When will we play Sunderland again?

In their 10th season of struggle in the Premier League, Sunderland were finally relegated at the end of the 2016-17 season.

The Black Cats had finished in the bottom half for nine of those 10 seasons, with the one exception being when they finished 10th in 2010-11.  They also finished in the bottom five on five occasions.

In the process they tied Everton’s record for most bottom half finishes in Premier League history, with 13.

Whilst Sunderland were busy picking up 24 points throughout the entire campaign and a run of 364 days without a win at the Stadium of Light, we were busy picking up some silverware as we won the Championship with 94 points.

Although a planned takeover appears to be distracting Rafa Benitez and his players, there is much reason for us to be optimistic.  Provided the backstage saga gets sorted out soon, preferably before the January transfer window, we have a perfectly capable manager of taking us up to mid-table during the second half of the season.

Whereas Sunderland only moved out of the relegation zone over the weekend for the first time in months.  Though there is signs of resurgence under new manager Chris Coleman, they still need to be weary of the likes of Bolton Wanderers, Burton Albion and Birmingham City down there at the bottom 😉

Perhaps the only chance we’ve got of playing the Black Cats anytime soon will be the cup.  And there’s slim chance that will happen this season as they’ve drawn Middlesbrough away in the third round.

We’ve got to get past the highest scorers in England in the third round – Luton Town.  Football odds from Betfair have us as long shots to win this season’s FA Cup at 55/1.  Sunderland don’t even make the radar.

It would be nice to play Sunderland again soon as right now it would be as near guaranteed victory as we can get.  The likes of Bryan Oviedo, Paddy McNair, Lee Cattermole, Didier N’Dong and James Vaughan hardly scare Championship sides – they certainly wouldn’t scare us.

Historically, we have their number.  Though it’s closer than many would imagine, with 51 victories for the Magpies and only 47 for Sunderland.  We also have 10 major trophies to their 8.

Betfair have produced this graphic which breaks down the top derbies in England, featuring the Tyne-Wear:

7 thoughts on “When will we play Sunderland again?

  1. Pretty confident considering you’re probably getting relegated, you always think you have a better team than us, and we always beat you anyway.

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  2. At least get the basic facts correct. Both teams have won 53 derbies. Did you forget some of the 6 in a row. I know its only a blog but when you get such basic facts wrong to try to make Newcastle look better it just makes you look like a juvenile fool.

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  3. See you next season. At least we’re realists, we know we’re poor and have been for years as have you. North East football is in a sad state and you contribute to that demise just as much as Sunderland.

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  4. After looking like you’re going to get relegated into the same league as Sunderland. Being battered 6 times in a row.. A record that spans 3 different Centuries I might add.
    You’ve got to be heavily mentally challenged to write this article or just an idiot.
    I bet most Newcastle fans are cringing at this article.

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  5. Shouldn’t you want to play us soon to be able to feel the joy of hammering us 3 0 twice in a row when noone gives you a chance? Or feel the joy of winning one nil in the last minute away from home with a goal from a character of questionable morals? Or feel the joy of being second best all over the park, only for a centre half to get ridiculous red card and somehow win 3 0?

    If I were you, which thankfully I’m not, I’d want to be playing Sunderland tomorrow.

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  6. We struggled in the premier league for 10yrs. During this time newcastle had been relegated twice. Hmmm

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