Some of my closest friends are supporters of NUFC, but thankfully I was born into a Sunderland family. I have however spent most of life living and working in regionally mixed footballing communities; Durham, Houghton, Chester-le-Street. On the lead up to Derby days I am fierce in support of SAFC, and proud to belong to my tribe, but I'm also proud of the passion of both sets of fans in this great region where football is part of the very fabric of our lives, and I still believe there are few other regions that compare. And, once the dust settles I realise that these great occasions are always likely to be the biggest games for both sets of fans, particularly given the financial structure of the modern game and the challenge that our remote geography sets us. Today has been a typical post derby day, fans trading blows and vastly different perspectives on how the game actually went, this is always most accute when the actual game is drawn on the pitch; so we can each claim our moral victories or try to claim the moral high ground. What is apparent to me is that we have far more in common then either set of fans would ever easily admit; we are both loyal, we are passionate, we love our clubs, and we back our own even if this means our objectivity takes a back seat around derby time. So not for me any point scoring today, but simply to say congratulations to both clubs and their supporters for what was a proper derby full of edge, passion, history, tradition, and pride. Long may the derbies continue to be part of our lives in our corner of England the north east, by the way, sorry Middlesbrough yesterday was our derby day.
Agreed with everything. I'd also like to say a massive **** off to the BBC for putting Spurs against Man United on first ahead of their (****ty) coverage of our match. Local derbies are the heart and soul of English football and ours is one of the best, they should always take precedent. The whole MOTD2 last night was a nicely-wrapped up metaphor for what the Premiership has become. I know in the end it doesn't really matter because we all saw the full match but they can still suck on my balls.
The fact that our Derby doesn't get higher billing at a national level is nothing short of a disgrace. We are little understood by the rest of the footballing community and often portrayed in the national press as irrelavent or delusional simply because they do not genuinely understand what football means to the natives of the north east, whichever side of the great divide we occupy. For me it is just another reason for all of us to continue to fiercely preserve and promote our unique regional identity.
Smashing post mate. Having watched the game in a bar on Marbella beachfront, I can assure you that a few thousand Spaniards now know what our derby means to us. Shouting, swearing, 2 Mags actually rolling on the floor at the pen save! The match, which started with a few of us huddled around the screen, ended with maybe 80 or so captivated by the sheer passion and fear on show (from us dickheads, as much as the players). Ours is a great game, and hopefully, moving forward, it will become a big game in terms of league positions again.
Ive spent the last 24years in the South West of England A lot of that time I watched my boys play football My youngest played for Bristol Rovers and Bournemouth and a variety of local clubs Im not stupid about support from the sides as in the worst excesses of parental abuse and I played a bit as well....Anyway I know I was well liked as were my lads I knowthe other supporters/families used to think I was a bit funny...as did my lads...I used to shout stuff like "Breathe youngun" if I noticed he wasnt recovering and had forgotten (anybody whose played will know what I mean..sometimes young players need to be told)...Anyway thats just part of passion....you literally breathe for your bairns or your players... Anyway my young lad is playing for a Newcastle University team hes been there for 2 years now and LOVES the area and the people...He says he wants to stay and live in the North East..... Last year when he first started training He said it was hard Trainer was ex Hartlepool Hes continued to love it Hes a Sunderland supporter and had to keep his head down at the weekend...obviously.... In his first year he phoned me to talk about the training He was laughing he said You know Dad I always thought you were a nutter but theres millions up here exactly the same as you....its weird!
'In his first year he phoned me to talk about the training He was laughing he said You know Dad I always thought you were a nutter but theres millions up here exactly the same as you....its weird!' . . . . superb!
Well said. Here's hoping next year Sunderland finish second...behind the Toon! =) Then they will notice us lot up North. The derbies are the spice of life, I really enjoyed the banter at work today in our split office after the game.
It was a cracking game full of incident and passion. I know every fan feels the same about their own derby, I just think ours always delivers. I thought there was a bit something extra yesterday though. The quality of both teams has improved and showed at different stages, and both have good managers keyed in to achieve at their respective clubs. Long may it continue.
I hope your banter is better than your logic my friend......reading your statement above there is an implicit acceptance that Sunderland are No 1....you say if you finish top and Sunderland are second THEN (as in "at last") you will be noticed in the North.....Good aspirational statement tho...I`ll give you that!!!!!
Its like the Brum-Villa derby really, lots of passion but lack of quality and high profile games has stopped it ever turning into a big game outside the North East area.
