got to be done really ... [video=youtube;1cIMRaNujLA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cIMRaNujLA[/video]
My missus and a good friend were Mag season ticket holders whilst I was a Sunderland season ticket holder. I took my mates ticket once and spent the whole game with 20 stone tatooed geordie qizzing me about my allegiance and why he had never seen me before. I have never been so happy to see a game end and escape and I will never go back. A real shame as on that day I simply went to watch a game of football and not to be beaten to pulp. Many many of my mates are Mags and have great banter but unfortunately there are too many nutters out there on both sides who will ensure the days of the NE supporter are long dead.
My Grandfather is Newcastle daft. Always has been and always will be; bless him. He's still a season ticket holder in the Leazes*, and started going to the games in the days of Albert Stubbins. He would never miss a Newcastle United home match, and through the years has been to more grounds than I would care to imagine following the Toon. That said, when he was a lad, if Newcastle were away, and Sunderland were at home he'd go to Roker to watch a game of football. And sure as hell he'd SUPPORT Sunderland without fail. He wouldn't think to support a club from outside the region over a local side. No Sunderland home game? Fine then it would be a trip to Hartlepools or Darlington to support them. Though never down to North Yorkshire for the Boro lol. Back in 73 he went to see Sunderland's bus parade to congratulate the Cup winning side (don't you wish the Cup still meant so much these days? ****ing sad that its so undervalued). Of course he was at Wembley himself the following season for the Cup final and again a couple of years later for the League Cup (and 98&99). Where am I going? Well, he's Newcastle United fan through and through and through and I suggest his supporting credentials are as good as anyone, but despite being a Newcastle 'nut', he doesn't hate Sunderland and has no desire to see them lose when they're not playing Newcastle. Supporting one doesn't preclude you from supporting the other. *slightly sad asides, he used to meet his old school mate religiously before the game. They'd gone to the match together since the late 30s, and still sat next to each other with their season tickets in the re-developed St James'. What a shame when his old mate passed. All those years meeting up gassing, and sitting next to each other. Always made me smile when I saw them meeting before the game outside the ground.
My best pal in 9 pars regiment was a guy called Geordie Price, when home on leave we visited each other houses and football clubs in the early 70s one day we went to watch Newcastle play, we were in the Gallowgate end, Geordie was from Byker and had loads of mates, at the match i had my new Sunderland top on, making our way home there was 5 of us from the regiment, loved each others company and football, anyway we were set on by some loud mouth skunks, in those days i had no hatred of Newcastle, even cheering them on in the fa cup with super mac, anyway we were cornerd in a back alley 15 or 18 against 5 we wiped the floor with them, and i enjoyed the kick in the balls when he was down to the gob****e who pushed the other into it, the moral of the story being are you listening 5-1 tash ect you reap what you sow.
Bloody hell, I wrote this thread last night not expecting much of a response and I log on today to find 5 pages...... Its been interesting reading other peoples stories, the north east is not a big place really in the grand scheme of things, sometimes we all need to stick together.
Most of my mates are Boro fans so i've been on there season tickets a fair few times, its always awkward when they sing anti newcastle songs
