Oh, you really shouldn't have thrown those stones from that glass house of yours:
Keegan took over in 1991-92, a season in which Newcastle United were threatened with relegation to Tier 3, we averaged 21.6k attendances.
For comparison then, how did Sunderland do when they were threatened with demotion to Tier 3 (and DID suffer the indignity of the Third Division)? 13.6k average attendance (1986/87). And what of 16.1k average in the top flight only a couple of years earlier?
And how about more recently then. Sunderland fans love to harp on about new fans at Newcastle. Sunderland must always have justified a 48k capacity stadium, then? 1994/95 averaging 15.3k. More recently still, getting promoted in 1995/96 averaging 17.5k. So if your lot refer to Newcastle as 1992'ers, are Sunderland 1996'ers? During that promotion campaign Sunderland managed 2 sub 13k crowds, including a win versus Palace to go SECOND in the league in from of 12.7k fans. Of their 22 fixtures, 17 were under 20k attendances.
And how about recent adversity? Newcastle were relegated in 2008/09 with an average attendance of 48.75k. No club as ever been relegated with a higher average attendance than Newcastle United.
What about Sunderland's last relegation then? As impressive in the face of adversity? Nah, course not. Sunderland's last relegation saw them go down averaging 33k.
Newcastle United have been the best supported club in England TEN times, Sunderland NEVER HAVE.
Newcastle's worst ever season was 16.8k
Sunderland's worst ever season was 13.6k
Newcastle's best? 56.3k
Sunderland's? 47.7k
Tier 2 average? Newcastle: 28.2k, Sunderland: 23.7k
You see, compare like for like and only one club comes off worse. And it ain't us.