When it was half time in the Spurs match shown live here on Sat night, around the time hiro went of to do the dishes and ironing, there was a fill in spot on the telecast. You know sort of news program of the PL. One of the articles/stories was about the mackems "football in the community" Two of the items seemed a little unusual to me. First off was the description of their area of operation as including South Tyneside. Does this term now cover from the Toon to mackemland or only apply from Washington, that wqell known mackem supporting area. Maybe Gav can tell us?

Secondly when they were showing the players with the kids at the schools etc and posing for photos a large number of the kids 6 - 10 years old I would have thought, were holding up 2 fingers on the right hand and 1 finger on the left.

I thought this was strange until I thought maybe they only had 2 and 1 finger on each hand, but that would be the smoggies wouldn't it?

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001

Answers

Anyone else see this show?

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001

Seen sumfink with Micky Gray and kids , was that the one?

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001

Let me see, what you are saying gus is that the feel of the film was that the mackems now regard 60% of the North Easts population as rightfully theirs, AND SO DO THE PEOPLE???;

and that people refuse to cross the Tyne, even by using the bridges and the tunnel?, OR EVEN BETTER, THERE ARE NO BRIDGES AND WE CAN ONLY CROSS BY RAFTS?;

That people from inland Co. Durham, South Tyneside etc(WHICH FROM MY ESTIMATIONS ARE MASSIVELY MAG MAJORITIES - I know of Mackems who wont wear their tops in parts of Jarrow, half of the South Tyne population) dont feel any love for Newcastle/Gateshead despite going shopping there, drinking there, YET feel so much love for the town Sunderland despite never ever have been there or thinking about going there?(cough, cough, whoops that superb city with the AIR SHOW, a premiership football club, an affordable ticket policy DESPITE A MASSIVE DEMAND, cough, cough LOL) ;

Implying that the Toons local fan base is of half radius, and we dont have any fans South Tyne (YET AGAIN, I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE MR MURRAY ON A TOUR OF EVERY WORKING MANS CLUB, PUB FROM SOUTH SHIELDS TO FELLING, TO INLAND CO. DURHAM, and we would see who this area always has, and always will feel an allegiance with).

And even more CHEEKY, that its the birth right of 60%+ of the North easts population is to support Sunderland??

Perhaps Wor Freddy, Mr Stonehouse, Wor Dougie and the team had better equalize on the properganda/spin/advertisment/future fan base front?

P.S. Why dont you post this thread to the clubs marketing/complaint feedback thing on the official site?

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001

Co Durham a Mag area? Ha ha ha aha ha ha ah dont be silly man

All maKems area largely imho Gotta give them credit for the ticket scheme too i wouldnt turn me nose up at it

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001

Durham mainly mackem but several strong mag towns (Consett for one), Northumberland mainly mag but, again, a few mackem enclaves (Seaton Delaval the one that springs to mind). Places like Chester-le-Street split down the middle. South Tyneside has always had its mackems (Steve 'bastard son of a copper' Cram etc), not that surprising if you think how close South Shields is to Roker.

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001

Wrong (MACKEMS, cough)it works in a radius, and as the majority of Inland Durham is closer to St James, and St James is easier to get to than the SOL/Roker.

If your from Inland Durham too, you will feel more closer to Newcastle/Gateshead, you simply spend more time in these places, most probably have not been to Sunderland in their lives, or years. THIS IS CORRELATED WITH THE FACT THAT INLAND DURHAM IS MAG TERRITORY.

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001

Oi! Gus. Ironings for pooftas. I was making the beds!

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001

I lived just in North West County Durham but I didn't visit Sunderland until I was 17 when there was a school trip to the Poly. Newcastle is the spiritual home for anyone west of the M1 or the main train line, it would be daft to cross rather than go up it.

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001

I stand corrected.

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001

Egotistical wankers Just keep FEEDING your egos over and over and over eh?

Now this is great, words to the effect of "Everyone in the NorthEast supports Newcastle"

(Number 12 in the list of Geordie Myths, along with such other favs as "Bobby Robson IS a geordie/magpie", "Newcastle have a 20,000 waiting list for season tickets" and "Everything really was Kenny Dagleish's fault")

2-1 FTM

Good luck in avoiding relegation Always watching

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001

What a depressing days postings - mostly bile, cussing and aggravation culminating in the previous post.
Oh perlease - is this really the best we can manage?

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001

Well this certainly worked as an emetic. What was flushed out above?

My comments, (sorry hiro) about what was on telly and then asking questions to clarify some things that may have changed since I left the area seems to have attracted some things from the woodwork.

I do not care if the mackems want to do football in the community in Soweto, Sarajavo or Harlem. I do not care if they think that they are a big club. I do not care if they think it is correct to bring up their kids to do stupid things.

Most of the people on here other than the wind up merchants and there are many who do that me included on occassion, only do it because it is expected of local rivalry not through real hate.

You tossers who want to come on here and spout your hate and vile FUCK off.

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001

When I'm in an easy mood I love the double standards of the football fans of Tyne and Wear.

NUFC get accused of being arrogant fans cos we stopped caring who Sunderland were when we were in a different class on the field. Same arrogance is noted when we feel aggrieved at losing at home to sides like Charlton and Man City.

On the RTG site there was discussion around playing weakened team in League Cup cos they were only playing lower division opposition.

We get mocked for Keegan building our side on big money buys that have failed, and won't we ever learn. At the same time Sunderland fans are desperate for Reid to buy to ensure they get in the Champions (sic) League.

We accuse them of playing appaling football, hoofing it skyward and hoping it bounces off Quinn to the munchkin. Then we moan about missing out on Hutchison.

We mock them for having to give tickets away, or making fans go to the Bradford game to get tickets for Man U, when we have had to endure empty seats cos of board ineptitude.

A funny game. Oh yeah and FTM

-- Anonymous, April 04, 2001

I have said this before but I'm going to say it again because I'm very touchy about this issue. I am from Gateshead and want to point out that although there are SOME Mackems here, they are as rare as a full priced ticket at the S.o.S! A long time ago some people justified their support of the Mackems by pointing out that Gateshead and Sunderland were both in Co. Durham. The fact that we can see St. James' from Gateshead and have the same accent as Novocastrians etc. etc. etc., did not apparently matter to those morons. Anyway, that point about Durham has not been valid since 1974. If anyone EVER has any doubt about the pro Newcastle United sympathies of the vast, vast, vast majority of Gateshead folk then get a Mackem to stand in any bar in Gateshead whilst the Toon are on telly and get them to cheer when we concede a goal. Then just sit back and enjoy as they get the crap kicked out of them!

-- Anonymous, April 04, 2001

Last time I was back in Durham - toon shirts outnumbered mackems by about 3-1. So yes, Durham is a mackem stronghold.....

-- Anonymous, April 05, 2001