There are many rivalries in sport: England and Australia, Barcelona and Real Madrid, Brazil and Argentina. But arguably the fiercest of all rivalries occurs in the north-east – a rivalry that pits the black and white of Newcastle against the red and white of Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear Derby. The history of this rivalry stretches back many, many years, since the two sides first met in 1883, with many different flashpoints along the way.
Why Such a Rivalry? As with many rivalries in sport, the rivalry between Newcastle and Sunderland stems from events outside of sport. This is because the two areas have been at loggerheads well before football was even invented. The main reason why such a schism was drawn between the two towns? The English Civil War. Royalist Newcastle was seen to have many unfair advantages over the merchants of Sunderland, causing Sunderland to become a major stronghold for Parliamentarians in the north-east. This opposition to each other continued into the Jacobite Rebellions and the rest, as they say, is history…
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An exploration of the world of Ingrid Hall - book reviews and a little bit of Newcastle history. They do say variety is the spice of life! Archives
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