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I think "obsessed" is overstating the case, but yes we do see you as our main rivals and naturally we take a great interest in your performances and are delighted to see you lose. When we are happy about something we share it! Of course you would never see any Mags visiting the SMB would you, or boycotting Vaux (when they existed) or Reg Vardy? Crikey we have even seen the Mag on TV who wouldn't even eat bacon or use tomato sauce because they were red - it works both ways. Q: The Tyne-Wear Derby - intense as ever or a shadow of it's former self in the Sky bubble-wrapped era of modern football? I'd like to say as intense as ever and I really hope it is, but somehow the last couple of Derby's just don't seem to have been quite so heated. Lets hope its back to normal this weekend. I can confirm I am as nervous as ever! Q: Didn't Mackems once call themselves Geordies and were proud to do so? What changed there and why, in your opinion? As a native of Sunderland, I have NEVER called myself a Geordie so I don't think anything has changed. We always were two seperate cities with two seperate identities. People from outside the area have called me a Geordie and been swiftly corrected and that goes back to the time before anyone had heard of the word "Mackem". Of course Sunderland do still have a lot of fans from Northumberland and the banks of the Tyne and many of these people are proud to be called Geordies and proud to be Sunderland fans. Q: How would you describe the rivalry between the two sets of fans? I thought Man United were your rivals? Q: Would you welcome an Abramovic style takeover of Sunderland? Not with open arms, bit it sounds a better option than "Uncle Bob". Q: Is it fair to say that the media look upon Sunderland as Newcastle's poor sibling and does that grate on Sunderland fans? I know Bob Murray has taken serious affront to this perception once or twice in the past with his "one seat more" comments among other things. It does grate on me, but its hardly surprising that the media look on us as the poor sibling given our relative success over the last 20 years. You may not have won anything, but Keegan raised your profile immensely and whilst you keep flirting with Europe, we have flirted with the old 3rd Division. Q: Looking in on the outside I was shocked to see empty seats at the Stadium of Light this season. I know you haven't had the best of times lately, but having won promotion, seen a team of honest, hard working players assembled who play for the shirt and a manager who lets face it, has worked miracles, I would have thought the stay-away-fans would have returned. Why haven't they? Its no surprise to me that we don't fill the Stadium. Even at the height of our success it was rarely full to capacity. Roker Park in its final days had a capacity of about 22,000 so we are still seeing many more people than we used to get on a regular basis. I don't actually believe that many people are staying away completely, but with the high prices of following football many are picking and chosing the matches they attend. We are still actually in the top half of the Premiership when it comes to average home attendances. Q: Do the match-day-goers look down at those that haven't returned or is there sympathy and even respect for them? Certainly no respect from me. I respect those who have kept following us through thick and thin. But I do understand people going to fewer matches. We go there to enjoy ourselves, if you're not enjoying it , why go? Q: Do you sincerely worry for the future of your club and indeed the game as a whole? Your thoughts on the game in general please. Yes I worry, its all about money these days rather than what we all go to watch on a Saturday afternoon, or is that a Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon or Monday night or.... Q: The North East as a whole is on the up, unemployment is down, regeneration is happening in all four corners and in general the perception of the region is changing for the better. Sunderland still gets a lot of bad press however, far more than Newcastle for example whether you like it or not. Unfair or about right and what can be done to change people's perceptions of the area? Pass... Q: Can Sunderland stay up this season and finally establish themselves as a Premiership club? We can do, but it will be a hell of a struggle. We knew that when we came up so our current league position is not unexpected. Q: What formation, system of play and team will Mick McCarthy go with on Sunday and who should we fear? 4-4-2 attacking at every opportunity. You should fear Nyron Nosworthy. Q: Many Sunderland fans seem confident of a result on Sunday, where as many Newcastle fans are looking at things as a no loss situation. You win we lose Souness, we win and you lose. Would a win for you lot and the sacking of agent Souness as you lot call him take the gloss off any victory? Its a no lose situation for us, we are the underdogs and away from home. Yes, Souness going would take the gloss of the occasion, but I'll still take the win thankyou. Is he going to play Shearer? (Ed: Shearer will obviously pick himself for the match, as manager and owner of Newcastle United.) Q: The production of milk in Sunderland has been in decline since your İFTM 2-1 and the local 'artists' are running out of wall space, how much further can you live off those wins, given Newcastle's great record at the Stadium of Light and recent success at St. James' Park? I mean, it was a long time ago now in the grand scheme of things. Don't you think this mentality is holding back your club? "One seat more..." and all that? As you say, its history. The only game that matters right now is this Weekend (which we hope to win 2-1) Q: The first İFTM 2-1 transpired to be a blessing in disguise, we enjoyed 5 great years as a result of that defeat, with trips to the San Siro and three consecutive top 5 finishes. For us that loss represents a positive chapter in our club's history much like the 9-1 defeat many moons ago. Did that bother Sunderland fans, that even when you inflicted pain, we ended up with the last laugh? You doing better than us will always bother us, but wind the clock back and I'd take the win again. Q: Sky - the savior of football or a disease? Having sampled life in the football League recently, is the Premiership overrated? There is no doubting that the skill level of the players is much higher than the other leagues, but as a spectacle football in the lower leagues has much going for it. YES the Premiership is overrated. Q: Safe standing and singing ends - do they have a part in today's game and would you welcome such things? In my opinion they always have had a place. I'd love to see standing areas come back although its never going to happen in the purpose designed all-seater stadiums such as the SoL. Q: Bitterness, hatred, envy, admiration, respect, fear, excitement, passion - all buzz words to describe the Tyne-Wear Derby. Sum up what this match means to you as a Sunderland fan. I suspect it means much the same to me as to your average Skunk - its a must win game! Q: Kevin Phillips scored plenty of goals for you lot but left under a cloud so to speak, many Mackems I know while thankful for his contributions, now look on him as a bit of a twat. Where does he stand in Sunderland's hall of fame if you like? Is he remembered as a legend? To me he will always be a legend. Q: And Peter Reid - Sunderland legend or twat? Another legend - he just stayed too long. Q: Bob Murray or Freddy Shepherd? Never been a great fan of Bob but given that choice he wins every time. Q: Graeme Souness or Howard Wilkinson? Either would give me nightmares. Q: Marcelino or Lilian Laslandes? Laslandes - I was one of the few who believed he had some potential in a decent side that didn't keep lobbing high balls at him. Q: Finally, a prediction? 1-1
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Behind Enemy Lines: A Sunderland Fans View