Top Ten: Tyne-Wear Derbies
Sunday will see the 152nd Tyne-Wear derby contested at the Stadium of Light, as the Geordies and Mackems go head to head for the bragging rights of the North East.
Newcastle may well encounter a wounded animal as Sunderland seek revenge for their 5-1 mauling earlier on in the season, and after both sides were dumped out of the cup by lower league opposition, it makes a good result in this one even more important.
There have been some classic encounters between the teams over the decades and Sport.co.uk takes a look back at ten of the best.
Do you agree with our choices? Is there a match that should be in the list? If so why not tell us all about it in the comment section.
5th Dec 1908: Newcastle 1-9 Sunderland
There will be many a Mackem dreaming that this will be the scoreline come Sunday and it still remains Sunderland’s biggest win over their arch rivals. Despite the goals eventually hitting double figures, at half time in this game, the sides were deadlocked at 1-1. But the Black Cats scored eight goals in 28 minutes in the second half to romp to victory; with two players, Billy Hogg and George Holley, both grabbing hat tricks. Although they had their day in the sun, it was the Geordies who had the last laugh by ending the season as champions of the division.
4th Sept 1996: Sunderland 1-2 Newcastle
The first meeting between the teams in the newly formed Premier League was somewhat of a strange affair, as the decision was made to ban opposing fans from the ground. The uneven atmosphere became even more apparent when Martin Scott beat Pavel Srnicek to convert a 19th minute penalty. However the Geordies, returning after throwing away the title in their previous season, showed some fight back in the second half and were duly rewarded when Peter Beardsley equalised in the 52nd minute. Les Ferdinand headed the winner ten minutes later as the fanless Magpies ran out winners.
24th April 2001: Sunderland 1-1 Newcastle
This game will undoubtedly be remembered for the song created during it than the actual football itself. It was looking good for the home side when on loan full-back Patrice Carteron gave them a 67th minute advantage. However they were unable to hold on as centre-half Andy O’Brien turned the ball into net to end the match all square. In doing so Andy followed in name sake Liam O’Brien’s footsteps by scoring for the Magpies against Sunderland (the latter netting a splendid free kick in a 2-1 victory at Roker Park in 1992) and so the chant was born, to the tune of Any Old Iron:
“Liam O’Brien, Andy O’Brien, Any, Any O’Brien / Who put the ball in the Mackem’s net, O’Brien. O’Brien”
17th April 2006: Sunderland 1-4 Newcastle
If ever there was the proverbial game of two halves, then this was it. In a one sided first period the home team took a deserved lead when Justin Hoyte slid in to score his first and only goal for the club. But the match was turned on its head in six crazy second half minutes; firstly future Sunderland player Michael Chopra equalised seconds after coming on the pitch, and Alan Shearer then blasted in his 206 and final Newcastle goal from the penalty spot. Charles N’Zogbia added a third before Shearer was replaced by Albert Luque after a challenge by Julio Arca. It would turn out to be the number 9’s last competitive appearance for the club, but his replacement on the day carried on in his tradition, dinking in a fourth and wrapping up a very satisfying day for his side.
16th May 1990: Newcastle 0-2 Sunderland
At the time it was billed as the biggest ever meeting between the two as both clubs vied for a spot in the play-off final. After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, Newcastle welcomed their bitter rivals to their home turf expecting a victory. However the Toon were beaten with a goal in each half from the G Force(Eric Gates & Marco Gabbiadini) which sent Dennis Smith’s side to Wembley, and top dogs in the North East. Sunderland went on to lose the final to Swindon, but were still promoted due to Town’s financial Irregularities.
23rd October 2005: Newcastle 3-2 Sunderland
A ding dong battle at St James’ that saw the home side needing to take the lead three times to secure the points. Local boy Shola Ameobi headed in his first on 34 minutes only for that to be cancelled out by a Liam Lawrence drive. The big striker then headed in his second of the game, but an empathic equaliser from Stephen Elliott sent the teams in all square at the break. Tensions were high for the Black and Whites as the pressure was mounting on then boss Graeme Souness; however the Scot needn’t have feared as Emre produced a moment of brilliance to ensure all 3 points stayed on Tyneside.
25th August 1999: Newcastle 1-2 Sunderland
On a rainy night on Tyneside, Sunderland left the home fans feeling just as miserable as the weather as they came from behind to beat their bitter rivals. The game saw both Alan Shearer and Duncan Ferguson placed on the bench by manager Ruud Gullit, and it looked as though the Dutchman had got it right when Kieron Dyer scored to make it 1-0. Peter Reid’s side emerged in the second half full of vigour and made it all square with a header from now chairman Niall Quinn. It was to get better for the Black Cats as Kevin Phillips brilliantly lobbed Tommy Wright in the Newcastle goal, and with it wrote himself into Sunderland folklore. It was a similar story a year later as they once again came from behind to win by the same score line.
25th October 2008: Sunderland 2-1 Newcastle
Going into this game Sunderland had the unenviable record of not beating their auld enemies in almost 30 years on their home patch, and had lost two of their last there encounters. On loan striker Djibril Cisse gave the home team a 20th minute lead before a Shola Ameobi header brought the scores level. A tentative second followed until, with the game approaching its last hurrah, everybody’s favourite El Hadji Diouf was tripped on the edge of the box. Kieran Richardson was the man entrusted with the kick and as his thunderbolt nearly ripped out the net, it sent the North Stand into raptures, and as any Mackem will tell you; “they always win 2-1”.
24 February 1979: Newcastle 1-4 Sunderland
As the song goes “We all live in a Gary Rowell world” and that’s exactly what was happening as the Seaham born centre forward smashed in a hat-trick and gave his fans a moment that will live long in the memory. His name is still chanted on the terraces today and he was also voted Sunderland’s cult hero. As one fan perfectly put it as to why he voted for him “Hat-trick v NUFC, say no more!” Darren Bent take note.
January 1 1985: Newcastle 3-1 Sunderland
Just like Sunderland, Newcastle too have their own derby day hat trick hero, and again he was a local boy. In a thrilling New Year’s Day encounter that had two penalties, two red cards and four goals, Peter Beardsley ensured that 1985 was welcomed in style. Despite missing one of the aforementioned spot-kicks, Beardo did score the other and added another two goals to complete a memorable afternoon. If any Sunderland fan had a hangover from the night before, this result would have made it get a heck of a lot worse.
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