Niall Quinn: Tyne/Wear derby the most passionate in England

[Stevie]

By Brian Mcnally 22/04/2007

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AS Sunderland prepare to join Newcastle in the Premiership, Black Cats chairman Niall Quinn has spoken for the first time about the peace pact that has reunited the warring giants of Tyne and Wear.

 

As exclusively revealed by the Sunday Mirror this month, Quinn and his Newcastle counterpart Freddy Shepherd have held secret talks to end the bad blood between the clubs that goes back to previous chairmen Bob Murray and Sir John Hall.

 

The bickering began when Murray publicly declared he must always have a bigger capacity than Newcastle - a dream shattered when St James' Park was increased to 52,000 seats in 2000.

 

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Murray had upped the ante by walking into the Newcastle boardroom after his side's 2-1 derby win in August 1999 wearing a Sunderland top.

 

Now Quinn is hoping the near-neighbours can take the top flight by storm. He said: "I wasn't party to any of the stuff that went on before. But I'd like to think there is a relationship that now exists between the two clubs. OK, we want to beat each other, but there is a different flavour now.

 

"This region needs Newcastle and Sunderland playing each other in the top flight. It might be a pipe-dream, but I'd love to see Sunderland and Newcastle around the top of the Premiership.

 

"We don't need to be fighting around trying to have a few hundred more seats than them. I respect what Newcastle have done since the days of Kevin Keegan."

 

Quinn (above) insists the Tyne-Wear derby is still one of the most passionate local rivalries in English football.

 

He added: "I've played in the Manchester derby, I've played in Arsenal-Spurs - and ours up here is on a planet of its own."

 

 

Having played in the N.London derby and the Manc derby he's qualified to compare, and clearly he thinks ours pisses on theirs in terms of passion. I watched that Spurs game yesterday, the atmosphere was utter s****. What makes ours different is it's more than football, the rivalry is 500 years old, and is political as much as sporting.

 

I'm pleased they're coming back up to be honest, it's a case of can't live with them, can't live without them, and they should be a big club Sunderland.

 

I can only think of four clubs in England with a bigger true fanbase than them. Do you think the likes of Everton or Spurs would take 10,000 to Barnsley? Would they f***.

 

They really are c***s, but it would be nice to see Newcastle and Sunderland in the top 6.

 

The rivalry with the mackems, is political as much as anything else, 500 years of history, and them c***s moaning that we get the best deal.  "We payad for yuuwuh metroaah twenteeh year'agoah, and we oahnly gorrit in 2003." <<< Typical mackem.

 

I think when it becomes an inter city rivalry it becomes more intense.  My mate in Manchester claims, Mancunian United fans hate City more than Liverpool I think that's bollocks.  I hand on heart think Liverpool - Man Utd is the only one that comes near Newcastle - Sunderland and it's for similar reasons.

 

I think the hatred between Man Utd and Liverpool is perhaps partly because they dominated, but I just think mancs hate scousers full stop. It's turned full circle really in history, Liverpool was for a long, long time Europe's biggest and richest port. It's run down now, but the architecture in parts of Liverpool is testament to it's prosperous Victorian past. Manchester was always the poor relation, and this is reflected by it's more modest Victorian era buildings. Manchester was the biggest factory in the country really, but didn't have the riches Liverpool had. I think the rivalry must've developed from there.

 

After the first World War Liverpool's prominence as a major port went through the floor. I read somewhere between 1920 and 1980 the dippers population almost halfed, and the money of the 19th century never returned, and Merseyside became the most derelict, desolate place on these islands, and further created a siege mentality of "we're on our own", which no other city in this country has.

 

While Victimpool was on the decline, Manchester was very much on the up, today few people can dispute Manchester is the second city of England, some say Birimingham but it's s***, and no c*** goes there for any reason other than football.

 

So there's been economic and social rivalry for years, there's been serious football rivalry at least for 50 years

 

In recent years the footballing rivalry has intensified to new levels, Liverpool fans throwing s*** at Man Utd fans in the ground, rocking Alan Smith's ambulance, Man Utd fans singing about Heysel and Hillsborough, what ever the reasons are I have to disagree that Man Utd v Man City has more hate than Man Utd v Liverpool.

 

 

[Cajun]

He might be right but given the fact he is the chairman of a North East club its no suprise he is saying it.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Can't speak for any of the cockney or Manc derbies, but for passion our's pees all over the Merseyside one. Fans happily mingle and speak up when in the 'enemy' stands during the Merseyside derbies I've been to - probably due to Liverpool regarding ManU as the true North West rivals (I'm sure that if Everton were one of the big four it would be different).

 

I'd wager that the passion in London is diluted due to the number of derbies they play each year, and apart from each other I doubt Arsenal and Chelsea fans see any london team as a big threat.

 

Birmingham v Villa just doesn't seem like a vicious rivalry - perhaps because the bluse have always been crap?

 

Norwich v Ipswich is supposed to be canny, and the Glasgow derby pishes over them all really

[Mowen]

He might be right but given the fact he is the chairman of a North East club its no suprise he is saying it.

 

Agreed. He might be qualified to judge which one was most passionate having played in them, but the inherant bias in his statement makes it hard to tell if it's what he really thinks.

[Stevie]

He might be right but given the fact he is the chairman of a North East club its no suprise he is saying it.

 

Agreed. He might be qualified to judge which one was most passionate having played in them, but the inherant bias in his statement makes it hard to tell if it's what he really thinks.

Peter Reid played in a Merseyside, Manc and managed in a TW derby, and he said to this day the first two don't even begin to compare, he has no reason to say that now.

[Skirge]

Well as they will be coming back up to the Prem, he is never going to fkn shutup about it now, but we all know that closer to deadline day it will be the fkn maniac he put in charge that will have plenty to say on the matter.

[NUFC06]

Glad if they get back in the Premiership but only because we will play 2 times with them

Im also a little bit worried that Roy Keane and Nial Quinn are 2 very ambitious persons and they might transform Sunderland into a decent Premiership club,which will annoy me as hell,especially if they turn out to be more ambitious then us.Our club is struggling in the last couple of years and the mackems seems to be in the right direction with the right man as chairman and the right man as manager

Time will tell...

[brummie]

Birmingham v Villa just doesn't seem like a vicious rivalry - perhaps because the bluse have always been crap?

 

It hasn't been competitive until recent years, but it certainly is vicious, which you'd realise if you found yourself at one of them. It is pure hatred.

 

Manchester derby = massively one-sided and diluted by United drawing support from well away from the area, supporters who don't understand the day to day rivalry

 

London derbies = too many of them, there is one practically every week.

 

Liverpool derbies = traditionally friendly. They even sit together, ffs. And as someone else said, their real rivalry is with Man United, which is not really local.

 

Birmingham derbies are like Newcastle-Sunderland derbies in that they don't happen with any massive regularity, interest is concentrated locally, and they are unpredictable. The only difference I would point out is that newcastle and sunderland are, what, 15 miles apart, and we have to share the city with the bluenose knuckledraggers.

 

Oh, and Stevie, as to your comment about nobody going to Birmingham for any reason other than football is somewhat off the mark, given the fact it is the third most visited city in Britain after London and Edinburgh, attracts far more overseas convention and conference visitors than anywhere with the exception of London, and is even located slap bang in the middle of the country's rail and road networks. Don't let facts get in the way, though.

[Syrette]

Birmingham v Villa just doesn't seem like a vicious rivalry - perhaps because the bluse have always been crap?

 

It hasn't been competitive until recent years, but it certainly is vicious, which you'd realise if you found yourself at one of them. It is pure hatred.

 

Manchester derby = massively one-sided and diluted by United drawing support from well away from the area, supporters who don't understand the day to day rivalry

 

London derbies = too many of them, there is one practically every week.

 

Liverpool derbies = traditionally friendly. They even sit together, ffs. And as someone else said, their real rivalry is with Man United, which is not really local.

 

Birmingham derbies are like Newcastle-Sunderland derbies in that they don't happen with any massive regularity, interest is concentrated locally, and they are unpredictable. The only difference I would point out is that newcastle and sunderland are, what, 15 miles apart, and we have to share the city with the bluenose knuckledraggers.

 

Is Villa - Birmingham the most notable derby around there then? Always thought West Brom and Wolves were the most vicious.

[Guest Stubbs]

I think Newcastle v Sunderland is the most passionate in England certainly. The decibels recorded at the games are higher than any other derby and thats been proven.

 

My partner is from Glasgow and has seen some heavy shit in her time to do with Rangers and Celtic. Her first experience of Newcastle/Sunderland was after they beat us 2-1 at SJP. She said, even compared to Glasgow, that was about as full-on as she'd ever seen (in terms of trouble afterwards, the vibe in the city etc.).

 

However, I do think the Old Firm derby is worse ... but only because it has religious and political aspects to it. If you stripped those out, it wouldnt be as bad as it is. 

 

 

[brummie]

Is Villa - Birmingham the most notable derby around there then? Always thought West Brom and Wolves were the most vicious.

 

Albion - Wolves is bad too, but is localised to the black country, and Albion have other rivalries.

 

Interestingly, the Villa-Blues rivalry is a relatively new (ie 50 years) thing, Albion were always Villa's historical rivals, mainly because their support is drawn from the northern side of Brum as well as the black country, but also because they'd been around longer than Blues had.

 

Villa - Blues became initially a north side (us) vs south side (them) rivalry, but has become seen as them being inner city and working class, and us as being suburban and out-of-towners. I don't think that is entirely true, but there is an element of truth there.

 

With the exception of Rangers - Celtic for obvious reasons, the most hate-filled, vicious derbies are always going to be the more localised ones, like yours and ours. And Ipswich - Norwich, too, which someone mentioned.

[brummie]

However, I do think the Old Firm derby is worse ... but only because it has religious and political aspects to it. If you stripped those out, it wouldnt be as bad as it is. 

 

Old Firm derbies are in an absolute league of their own, and you can't strip out the religious and political aspects of it, as those are fundamental elements to the existence of the two clubs.

[Syrette]

Spurs - Arsenal never seems to be that bad.

[1878]

Can't speak for any of the cockney or Manc derbies, but for passion our's pees all over the Merseyside one. Fans happily mingle and speak up when in the 'enemy' stands during the Merseyside derbies I've been to - probably due to Liverpool regarding ManU as the true North West rivals (I'm sure that if Everton were one of the big four it would be different).

 

It depends where you sit really. In most parts of Goodison and Anfield you can get away with sitting in with home fans but if you went into the Lower Gwladys or the Anfield Rd End as an away fan in a derby then I don't think it would be pretty.

 

Stevie- Liverpool fans throwing stuff is nothing new. We get spit, coins and piss every year because their club lets their fans sit in the tier directly above the away section instead of segregating it properly.

 

Anyway, since when did most passionate mean most trouble?

[Guest WalkervilleMag]

Boca Jnrs v River Plate  pisses over any derby we have.

 

Mackems cannot even sell out for our derby ffs.

[Dr Spectrum]

Quinn is probbably right about Tyne/Wear being more passionate than Manchester or North London,

 

Thing with our Derby is, while we hate them, they have so many other rivals that their local fans feeling is diluted(long distance fans dont count for derbies). Us, Liverpool, Chelsea/Arsenal/Whoever else is challnging for the league, Leeds...etc. Its just not the same as a derby when both times only have one genuine rival - each other.

 

But I dont think he can say for sure unless he had played for everyone. The hatred in those Brum derbies was something else, and I bet they are mad down in the lower leagues.

[PM]

Spurs - Arsenal never seems to be that bad.

 

That's because Arsenal have never really cared about Spurs for the past umpteen years as they've been so insignificant.  They care far more about their games with Man Utd.

[johnnypd]

ours depends on how well the clubs are doing, the mackem team last season was a joke so the derby wasn't particularly heated. back when gullit was here and they were doing relatively well it was intense.

[The Bonk]

ours depends on how well the clubs are doing, the mackem team last season was a joke so the derby wasn't particularly heated. back when gullit was here and they were doing relatively well it was intense.

 

I was on the edge of my seat watching them (Derbies) last year.  Don't know about you like.  It's even worse if we lose to them when they're cack!!!!

 

 

 

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Can't speak for any of the cockney or Manc derbies, but for passion our's pees all over the Merseyside one. Fans happily mingle and speak up when in the 'enemy' stands during the Merseyside derbies I've been to - probably due to Liverpool regarding ManU as the true North West rivals (I'm sure that if Everton were one of the big four it would be different).

 

It depends where you sit really. In most parts of Goodison and Anfield you can get away with sitting in with home fans but if you went into the Lower Gwladys or the Anfield Rd End as an away fan in a derby then I don't think it would be pretty.

 

Stevie- Liverpool fans throwing stuff is nothing new. We get spit, coins and piss every year because their club lets their fans sit in the tier directly above the away section instead of segregating it properly.

 

Anyway, since when did most passionate mean most trouble?

 

I was in the Gladys street lower tier in 2002 or 2003 (can't remember which) - Gerrard scored early doors.

 

Heard nothing but whinging reds fans!

[1878]

Can't speak for any of the cockney or Manc derbies, but for passion our's pees all over the Merseyside one. Fans happily mingle and speak up when in the 'enemy' stands during the Merseyside derbies I've been to - probably due to Liverpool regarding ManU as the true North West rivals (I'm sure that if Everton were one of the big four it would be different).

 

It depends where you sit really. In most parts of Goodison and Anfield you can get away with sitting in with home fans but if you went into the Lower Gwladys or the Anfield Rd End as an away fan in a derby then I don't think it would be pretty.

 

Stevie- Liverpool fans throwing stuff is nothing new. We get spit, coins and piss every year because their club lets their fans sit in the tier directly above the away section instead of segregating it properly.

 

Anyway, since when did most passionate mean most trouble?

 

I was in the Gladys street lower tier in 2002 or 2003 (can't remember which) - Gerrard scored early doors.

 

Heard nothing but whinging reds fans!

 

Maybe people were too depressed to kick off.

 

If I'm thinking of the right one it was an early saturday game and a gutless performance by us. I hated that day.

[Stevie]

Quinn is probbably right about Tyne/Wear being more passionate than Manchester or North London,

 

Thing with our Derby is, while we hate them, they have so many other rivals that their local fans feeling is diluted(long distance fans dont count for derbies). Us, Liverpool, Chelsea/Arsenal/Whoever else is challnging for the league, Leeds...etc. Its just not the same as a derby when both times only have one genuine rival - each other.

 

But I dont think he can say for sure unless he had played for everyone. The hatred in those Brum derbies was something else, and I bet they are mad down in the lower leagues.

The brum derbies couldn't even sell out in the 1980's.  I've always held the opinion that the Black Country derby was the most fierce in the West Midlands, maybe I'm wrong.

 

Dr I thought Bolton were trying to say you're their main rivals these days...   reminiscent Boro and us really like.

 

Can't speak for any of the cockney or Manc derbies, but for passion our's pees all over the Merseyside one. Fans happily mingle and speak up when in the 'enemy' stands during the Merseyside derbies I've been to - probably due to Liverpool regarding ManU as the true North West rivals (I'm sure that if Everton were one of the big four it would be different).

 

It depends where you sit really. In most parts of Goodison and Anfield you can get away with sitting in with home fans but if you went into the Lower Gwladys or the Anfield Rd End as an away fan in a derby then I don't think it would be pretty.

 

Stevie- Liverpool fans throwing stuff is nothing new. We get spit, coins and piss every year because their club lets their fans sit in the tier directly above the away section instead of segregating it properly.

 

Anyway, since when did most passionate mean most trouble?

Most passionate doesn't mean the most trouble.  If that was the case, Cardiff v Swansea, Millwall v West Ham, and Bristol City v Bristol Rovers would be at the top.  The thing with games against the mackems, and Old Firm games, there's more trouble from dickheads in 50/50 area's miles from the ground, than in the city's because the police have it planned like a military operation.  I mean from 1985 to 1997 we never had a 3pm game against Sunderland, we were even banned in 1996 from Roker "for fear of mass violence", load of bollocks, but at the SOS it's easier for them to contain.   

 

With Liverpool and Everton, no one is saying they're not amongst the most passionate fans in the country because they are, but they're your friends, your family, your neighbours.  For those of us on Tyneside, well North Tyneside and Newcastle, a lot of us thankfully only have short periods of our lives when we mingle with the c***s.  I suppose you could say that makes it more intense, certainly the reaction of the Everton fans when you won 3-0, you could see how long they'd waited for that it was special.

 

Anyway I worked there, they're c***s.  Cue abuse from Gemmill.  It might be a knuckledragger attitude to have, but I'm no means a radical on this view point, I'm not in a firm, but Gary Neville once said "I don't like Liverpool, I don't like their football teams and their people." perhaps it was an idiotic thing to say in public, but exchange the word Liverpool for Sunderland and that's how I feel, and believe me it's very much mutual if anything the depth of feeling from them towards geordies, is even more intense than ours.

[Guest elbee909]

 

Oh, and Stevie, as to your comment about nobody going to Birmingham for any reason other than football is somewhat off the mark, given the fact it is the third most visited city in Britain after London and Edinburgh, attracts far more overseas convention and conference visitors than anywhere with the exception of London, and is even located slap bang in the middle of the country's rail and road networks. Don't let facts get in the way, though.

 

Here's a fact - it's a shithole.  Was waiting at a bus-stop near Moseley and the guy who got on in front of me was drinking a cold tin of soup, from the tin, and had no money to pay for his journey.  He simply got on, stood there, then got off again.  Not atypical, this.

 

There's a complete lack of respect from most people.  No bugger can drive properly to save their life.  I honestly hope never to visit the place again, fucking awful.

[Stevie]

 

Oh, and Stevie, as to your comment about nobody going to Birmingham for any reason other than football is somewhat off the mark, given the fact it is the third most visited city in Britain after London and Edinburgh, attracts far more overseas convention and conference visitors than anywhere with the exception of London, and is even located slap bang in the middle of the country's rail and road networks. Don't let facts get in the way, though.

 

Here's a fact - it's a shithole.  Was waiting at a bus-stop near Moseley and the guy who got on in front of me was drinking a cold tin of soup, from the tin, and had no money to pay for his journey.  He simply got on, stood there, then got off again.  Not atypical, this.

 

There's a complete lack of respect from most people.  No bugger can drive properly to save their life.  I honestly hope never to visit the place again, f****** awful.

Miserable people if you ask me.

 

The stereotypes aren't always wrong. 

 

Geordies - fat cunts, who are good lads and like a drink

Scots - very fat cunts, some of whom are good lads and like a drink

Mancs - arrogant cunts but funny

Brummies - BORING BASTARDS

 

Even when they're funny it's hard to laugh because they sound so boring.

 

[CaliMag]

The stereotypes aren't always wrong. 

 

Geordies - fat c***s, who are good lads and like a drink

Scots - very fat c***s, some of whom are good lads and like a drink

Mancs - arrogant c***s but funny

Brummies - BORING BASTARDS

 

Even when they're funny it's hard to laugh because they sound so boring.

 

 

:lol:

 

Stevie ... there seems to be one large English group missing from your list... care to share?