I was brought up in London but my dad was a Geordie from a family of 10 children. As a kid growing up, and then as a teenager, most of my holidays were spent up in the North East visiting the family and my dad's old mates. I was always made to feel extremely welcome by everyone I met, not just family and friends, but even by complete strangers, who would joke at my "funny accent". Whether they were supported Newcastle or Sunderland was irrelevent. Now that I have sons of my own, we regularly come up to Northumberland, and the people of the North East are still as welcoming as ever. The first time I brought my wife up there, she couldn't believe how nice the people are, and how friendly they are compared to many southerners. As a whole, the people from the North East have to be the friendliest people in the uk IMHO.
Bloody hell bart, from you thats like a love letter Hard to tell them apart Mind TBH I have seen a few mags, female ones, I would be proub to have in my bedroom We have to like each other coz no bugger else does
There will always be sparky rivalry between ourselves and the forces of darkness and long may they be so. There will always be the occasional fisty cuffs as well and nothing is going to stop that. However, Sir Bobby's sad passing showed the true spirit of the north east people imo. I was as proud as any ipswich or newcastle supporter at the way my clubs fans responded to that news. I can honestly say I didn't receive one single joke or bad comment following his death. Not one. Quite a remarkable and astonishing fact given the modern communications we all know is used today and the Robson family's grief was felt and shared by everyone. There will always be an us and them undercurrent of feeling between the two clubs but its should also always remain within those boundaries we covert as human beings as well. I think we manage to understand those boundaries very well here if the NE.
Sir Bobby is different he united the NE as he was a proper Gentleman would it be the same if it was Mary Poppins?
Just shows that up here we're smart enough to understand that however heated a rivalry is, there are things bigger than football and everyone is human. But yet they're some idiots about that don't think the same way, select fans involved with the likes of Leeds V Man U and Celtic V Rangers are good examples. Though, we're still often portrayed as mindless savage football hooligans isolated away from "proper England", and the southern media knows we cant do anything to them because we actually are isolated.
Maybe its because its a straight choice between two clubs, red n white, or black n white, nowt else.... We don't just randomly pick a team at will, or flavour of the month, pick one, stay with it...
I'd walk anywhere wearing a Sunderland top, anywhere, anytime. If anyone fancies having a pop then so be it. If they have thought out the end scenario then I have to give them a pat on the back for that. If we go to war tomorrow, the 1st conscripts will come from the NE and that should tell it's own story..
