Newcastle United and Sunderland – Love thy neighbour? | OneFootball

I believe that loathing ones neighbours and rivals is a fundamental part of being a supporter of a particular club and is imbedded in the DNA of almost all.

The general disdain is usually one, or a combination of, being either historical, geographical, political or industrial.

As a Newcastle United fan, my hatred of Sunderland is all four of the listed above, combined with personal experiences that left me astounded and somewhat bewildered as I made my way in life as a young working man.

Newcastle United and football has always been my escapism from the pressures of everyday life.

Going to work, being married and bringing up a family isn’t easy and can take it’s toll, we all handle things differently and in our own certain ways.

And literally millions of men and woman follow their football teams to fill in a void and fulfill an alternative lust and passion.

We all believe that our special relationship is better and more meaningful and worthwhile than anyone else’s and that is why rivalry exists.

Jealousy usually raises it’s ugly head, as has been seen by the mackems since Newcastle United’s takeover in 2021.

They feel like a woman scorned that their bedfellows in mediocrity could actually leave them after so many unhappy years together.

Silly accusations have been made about the Geordies apparent infidelity with a so-called scarlet woman in the shape of the Saudi Arabia PIF.

Throughout the country I have met many fans of teams who hate their local rivals.

For example, West Ham and Millwall fans despise each other and that is all based on an industrial dispute that happened a century ago.

Birmingham and Aston Villa supporters share a city and cannot stand the sight of one another.

It is no different in the north east, but up here it is on a much bigger scale, because Newcastle and Sunderland have been supported in greater numbers down the years.

There hasn’t been much success for either club over the last 70 years but the football rivalry has always simmered.

That is why a hell of a lot of Toon fans will never stop baiting mackems and rubbing their noses in it as we prosper.

We may well be moving on to bigger things and have bigger fish to fry but you cannot change your football DNA.

Just because Newcastle United are on the cusp of breaking up the Premier League Septic Six cartel, doesn’t mean that memories from the past should be forgotten.

The likes of John McNamee swinging on crossbars. Liam, Scott and Ryan over the walls, as well as Nolan doing the chicken dance, should never be erased or forgotten.

The feeling moments like them gave us, knowing how sick they made our local rivals, were bloody marvellous.

I’m never going to apologise for the content I sometimes add into my articles.

I try to be topical and humorous whenever I can, but I am a passionate sort of bloke and I will never change my attitude or delivery, no matter how successful Newcastle United may or may not be.