The Day We Stood With The Mackems!
Last updated : 06 November 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor
August 4, 1996, was a historic day in the fact it was the last clash between the pair at Roker Park, and Toon fans (officially) were not invited.
Northumbria Police decided it would be best on safety and security grounds if only home fans were allowed in, and so Newcastle's Sir John Hall decided Sunderland fans would not get tickets for St James' Park later that season.
The police, however, backed down and Sunderland said they would give the Magpies 1,000 tickets. But Hall stood firm, saying the Mackems STILL could not have an allocation.
So, tit-for-tat, the Mackems said the tickets would go on general sale to Sunderland fans.
I turned up at 7 o'clock to queue for tickets and I swear I recognised 80% of those queuing as the die-hard Toon fans who never missed an away fixture.
We got in, but it was the most uneasy match I think I can ever remember.
The game was terracing in those days, and the Mackems were on the look out for any wolf in sheep's clothing. And I saw four or five Mackems knocking seven-bells out of each other convinced the other was a Geordie!
Robbie Elliott: "The whole scenario was the fact no away fans were allowed, which meant it was a bit of a strange atmosphere.
"Technically they weren't allowed to be there, but of course we all knew some would get in. With it being a derby as well, it was just weird. I still remember it like it was yesterday.
"There were pockets of Newcastle fans all around the ground in little dribs and drabs.
"It was only when we scored that you realised just how many fans we had there. They'd obviously been keeping quiet up until then and couldn't keep it in any longer.
"In some ways it's more enjoyable to win in front of their fans than your own. You like to enjoy victories in front of your own supporters of course but I just like the mentality of winning in their backyard.
"Sunderland scored with a penalty, and I wasn't 100% one way or the other as to whether it was a penalty.
"I've never seen it since on the television so I really don't know. Thankfully it didn't affect the result. The penalty wasn't even mentioned afterwards.
"At that time every game you played we were expected to win and that's the attitude we always went out with. We knew if we conceded we could got out and score more than the opposition so that's what we always tried to do.
"It's why there were no recriminations when I conceded the penalty. When we got in at half-time the attitude was there was no point looking back. That's what Kevin Keegan was like. He knew what to do to get the best out of us.
"I'd been to a lot of derby games as a youngster but the 1996 game was the first one I'd ever played in.
"I remember the play-off at St James's Park in 1990 when Marco Gabbiadini scored. I used to go and watch Newcastle one week and Sunderland the next in my young days. My dad was a Sunderland fan.
"We local lads know from day one what it means to the area.
"It's not a normal game. I know they say it's just three points but it's more than that. At the time there weren't many foreign lads playing but we weren't worried about those that were.
"When you play in it you realise how special it is. But the derby is as much about off the pitch as on it. It will be interesting to see how many Geordies and Mackems are actually out there on Saturday. It probably won't be many but it will still be just as passionate as ever because of the fans.
"I didn't play in the derby when I was at Sunderland because we were in different divisions. But I got a fantastic reception from the fans when I joined, I didn't get any stick. It was a tough time for the club, they'd just been relegated and didn't have a manager.
"It will be interesting for Chops, especially after what happened in his last derby, when he scored his first league goal for United at the Stadium of Light in a 4-1 win.
"I wish him all the best because he's a former team-mate of mine and a nice lad, but on the day it comes down to Newcastle v Sunderland and he'll be playing for Sunderland."