Most of us had been shunted off to the East Midlands pit villages as kids ...... not to work in them though tbf
When we were old enough to start going to games it was often the first time we'd been to Sunderland. We'd drive up from Mansfield, as 18 year old's, and go into the New Derby, Fort, Harbour View, etc, with our 'weird Midlandish accents' which didn't always sit well with Sunderland supporters who'd suspect us of being away fans. We once even had a fight on the corner of Bridge Street with some town lads who didn't like us cos we were 'pit village' ffs
On the way up we'd have invariably bumped into real away fans, in the services, who fancied their chances against a car load of teenagers. We'd have the same problems on the way home. There would also be the added problems of Mags travelling in the opposite direction for their away games and we'd often bump into them at Wetherby or wherever. Hoy in whoever was travelling to the Boro home match and it could get really nasty especially if it was Leeds or one of the London clubs who hated Sunderland.
The worst I can ever remember was being at Leeming bar services with a Leeds coach on the way to our game, Sheff Wed on the way to Boro and Mags who were going to Forest. We'd hidden our scarves but we're sussed as 'Leeds' by some Mags who were chasing us. We put our scarves back on cos we'd rather have taken a kicking as Sunderland than Leeds.
By some miracle we tried, and failed, to hide behind the bins but came across rack after rack of full bottles of milk for the cafe ....... we managed to scatter the Mags and legged it back to the car.
So, regarding Beehives, Vauxies, Seaburn, etc, we barely knew who anyone was and would always go to matches as a car load. We always seemed to park in the wrong place so we'd turn away from the bulk of the Sunderland lads when we came out of grounds.
As time went on we became known to more people, like FW, the lads in the Boilermakers, etc, so it became easier over time.
But soft lads like you, who'd go to games from Sunderland with mates on coaches, hadn't a clue what it was like for us exiles