Wallsendmag

So it's been a tradition that's been going on for 70 years yet apparently we only did it cos the mackems did it 2 years ago Cracking photo BTW.

That wasn't your point though. You said people went to Trafalgar Square because the mackems did which is completely incorrect. It's been something that's been happening for decades. In fact there's photos doing the rounds of NUFC fans at Trafalgar Square for the 1970s Cup Finals.

I was in Trafalgar Square along with 1000s of others the night before the Finals in 98 and 99 so you're talkng absolute shite there like.

We were in the lower tier right behind the goal, where I assumed mist the atmosphere would be, which is why I picked there as we were in phase one so had the pick of seats. The whole day just felt off. Nobody singing in the pubs beforehand, Man Utd fans outsinging us down Wembley way (mainly with their Shearer song), got into the ground and at tbe age of 45 I felt like a young man! Knew it was going to be shite before we got to out seats. My abiding memory of being at the match was some wifey going absolutely ape shit with everyone at half time for standing in complete silence for the 1st half. Needless to say it got no better at half time. Just a miserable day all round.

We were flat before the match. In the pubs, walking to the ground and In the concourse beforehand. I remember saying to my nephew the fans weren't up for it. Looked around and most people were in their 50s and 60s. It was like going to a home match in the Leazes End. Hated every minute of it.

Aye that was very harsh but ultimately the seat remains the property of the club.

Dabizas 1-0 game and Solano 1-0 game 100% had both dedicated metros and club run buses. Probably a couple more as well but I know these two definitely did. They started charging for the buses with the money going to charity which killed a lot of the interest but by then the metro and trains were already far more popular and it wasn't really worth the hassle of them carrying on with the buses.

Even when the club were running buses you'd have 2 Metros (times published in advance) that you could use that would go straight through to Sunderland non stop. You were also free to use any other Metro. These ran at the same time as the club run buses and I'm going back 20 years here.

Even when we were shite the atmosphere was nearly always good away from home. I've been in umpteen away ends over the years where we've been 4 or 5 goals down and still outsung the home fans comfortably. There was talk a while back that around 1 in 3 of our regular away travellers went on someone else's ticket, usually sourced through supporters buses. Certainly my experience of aways I would say that's a fairly accurate figure., even maybe a bit Conservative. If that's the case that's 1,000 fans out of the typical 3,000 away end who can no longer go. These were generally lads in their late teens, 20s and 30s. The demographic that typically make the most noise. They've been replaced in the away ends by season ticket holders, mostly whom weren't all that arsed about away games previously, but the main problem is that these season ticket holders who typically sit there in silence at home games are now going away and going the same in away ends.

There was never a bubble trip. You could go on the club run buses if you wished or you could travel by rail or with your usual supporters bus. Keith Barrett ran a bus to every Derby up until he was hit with the banning order in 2009. The Metro or Northern Rail train was also always an option as well. I only went on the club run buses once and I didn't enjoy my day as much so didn't to it again.

My only hope is that our 2 best away atmospheres this season have been Man Utd (7,000 away fans) and Chelsea (4,300 away fans) so perhaps another big allocation can help. However the lack of drinking time and people sat on buses for long is bound to dampen the mood. Pretty tragic that we're even having this discussion prior to this match, but that's where we're at unfortunately.

That's just an excuse really. If you caught any of their Europa League games at Anfield this season the away support has sounded very loud on TV. Couldn't hear our lot on the telly and speaking to a lad yesterday who was down there he said it was worse than shite. Just small pockets of fans trying to get things going but it just never took off. Not expecting much on Saturday either tbh.

Done car, train, metro, supporters bus and once on the free buses from the club. I remember meeting lads in the Three Bulls at 9am on the morning of the game and some of us were going by Metro and some were using the official club buses so we'd go our separate ways beforehand, that's how I know they were all run together and you took your choice depending on what suited you the most.

They most definitely did. Some did the official club buses whilst others did went on supporters buses and metros/trains for years.

Aye we won 3-1. They were Premier League at the time and we were top of Division 1 as it was known then. Drew 0-0 in the first leg at SJP. Was my first experience of proper football violence and I remember thinking how mental the Boro fans were. Just full of absolute hatred. The season before they'd came up here and put all the windows out in the Three Bulls. We played Sunderland 2 weeks later at Roker and I remember bricking it after what I'd seen at Middlesbrough. Our next door neighbour drove us down there and we parked well away from the ground. As we got nearer it became apparent that Sunderland was going to be nothing like Middlesbrough and it actually felt like more of a home game for us, and the Sunderland fans weren't interested in any bother.

I was only 14 at the time and it was my first experience of proper football violence. Remember getting to the ground and thinking I just wanted to be outside and there was a Newcastle fan stood there selling The Mag fanzine and a couple of Boro fans started kicking the living daylights out of him. No chance the poor lad got to the match. Was pretty much the same afterwards especially as we won 3-1. I remember still not feeling safe even once I was on the bus!

He's still a very good striker when he's fit. One of the best English strikers out there. He was superb last season and deservedly was selected for the England World Cup squad. There'd be teams out there willing to take a punt on him no doubt about it.

Was always rougher than Sunderland was Boro. Much worse. Remember going to Ayresome Park when we beat them in the League Cup and it was genuinely scary! One of only 2 times I've genuinely been scared outside a football ground. Contrast that to Sunderland away 2 weeks later when O'Brien scored the free kick and the mackems just kept out of the way. Strange thing with Cleveland Police was that they would go to all those lengths to segregate us before the match, often meaning we missed the first 15/20 mins (I remember one time once they finally let is in it was already 1-1!) and at full time they would let us all out together

I'd say less than half used the buses that the club put on. Most either went on their usual supporters buses, train or metro. Used to have 2 dedicated Metro services that would run straight through without stopping, plus a couple of Northern Rail services which would also stop at Heworth. Drinking out of a plastic cup at £6 or £7 a pint whilst others are chucking their beer all over the place isn't for everyone either. Many people just prefer a nice pub.

Bloody hell which pubs are opening at 6 like?? Even so the waiting around and the very slow stop/start drive down to there will sober people up anyway which I suppose is kind of the idea. I always remember Middlesbrough away when Cleveland police would drive us around Teesside for an hour before allowing our buses to head to the ground for the same reason!

Well I know our away support back then was a lot better than it is now so maybe that wasn't a bad thing. Was talking to a mate earlier on there who was at Anfield yesterday and said the away end was pathetic yet again. The drink and the football always went hand in hand for many fans so your impression is wrong. You don't need to prioritise. You can have a good drink in the pub with your mates and then go to the football. Well not on Saturday obviously.

Don't think many people will be pissed up mate. Doing things this way cuts out the drinking part when fans are waiting for buses from 8.30.

Hardcore? I barely bother with home games these days

It's very different. I used to go to them back then and either went on the train, the Metro or with Keith Barrett. Uually left Newcastle just over an hour before Kick off or if we went with Barrett we'd meet in the Cricketers Arms in Bill Quay which would open especially early for us and the bus would collect us from there. Never once had to do this where I was told to board a bus over 3 hours before Kick for a game 10 miles away. Each to their own but it wouldn't be for me. I actually know a few away regulars who've just sacked this one off.

Unless something remarkable happens this month I can't see us getting any higher than 8th. I think 8th-10th is our most likely finishing position which would be a little underwhelming. Unfortunately for a whole host of reasons we've gone backwards this season and other clubs have improved.