It was Dolores O’Riordan, lead singer of the Cranberries, who offered the elegant thought the opinions are like a*******s since everyone has one. I am sure others have said the same or similar.
But as we approach the first of this season’s derby games with Newcastle United, here is a selection of opinions I have spotted here, at Blackcats or elsewhere, alternating Mackem and Mag words of wisdom …
Jeremy (SAFC)
I’m feeling as positive as it’s possible for an inherent pessimist to be. I’m confident that we will win at the weekend putting the Mags in their place well and truly. It’s as simple as that. We have better players and a much better team than they do. We will simply use their live guts to grease the tracks of our Mackem tanks. Positive enough lads?
Terry (NUFC)
Will the Mackems finally beat the Mags this week? I was in short trousers when it last happened…
Michael (SAFC)
Without wishing to dampen anyone’s ardour, I’ve been thinking the same (as Jeremy) while also reminding myself that this was also true last season, when they were the newly promoted team and we were the established Prem team with the top goalscorer etc. But we got murdered away and got beaten at home until we salvaged a lucky point in the last minute.
Buy me at the Salut! Sunderland Shop
Toon Eye (NUFC)
You can say what you like about Barton, but I bet your team would sigh with relief if he wasnt playing against you this weekend. Still a great footaballer
Mike (SAFC)
I have 1-1, with 1-0 to us as my second option. I just don’t see where the glut of goals is going to come from (though I hope I’m wrong), and the Mags are nasty, cynical and perfectly capable of closing down naive attacking play, which, good as the result was, was what we showed against Liverpool. They’ll get tonked by a couple of sides when they do come out and play football, but I’m not expecting them to play any on Saturday so they’ll be hard to break down. On the positive side, they can’t score either. And Barton will either get one of the lads sent off or sent off himself; after last Saturday the odds are it will be him.
Mike (NUFC)
Sunderland Fans are an embarassment as they spend more time worrying about Newcastles acheivements…
Terry (SAFC)
Before last season’s derby I thought ‘If not now, when?’ We were humped both games and it’s unforgetable for me. Never be forgotten and still angry.
Same question again this weekend? Nothing but a win will do.
Would I be happy a point now?
No. Nothing but a win.
Blunderland (NUFC)
That 5-1 thrashing last seaosn must have really hurt you!! Heres to Sarurday where we will win this time at the Stadium of *****. Christ you should have seen yourselves thought you’d won the league when you got that equaliser last season in the 94th minute. 6 points from 6 this time!!!!
Rob (SAFC)
I think barton and tiote are key to everything on saturday. Deal with them and you deal with the toon. I’d play gardner in the middle with catts to add a bit of steel. Win the midfield and we should win the game.
I don’t see where their goals will come from so I’m going with 2-0 to us. Sess and elmo to break his duck.
An early goal is the key.
Michael Hudson (NUFC, in the Salut! Sunderland “Who Are You?”
Newcastle fans are unfairly maligned. Like every club we have embarrassing elements to our support, but we’re the only one that’s defined by them. You get fans at every club claiming they’re the best in the world and expecting to win every game. Look at Liverpool, for instance. The only expectation most Newcastle fans I know have is for continuing disappointment.
Gordon (SAFC)
I’d try to keep Cattermole and Barton as far apart as possible. I think Barton is just too smart for him. Howard Webb is the key!
Just looking at prices on Betfair. Normal odds on most games for a red card are around 2-1, for our game it’s evens!! We are 5/4 for a win though, which seems like good value to me.
nufc.com (er, NUFC)
Newcastle Should Win Easily At Sunderland – Maybe
Ian (SAFC):
I’m not as confident as the majority seem to be. Blind faith perhaps. And newly-promoted Brighton are going like a train, with an excellent away win at Cardiff last night. We fail to win on Saturday, then lose on Tuesday and the Samaritans will need a permanent presence on Wearmouth Bridge.
Michael Hudson again (NUFC)
Like last season, the game will be won and lost in midfield. We annihilated you there in both games last season. A lot will depend on the battle between Cattermole and Tiote. Neither side is particularly potent up front at the moment so I’m going for a 1-1 draw with Shola Ameobi scoring his customary goal.
And finally:
Andy in Oz (SAFC):
I’m confident of a win, but not sure of a tonking, which I’d love!! A win however is a must.
Its a must for us Fans, for the region, for the City and for Bruce, coz if we play like we did last year, or even play well but lose, he will be under massive massive pressure.
Its a must win game!! F****** bring it on! 9pm kick off over here, can’t wait!
* You can buy Ian Black’s book with its optional covers and titles – Geordies Vs Mackems and Mackems Vs Geordies: Why Tyneside is Better Than Wearside and Why Wearside is Better Than Tyneside – for next to nothing at this Amazon link. You might even treat yourself to some music from Salut! Live’s Song of the Day series while you’re there; today’s choice, Capstick Comes Home, would even cheer people up who needed cheering up tomorrow
We all want OUR players to be judged on what happens on the day, not on the reputation they may have.
However, I can’t help wondering if this desire works two ways, in the minds of referees.
1) They are human and know about player’s reputations and, as a result, react too soon to the slightest misdemeanour.
OR
2) In their desire to be seen as unbiased they then allow “bad boys” to get away with far more than other players.
Last Saturday I think Barton should have been shown a straight red BUT which camp will Howard Webb fall into tomorrow?
3-1 to Sunderland, and I’m a Newcastle fan !
It pains me to say it, but Sunderland have bought well, and Mike Ashley has been looking through the bins for scrap !
Sunderland will build on last season, NUFC will build gallows for the owner !
-This is for both sets of fans, PLEASE, no trouble before or after the match. There has been too much violence in the country over the last couple of weeks. Lets show the rest of the country how decent we are.
That is all !
Enjoy the match.
“Mags are nasty, cynical and perfectly capable of closing down naive attacking play, which, good as the result was, was what we showed against Liverpool. They’ll get tonked by a couple of sides when they do come out and play football”
How many yellow cards did you get at SJP last year when things were going awry, Along with the red for Bramble, If Dowd didnt take pity Turner, Mensah and Cattermole could have followed nasty and cynical could describe both sides.
We scored far more that you lot last season 5-1, 6-0, 5-0, 4-1, 4-4 We have plenty of goals in the team with or without Nolan and Carroll.
Cant see where our goals are coming from ?? Ameobi, Best and Lovenkrands arent great but their more proven that Wickam and Dong and Ba’s goals to games ratio is far better than anything you have.
That said 1-1 draw and 3 points at SJP, Again…
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