Always a good game to watch and im sure its the second biggest fixture in the calendar for you Sunderland fans with the reverse fixture being your biggest and most important. However i was just wondering if there are any locals playing (Real Mackems) playing for Sunderland as these are normally the types of player that wear their heart on their sleeves in big derbies who know what it means to be a fan of the club they play for, die hard if you like.
We've not got any actual Mackems in the likely first XI, sadly. What we do have though this season, which is a first since the Keane years and the beginning of the clubs development, is a squad of players (bar Bendtner), who genuinely want to play for the club. We've had a few instances in the last 4 or 5 years of disinterested players, players without bottle and fight, but it seems MON coming in has galvanised the squad, and that as the players believe we can progress now, they are giving that little bit extra, week in, week out (assuming WBA was a blip, a big **** off blip...) The Mackem in the side last year Jordan Henderson, went missing in both games, unable to handle the occasion, so much as i'd like to see a team full of Mackems, well, we haven't had a really good one since Micky Gray. We do have a fair few academy graduates making steady moves towards the first team now, always wonderful to see. Finally, cheers for respecting our derby (many don't), and best of luck for the season.
What a game what a derby and what a performance from both teams As a neutral Sunderland bossed the first half and Newcastle bossed the second half - Cattermoles challenge straight away set the tone of the game it was nasty but i tell you what, show me a better cleaner hard fair challenge than the tackle by Maclean on Simpson. Boom Tiote was a disgrace feining injury from a deservedly red card back slap from Sessegnon Great game great performance
Tiots should be diving in the Olympics for his country. Take him a while from starting the dive to hitting the water mind. Either that or taking up a stage career soon.
