Sunderland supporter issues controversial plea to NUFC fans – Does anyone agree with him?

Sunderland fan Robert Hall has called for both Mags and Mackems to tone down the “aggressive and abusive” hatred between the two clubs, asking ‘is it all really necessary?’ and admitting to actually having a soft spot for Newcastle!

As we all know, the hatred between the two sets of supporters has only increased of late, with recent relegations for both having created the perfect chance to rub salt into the wounds.

Robert clearly thinks it’s gone a little bit too far, however, and has said the following about his thoughts on NUFC and the rivalry between the two clubs when speaking to the Chronicle:

“I was born in Lanchester, County Durham in 1944 and throughout my school years, all I was ever interested in was football.

“I was either thinking about it, reading about it, playing it, watching it, talking about it, or writing about it.

“During these early years of my life, my father who was a Newcastle supporter, would take me to St James’ Park to see the likes of Jackie Milburn and Bobby Mitchell one week.

“Then, as most of my school friends were Sunderland supporters, I went to Roker Park the following week and saw the likes of Len Shackleton and Stan Anderson.

“Towards the end of my school years I made the decision that Sunderland were the team for me and I was very fortunate to have seen the likes of Cloughie, Charlie Hurley and Jimmy Montgomery.

“However, when I got married in 1968, my best man was a Newcastle supporter. So I still went to St James’ Park occasionally with him and thoroughly enjoyed the Fairs Cup matches, especially the game they won 5-1 against Vitoria Setubal on a Wednesday evening in a snow storm and then later on, the Malcolm ‘Supermac’ Macdonald years.

“These were great times for watching and supporting football clubs.

“I then moved to Suffolk nearly forty years ago and although Sunderland are still my number one team despite the heartache they have given me these last few years, I am pleased I never insisted my children became Sunderland supporters, or I may have been reported to the NSPCC by now.

“My reason for writing is to plead to the section of supporters who shout abusive language at each other and to the so called TV pundits, who seem to take great pleasure in promoting this ‘aggressive hatred’ towards each other’s clubs and their supporters each side of the Tyne.

“In addition to hoping that some of the hostility will cease one day, my wish is also for some of the columnists such as Chris Sutton and Joey Barton who on a few occasions can be quite humorous with their banter, but they must stop writing articles to boost their own egos, as in my opinion their aggressive journalism in the main, is just offensive and insulting and shows a lack of intelligence.

“Having said that, I’m really pleased to see and hear Alan Shearer has mellowed in his old age when he’s talking about Sunderland and to hear Rafa Benitez and Shay Given say they’ve got sympathy for what’s happened to Sunderland during the last couple of years, is very pleasing indeed.

“Finally, no matter what happens to Sunderland during the next few years, they will always be my number one team, but on every match day, Newcastle’s result will always be the second result I look out for, while also hoping it is a positive one.

“So please, those responsible stop this aggressive violent behaviour and let’s revert back to the competitive rivalry and humorous banter as it was in my earlier days as a supporter of both clubs, which is so much more fun, as after all, it’s only football.”

What do you make of all this folks?

Personally, I feel that a certain level of hatred is ingrained into the vast majority of supporters and won’t ever go away, but I will say that it all goes too far when violence and major abuse comes into it.

We’re passionate about our club, our team and our region, but it all goes way too far when people start getting hurt.

Do you feel it’s gone too far or do you enjoy the intensity of our rivalry?

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

6 thoughts on “Sunderland supporter issues controversial plea to NUFC fans – Does anyone agree with him?

  1. Yes, I’m a season ticket holder at the Toon and I have tended not to go to the Sunderland game as the atmosphere is garbage. I’m much more wound up for the visits of anybody from London, Manchester and Liverpool and the Mackems have always just been a crew to have a laugh with as I worked and have mates who are Sunderland supporters. Why does it have to be absolute hate on Saturday afternoon. They’ve always been my second team followed by Middlesborough, Carlisle and Berwick Rangers.

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  2. Great that you are a Sunderland fan. And Newcastle fan.
    I have family who are Sunderland fans, and I can cheer for both. One problem my friend Leave the Sunderland jersey at home, and you will be welcome. If you wear it. You are just stirring **** up.

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  3. Fans of both clubs need to realise the whole region benefits when all north east clubs are doing well. I have always felt the national media from radio, TV, the papers etc all laugh at this region and half the time it’s because of Neanderthal fans at BOTH clubs. My grandad and I imagine many like him used to go to Newcastle one week and Sunderland the next because he loved the region not a particular club. I’m a safc fan have been all my life but to me an ideal world has Sunderland top of the league year after year but I would be even happier if Newcastle were 2nd Boro 3rd hartlepool making it up to the championship darlo back in the league. Then what would the pundits have to laugh about.

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  4. For a good number of years I served in HM forces, many a day spent away from home in high risk situations. The banter from all North East guys was brilliant and for all we had our own teams in reality we supported the North East. Clubs from the South always took the biggest battering followed by the Manchester’s.

    From what I have read it is similar with guys who work everyday in our wonderful region, we love our clubs and yes we can and do abuse one or the other, yet we love our region and why shouldnt we there is no area better in this country, this is Gods Country.

    So lets enjoy our games and differences, lets enjoy our banter but better still lets enjoy a pint at the end and go away, maybe not as friends, but compatriots of the North East, otherwise those from inferior places (teams) may think they are better than us (divide and conquer), lets stand together and support our wonderful land.

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  5. Sorry this is not right and you haven’t represented the vast majority of supporters at NUFC

    Who spends money chartering a plane to fly across St James Park with a message from the Makems enjoying our demise then expects us to lament their relegation into league one

    Enjoy your second excursion into the third division you are a 3rd rate club with absolutely no class or loyalty amongst your **** supporters. Most of the Makems i know don’t even go their anymore it’s a club that pretends to be big but be honest you’re real rivals nowadays are at Hartlepool nd Darlington.

    I want to see great matches at St James not the ***** that you bring.

    Your new Directors need to realize the arrogance at SAFC pretending to be close to the passion and commitment we have, enjoy Oldham ,Fleetwood and Gillingham you have found your level.

    Don’t rush back ( sorry I should have said enjoy the next ten years trying )

    You are so insignificant to us you might as well be a tourist team from some 3rd world country matches your town and support

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  6. As a child, in the sixties,I went to most home games of both teams. there was never the vitriolic hatred there seems to be now.

    In an ideal world, for me, we would always be fighting for a top four spot.
    Sunderland would finish seventeenth every year, with Middlesbrough in sixteenth.

    I will always support Newcastle from afar, we emigrated to Canada in 1966, but I watch all the games on tv, and travel with the team when we come on holidays.

    I deplore the hatred that has developed between the supporters, it is so sad to see grown ups setting such bad examples for their children.

    In my ideal world, Rafa would be the Manager for ever, and Ashley would sell to someone who cares about the club

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