. Some people were cut by flying glass, but it actually landed on the seat where John would normally have been."

John added: "I was more interested in what was going on on the pitch - I didn't stop to think how serious it could have been until later."