Inspired by Windy on another thread and another way of cheering ourselves up....

What does being a Geordie mean to you?

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Answers

I know this is going to sound daft, but I have a clipping from the Ronnie of the Millennium Bridge and the quayside and the other bridges behind it on the wall in my room and i look at it every morning when i get up.

I go home everyday even this far away. Home is that river, these people and this club.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Thanks min. I've just got back from an excellent week of skiing and the first thing I heard when I landed was.... "great result for 'boro". I've been depressed ever since.

You summed it up nicely:
the people, the river, the club, the city .... the pride

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

It might be inspired by me, but I can't even claim to being a real Geordie, so what hope have I got - arrggghhhhhh. ;-) I suppose 50% of me is genetically Geordie, traceable back to at least mid 18th century (whatever happened to the rip-roaring genealogy thread ;-0) , but I've always felt a fraud having not lived in Newcastle for any period (extended visits only). So being a Newcastle supporter for me, especially in the 70's/80's was like an individual cult best kept to myself for the most part with little chance of consolation with fellow sufferers. Howls of derision - that's what the normal response was when I revealed my allegiances. It's getting that way again, isn't it? Either derision or pity.... So Min, how are we supposed to cheer ourselves up?

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

a story....

When they launched the white away kit, i was wandering along Oxford St and popped into a shop to have a look. When i got there, the sales assistant was deep in conversation with a lad a few years older than me standing in front of the new shirt. I hung around cadging a look as best i could until he turned round. "Whaddya reckon then?" "aye, not bad" etc etc...

I was there for nigh on 45 minutes chatting to this lad about 'the greatest goal ever scored by a newcastle player [pedro v brighton]', why were weren't very good now, best game we'd been to, worst game...all sorts. The sales assistant just stood there in absolute amazement:

"you two are related aren't you?"

"no"

"no, you have to be"

"never met before in wor lives"

"no, this is a set-up isn't it?"

"eeh, man.."

"well, are you going to buy the shirt....."

[we look at each other..]

"we'll have a think about it..." and we walk out...

anyway, point is this [and ciara, amongst others, will confirm it]: you don't [really] even have to have been born in newcastle or have lived there for any extended time. There's a sense of belonging, of family, community - an identity that will never be lost, but something that we're all part of. It's probably felt a lot more by those of us who've left [see Softie's comment's on another thread for the non-romanticised version] but it's more special than the Scots and the Irish simply because, well, there are more of them.

One city of 750,000-1m people in a far flung [cold] corner of North East England. And wherever you are on the face of this planet, however lost or homesick you can be: "How did Newcastle get on at the weekend?"

Whatever the answer [and let's face it, it's mostly not the kind of question you want answered], my thoughts turn back to that little far flung corner and the ground, the fans, the city, the people, the river, the pubs....and i know who i am again...

not explained well at all but maybe when i've had a bit of sleep and a few more beers,someone else will be able to put it a bit better....

;@)

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

All I know is I feel horribly homesick for a place where I didn't grow up, and haven't lived apart from a few weeks out of the year. And yes, I'd far rather be over there watching all these matches in person than sitting here messing around with the webcast and kicking the cat. If I could just win that danged lottery..... :-)

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Sadly, like many others, it's standing yet again on that draughty platform at the Central on a Sunday wishing you didn't have to leave.

Came away from the Man City match the other week, fed up with yet another defeat and dismal performance with nothing to cheer about...straight into a driving blizzard with thousands walking along past The Strawberry, pretty as a picture in the snow. Wouldn't have swapped places for the world.

Instant memory of queuing up overnight on those cobbles before the Burnley FA Cup semi-final, with an alarm bell driving everyone mad for hours on end until we got the precious tickets in our hands.

And there's always the next trip home: The first glimpse of the bridges as the train crawls round the corner, the Big River, the bottle of Brown waiting on the bar of your local...that sense of belonging you can't get anywhere else.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Driving up to see me Da', the excitement starts at Scotch Corner, builds up all the way through to The Fell in Gateshead, then when I cross the Tyne Bridge, Jesus, drugs that would give that kind of high would be more expensive than diamonds. I've felt like that every time I have returned since I left in the 70's. Every single time.

I won first prize in the Lottery of Life: I was born a Geordie.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

What does being a Geordie mean to me? So many things that wouldn't be done justice to if I put them on paper, things like the Old Armstrong Bridge, smoke rolling down the Leazes (the old one) Keegans hamburgers, knowing someone everywhere you go. The international recognition that Geordies are known for their honesty, humour and loyalty to whatever it is they believe in. For me that is NUFC, sometimes good, most times not so much. Coming home after being away for a long time, driving over the tyne bridge with me heart beating so hard it almost comes out of my chest. Oh yeah, Geordies forever.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Thanks for you all for making me feel so homesick, what with this thread and the photos it's doing my head in.

I was born and raised in Durham City, I've only spent two nihgts (sleeping) in Newcastle. Yet for me, whenever I go home, I don't feel as though I've been home, till I've taken the train, crossing the river, Tyne Bridgeon the right and the top of the stadium just in view. Now that's when I know I've come home

And BTW all of you on this forum is one of the reasons why I'm proud to be a Geordie.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

I agree with the Scotch Corner bit, Its not till I get there that I think im almost home. Walking around the golf course on a cold saturday morning in just a Thick T-Shirt. Listen to my grandads story's about Arll the grate boxas from nyekasil who me gradad met Seaman tommy watson et al. The sight of St. James towering above the skyline allways bring a flutter in me chest.

Above all going anywhere in the world and being recognised and liked because of who we are. for eg. my sis in law went to New York she was wearing a toon shirt and the sales assistant shouted from 30 feet away in a american acct "toon Army - howay the lads". Then told her that they only sell the Toon shirt in MAceys New York.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

It amuses me that there is an absolute understanding from the rest of the population that if you have a Geordie accent, or even a hint of one, then you must be a Newcastle supporter, and must want to talk about football.

The river is the key to it all. The river has the bridges and that thay are key also.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Brings a lump to the throat! You have put down my feelings in such eloquent words . People look at me in amazement when I still say I'm going "home" even though I haven't lived there for over ten years.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

In answer to your question Min...............Everything!!!! (:o)

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

I can't find any clever words to match what has already been posted on here, but to me this little bbs community epitomises what it's like to be a Geordie - contributors from aal ower the world, yet you could be talking to blerks & lasses in the corner pub: no need for formal introductions cos wer all Geordies, lyke: we're aal truly, madly, deeply in luv wi the Toon and the Toon they play in.

It's a passion; it's a dream; but fundamentally it's an incurable disease.

I love Nick's line which sums up the feeling so well " I won first prize in the Lottery of Life: I was born a Geordie".

However, I think Benton captures the true essence of being a Geordie with "........that sense of belonging you can't get anywhere else". How wonderfully, splendidly true.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

being a Newcastle supporter for me, especially in the 70's/80's was like an individual cult best kept to myself for the most part

Windy - it was ever thus ...

Great story min. I have a similar one. At the end of the 12 point season I took a friend from work from Bournemouth to see the final game of the season. He was a keen Brighton fan but longed to see what I raved about after my 700 mile round trips to see the Toon that season. In the Strawberry we got drinking with some lads and lasses who just happened to be standing next to us. The singing began, we all had our arms around each other singing at the top of our voices. My mate Bob had his camera at the ready and took a splendid picture of a very "tired and emotional" Jonno in the middle of a scrum of 4 or 5 fans singing our heads off.

Monday morning, back at work, Bob proudly presents me with this framed picture (and tells me that I have to take him again as he still possesses the negatives!) Quite a few in the office had gathered round to look. Bob says to me "They were a great bunch - do you see them every week". I replied "No I've never met them - I thought they were mates of yours!" Bob was just so surprised to see how easily everyone related to each other. He said to me that it was bliddy long way but he could see why I did it.

On reflection, despite the fact that we'd lost the title, that was a good morning that. I'd bought an outrageous Black and White tie with the Broon Ale logo on it. Stood out like a beacon in the office. The Man Utd fans came round the corner to take the piss as usual (all three of them had never seen a single game - they had no right to say anything)but backed off at the sight of "the tie". A Southampton fan who was a good mate (we both supported our home town teams) came up and remarked "A magnicent show of defiance there Jonno". He had a deep resentment that he was outnumbered by Manures 20 miles from the Dell.

(The Manu "fans" were seen scuttling for cover a few weeks later when we signed Shearer as well!)

What does it mean to be a Geordie? Ultimately, I think it's about the people, the warmth, the heart, the humour and the passion of the people. The River and the bridges are wonderful landmarks which plug me straight back into that feeling of HOME. I've always loved the Burns(?) song me Grandma used to sing "My ain folk". It's about Scotland of course, but the feeling for home is exactly the same.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001