The pre 1992 Sunderland-Newcastle Rivalry

[Left For Dead]

In 77, mags didnt have MS paddock, but had canny few in.

were their certain faces that always came through and caused bother from NUFC? Perhaps they recognised a few of our own from exploits through there?

 

[Monty Pigeon]

In the late 70s, as a kid, I used to go to the derbies with a friend of mine who was (still is) a mag. Whether at St James's or Roker Park we'd always sit in the stand with a fair smattering of away supporters around us. There was banter between the sets of supporters, but always good natured.

The 1990 play-off changed all that. Not just the Mags invading the pitch at St James's to try to get the match ended when they were losing, but Sunderland (as play-off final runners-up) going up after Swindon were demoted rather than the Mags who finished 6 points above us in the table.

There'd been the odd bit of trouble in the terraces and outside before then, but that was the year when the rivalry went up a notch or two even for average fans.

 

[cosmicchris00]

I have never seen one Sunderland supporter in the old Leazes end, the one with the roof on, not one.

I've been in there several times. Never had a moments bother as an individual

There was occasionally a rumour went around that there were makem infiltrators - which there were - and the atmosphere changed quite quickly.

I've been in most home ends around the country. It's just a matter of keeping calm and usually keeping your gob shut too.

I was at both games in the 84 85 season and it was the same hatred as you’d get now but with added intense racism at Sid James.

It's hard to believe now but the NF was massive among the mag support at that time

 

[Sombrero]

I've been in there several times. Never had a moments bother as an individual

There was occasionally a rumour went around that there were makem infiltrators - which there were - and the atmosphere changed quite quickly.

I've been in most home ends around the country. It's just a matter of keeping calm and usually keeping your gob shut too.

It's hard to believe now but the NF was massive among the mag support at that time[/QUOTE]
The NF used to stand outside the Gallogate every match day. Always pretty busy around them. Same for most grounds around that era I would imagine.

 

[Born Never Asked]

For all the history the success of the clubs dont interconnect much. Sunderland have 1890s & 1930s Newcastle have 1900s 1920s & 1950s but werent competing against each other to win trophies. After 1955 the only exceptions were 1969 & 1973 but these were isolated and gave no club bragging rights. For anybody of a generation after 1955 then 1992 was the first time one club had totally dominated another.

 

[cosmicchris00]

It's hard to believe now but the NF was massive among the mag support at that time

The NF used to stand outside the Gallogate every match day. Always pretty busy around them. Same for most grounds around that era I would imagine.[/QUOTE]

One things for sure, we should never allow such extremist activity to attach itself to our football clubs again

 

[dangermows]

In the late 80s and very early 90s my dad (A Sunderland fan) and his mate (A Newcastle fan) took me and his mates son to football all over the northeast most. Mainly it was Sunderland or Newcastle, but sometimes even Darlo or Pools.

When Newcastle had their run of "success" and the premier league was formed. My dad's mate stopped going to the other games and got a season ticket. We kept going to Sunderland and Darlington mostly as my dad claimed the mood changed at SJP. Not sure what he meant but we defintiely spent more time heading to Darlo than we did Newcastle.

Years later and my dad's mate and his son have become irritatingly black and white to the point of denying they ever stepped foot inside Roker Park!

Mag mate from last place I worked has a mate who was red and white until he was 15, then jumped ship. Every birthday they bring out the pic of him in his Sunderland shirt posing outside the Fulwell End