Is it? They are in the Championship and need to get a grip. Sometimes they go way overboard about things.
Backfired? How? Just because some of you actually call yourselves "mackems" doesn't detract from the fact it's an insulting term.
It's only insulting if you're insulted by it & I don't think many are. So put that up your piss flaps.
Now I have occasionally got a tadge irate at stuff like that. Get talking to somebody outside the pub while having a smoke & because of my accent automatically assume that I'm from Spunkcastle.
Bollocks. In the 70's everyone from Sunderland used to call themselves Geordies. They even sang the right words to the blaydon races.
Exactly- often apologies when you say from Sunderland - respectful Mackem term of greeting then used - it's these poor pententious championship neighbours we have
Insulting term for you lot in your world certainly not insulting to many others but these tend to inhabit the real world
The whole of the country, thanks to Sky, call us Mackems and no one thinks it's an insult. Many Sunderland born people are proud of the name because it represents a proud history. Having said that, much of our support considers themselves to be Sandies, Durham, Geordies etc. Whatever the case there's no disputing where the term Mackem originated whereas 'Geordies' is vague ....... much like most of them. Obviously not you as you're not a Geordie
Does the term mackem actually come from the ship building days?? I trust the people on here more than I trust the Internet on matters such as these .
'Mackem' does seem to have originated as a jibe or an insult. Due to local rivalry, Tyneside would be a likely source for such a term, particularly as the traditional pronunciation of 'make' on Tyneside is 'myek' as opposed to 'mac' on Wearside. If it began as a jibe, then the term 'Mackem' has similar origins to 'Geordie', which also seems to have started life as an insult or patronising term that was then subsequently adopted as a label of local pride.
Almost all nicknames derive from a jibe, Scouser is a perfect example. When people adopt the name themselves it ceases to be an insult. Continuing to use it as such renders the 'insulter' a little childish.
