The pre 1992 Sunderland-Newcastle Rivalry

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A question for the "older" posters on here:

What was the culture of our rivalry like with Newcastle before the John Hall/Sky/Keegan era?

I've been reading through the other mag threads on here in response to the Chelsea game and obviously it couldn't be more visible how their fans are almost cult-like, riddled with mass delusion, over-entitlement and an inability to accept the reality of their club's situation. Similarly, when you look at our responses to this, it seems that our contempt for them has only intensified as a reaction to this kind of culture, as well as having been profoundly alienated by rhetoric such as "geordie nation", plastic fans and related shit as the 90s panned out.

This really makes me wonder how things were between the two sets of fans before this all started. As we know the rivalry was very much there in the 1980s, but am I to assume it was a lot more equal and level headed? Was there less open arrogance on display? And before terms such as "delusion" came round, how would we have described them?
 
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Put it this way, I remember the newspaper reporter, Scotsman, Brian McNally, writing many years that the trouble he saw between Sunderland and Mag fans in the late '60s and '70s was worse than what he had witnessed between Celtic and Rangers supporters!

It was brutal to say the least.
 
No social media back then, so this arrogance and bollocks like this "obsessed" stuff, which is a load of shite, wasn't in your face or as noticeable. Still a bitter hatred though, just it's every day now with the various platforms for people to talk about it.
 
Not much to note hooliganism wise, until the game at Roker in Oct 78. Mags threw a few bottles about the Roker End, and i think they threw their weight about a bit (but not sure) outside before and after. The return saw the battle of bath lane.

It all deteriorated after they came in the Clockstand Paddock for the Gillingham play-off. Then there was our play off with them. Then the John Hall era after that!
 
A question for the "older" posters on here:

What was the culture of our rivalry like with Newcastle before the John Hall/Sky/Keegan era?

I've been reading through the other mag threads on here in response to the Chelsea game and obviously it couldn't be more visible how their fans are almost cult-like, riddled with mass delusion, over-entitlement and an inability to accept the reality of their club's situation. Similarly, when you look at our responses to this, it seems that our contempt for them has only intensified as a reaction to this kind of culture, as well as having been profoundly alienated by rhetoric such as "geordie nation", plastic fans and related shit as the 90s panned out.

This really makes me wonder how things were between the two sets of fans before this all started. As we know the rivalry was very much there in the 1980s, but am I to assume it was a lot more equal and level headed? Was there less open arrogance on display? And before terms such as "delusion" came round, how would we have described them?
Hated them then, hate them now and always will 1908 shows how far back it goes, John Hall was an upgrade to the one eyed fuckwit Westwood, Hall and Keegan era was the invention of plastic Mags, prior to that they were on their arse, started a ground development they couldn't afford, council threatening to evict them Leazes end in shreds for years, signing players from Blyth fuckin tin pot outfit supported by a load of hangers on with delusion or mental health issues. Apart from that I'm neither up nor down about them.
 
Me da said it really changed after the 1990 play off semis.
Really? You mean it got a bit softer with more name calling etc? Nowt like the 70's which were fairly violent at times.
I remember my brother bring home a hatchet/axe which had been thrown at him on the way home from a derby match in the 70's.
It was a "friendly" too.

It wasn't too friendly down Bath Lane a couple of times in the late 70's/early 80's either.
 
Not much to note hooliganism wise, until the game at Roker in Oct 78. Mags threw a few bottles about the Roker End, and i think they threw their weight about a bit (but not sure) outside before and after. The return saw the battle of bath lane.

It all deteriorated after they came in the Clockstand Paddock for the Gillingham play-off. Then there was our play off with them. Then the John Hall era after that!

I think many will disagree with you there.
 
No doubt things have been ramped up by the coming of anti-social media but things where just as heated in the 60s. As well as the mags the visits of Stoke, West Ham, Forest, Leeds etc usually lead to street fights around Roker Park and the stations. The rivalry with the mags has been around forever.
 
easy to hide behind the keyboard now even if they have never been to a game, back then the only real contact was at the games.
 
Not much to note hooliganism wise, until the game at Roker in Oct 78. Mags threw a few bottles about the Roker End, and i think they threw their weight about a bit (but not sure) outside before and after. The return saw the battle of bath lane.

It all deteriorated after they came in the Clockstand Paddock for the Gillingham play-off. Then there was our play off with them. Then the John Hall era after that!
You weren't about back end of the sixties then
 
I used to go to st James with my pals and never had a problem until a lad from school decided to tell the whole Gallowgate. Never went back. This was in the Willie Mcfaul and Ossie Ardiles days.
 
Really? You mean it got a bit softer with more name calling etc? Nowt like the 70's which were fairly violent at times.
I remember my brother bring home a hatchet/axe which had been thrown at him on the way home from a derby match in the 70's.
It was a "friendly" too.

It wasn't too friendly down Bath Lane a couple of times in the late 70's/early 80's either.
Obviously it was no picnic before 1990 but just repeating what me fatha thinks whether he is right or wrong.
 
From my experience: Bitter hatred really sums it up, abuse, fights, assaults were commonplace if any discussion opened, or groups of mags found SAFC fans. Mags always seemed to have had this belief that Sunderland is/was 2nd class where they were concerned. The '73 season made things even worse as they thought being successful was purely their right.
 
Put it this way, I remember the newspaper reporter, Scotsman, Brian McNally, writing many years that the trouble he saw between Sunderland and Mag fans in the late '60s and '70s was worse than what he had witnessed between Celtic and Rangers supporters!

It was brutal to say the least.
That reminds me of a mate of mine a Celtic fan who couldn't believe the hatred shown by the fans at a derby match he was at in Roker Park.
 

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