It was a match that was difficult to take because the Mackems had a greater will to win than the side Alan Pardew put out.
It was 90 minutes when Di Canio got everything right - and Pardew made an arse of himself and got tactics sadly wrong.
So where did it go wrong for Di Canio?
Well respected in this country, successful in the lower leagues, and, obviously, extremely passionate and driven to succeed ... but it didn't last.
Ellis Short, chairman of Sunderland, decided that Di Canio was the man for the job, but he should have looked at the incidents which included outspoken criticism of fans, board members and players at Swindon.
He wasn't going to change overnight, and when he said after the WBA thrashing "I won't change" ... it was obvious he wouldn't!
At Swindon Di Canio got away with pulling off keeper Wes Fotheringham after 20 minutes because of one mistake, and physically confronting Leon Clarke on the pitch after his home debut, because they’re League One players and he’s an international superstar.
It was never going to work in the Premier League, where some players – admittedly not many at Sunderland – could justifiably turn around and ask the boss how he would have done it better.
It was a training ground revolt that did for Di Canio, in the style of Brian Clough’s insurrection after 44 days at Leeds United ... as in 'The Damned United' ... and Sunderland is indeed THE VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED
But whilst Clough’s tenure was doomed from the start because of his acrimonious relationship with the club and outspoken hatred of club legend Don Revie, Di Canio had much more of a chance, with genuine fan excitement and financial support to back him up.
But he failed to adapt, charging in like an Italian bull in a red and white china shop, publicly criticising players and goading fans, which he may have been justified in doing in theory, but in practice was only going to work in the short term.
14 players were signed for over £20million, with only Giaccherini looking anything like Premier League standard (admittedly after only five games), and their best two players of last season, Mignolet and Sessegnon, being allowed to leave.
So what now for the Black Cats (and never has an English club had such an ill-fitting nickname)?
Short and co seemed to have backed themselves into a corner by allowing Di Canio to completely take over the joint in his six months.
It's a mess, and long may it continue.
Newcastle United Fixtures
September 30 20:00 Premier League Everton v Newcastle United
October 5 15:00 Premier League Cardiff City v Newcastle United
October 19 12:45 Premier League Newcastle United v Liverpool
October 27 13:30 Premier League Sunderland v Newcastle United
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NEWCASTLE UNITED 2013/14
PREMIER LEAGUE
NEWCASTLE 2 HULL CITY 3 (Remy 2)
Krul, Debuchy (86' Tiote), Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Santon, Cabaye (62' Gouffran), Anita, Sissoko, Ben Arfa, Cisse (73' Marveaux), Remy
Subs: Williamson, Elliot, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett
ASTON VILLA 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ben Arfra, Gouffran)
Krul, Debuchy, Coloccini, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon, Anita (74' Tiote), Cabaye (88' Sammy Ameobi), Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Remy (63' Gouffran), Cisse
Subs: Elliot, Marveaux, S Taylor, Dummett
NEWCASTLE 1 FULHAM 0 (Ben Arfa)
Krul, Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Anita 65' (Cabaye), Marveaux 74' (Remy), Shola Ameobi 65' (Gouffran), Cisse
Subs: Gosling, Elliot, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett
NEWCASTLE 0 WEST HAM 0
Krul, Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Anita, Marveaux 66' (Sammy Ameobi), Shola Ameobi, Cisse 72'
Subs: Gosling, Bigirimana, Elliot, Vuckic, Dummett
MAN CITY 4 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Debuchy, Coloccini, S Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Sissoko, Tiote, Gouffran 45+4' (Dummett), Ben Arfa 65' (Sammy Ameobi), Gutierrez 44' (Anita), Cisse
Subs: Elliot, Marveaux, Shola Ameobi, Obertan
LEAGUE CUP
NEWCASTLE 2 LEEDS UTD 0
Krul, Debuchy, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Gouffran (90' Vuckic), Anita (80' Gosling), Tiote, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Cisse (71' Obertan).
Subs: Ben Arfa, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bigirimana, Alnwick
MORECAMBE 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Shola Ameobi, Sammy Ameobi)
Elliot, Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa, Good, Dummett, Bigirimana, Gosling, Marveaux 88' (Sissoko), Vuckic 46' (Shola Ameobi), Sammy Ameobi, Gouffran 71' (Ben Arfa)
Subs: Santon, Anita, Alnwick, Streete