"Here, you make a good tackle and you are applauded almost as if you have scored a goal. It's fantastic. The fans give you wings to fly".
If ever a quote summed up the Tyne and Wear derby it's this one from Yann Mvila, former Sunderland midfielder.
"It was magnificent. It was the best match that I've ever played in," he told the Sunderland Echo back in 2015.
"I was involved in the Milan derby [in 2014] between Inter and AC, which is rated as one of the biggest games in the world. But it didn't have the same atmosphere as this one. It was simply extraordinary, magnificent."
Mvila, despite his limited time in England, got it. He got what every man, woman and child does in the North East. What this rivalry means. In an age of manufactured derbies for television spectacle purposes, this one between Sunderland and Newcastle is raw, it's very much the real thing. In school playgrounds and five-a-side games at leisure centres you won't find Manchester United, Liverpool or Arsenal shirts like you do across the United Kingdom.
Instead, the children wear their latest replica Sunderland or Newcastle shirts. Go to the offices and factories around the North East, the discussion centres on the two clubs. You'll be hard pressed to find Erling Haaland or Bruno Fernandes discussion. Instead, it's how Joelinton flew into tackles at the weekend, or how Granit Xhaka dictated another game.
The derby has had plenty of talking points too. Fabio Borini's free-kick and that celebration. Newcastle's 5-1 thumping with a Kevin Nolan hat-trick. Kieron Richardson's wonder strike -- which he regards as the best goal of his career. Ryan Taylor's free-kick that brought about the "Ryan Taylor over the wall" chant still sung to this day.
On Dec. 14 the wider world will get to see just exactly what it means. Those who already do will get a reminder. After a near 10-year absence, the Tyne and Wear derby returns -- with the last one taking place in March 2016.
'The supporters are so passionate it's untrue'
The fortunes of both clubs since then have been poles apart despite the 12km between both cities. After a brief hiatus from the Premier League in 2016/2017, Newcastle have gone strength to strength. They have gone from a mid table outfit to one challenging at the top and experiencing Champions League football once again. They were boosted in 2021 by a Saudi Arabia-led takeover by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) in a deal worth just over £300 million. They have attracted stars, both ready made and upcoming. Across the Premier League, no one likes to visit St James' Park.
Sunderland meanwhile have only just returned, though they have done so with some aplomb. They ride high in fifth upon their return to the top flight, buoyed by impressive recruitment and poised coaching from Regis Le Bris. To understand Sunderland though, you need to remember where they once were. Back to back relegations in 2016/2017 from the Premier League then the Championship in 2017/2018 devastated not only the club but an entire city. The corresponding years only grew bleaker as Sunderland spent four years in League One. Despite this, they still to this day hold the attendance record in that division with 32,157. A big number, but not too big to be down.
A now infamous Netflix documentary shed an honest light on the people of the area and what their club meant to them. Basically, everything. Bad players, bad owners and bad decisions -- there were plenty of those. At one point, even the most optimistic of supporters wondered if they'd ever get back to, where they believe, they belong.
Then came their own takeover. While it didn't boast the resources of Saudi, it did bring investment and hope for the future. Kyril Louis-Dreyfus became Sunderland chairman at the age of 23 after his takeover was approved by the English Football League in February 2021. After their first full season under new ownership Sunderland were promoted from League One. They were on the up again. Then came the Championship. Sunderland, backed by their excellent youth academy, clawed at their dreams of Premier League once again before realizing it in 2024/2025 after a dramatic Playoff Final. Sunderland were back and for that matter, so was the North East.
A region plagued by hardship had a reason to smile again. Stories of industry leaving, factories closing and unemployment were briefly tucked away. You can't discuss this rivalry without discussing the cities and the people. It's after all, what makes it so unique. No matter what happens in life, it all comes back to football.
Players who have featured for the clubs have picked up on it too.
"I've been down to London and you play football, then once you leave the ground, that's it. There's no more football and you can go and enjoy a night with your family. At Newcastle it's just football constantly, in the morning, in the afternoon, in the night." said Kieron Dyer, the former Newcastle and England midfielder. Nicky Butt, the former Manchester United midfielder, despite playing in one of the most successful club sides of all time, still recalls his brief spell on Tyneside. "The supporters are so passionate it is untrue. It is a small city and everyone is Newcastle mad."
Like the football clubs they represent, the cities are feeling a wave of growth too. Newcastle has been on the rise for sometime and is a major hub for tech, healthcare, and energy sectors. All the while attracting increased foreign investment. Sunderland meanwhile is one of a more cautious, steady story. It is actively transforming its post-industrial identity through an ambitious urban regeneration program, backed by a £2 billion investment in the city that aims to transform it entirely. The Riverside Sunderland development, a new eye hospital, and the Crown Works Studio are just a few of the exciting projects.
Between September 1939 and the end of 1944 Sunderland produced 1.5m tons of ships, 27% of the UK's total output. The ship on the club emblem is a nod to this. In the early 1950s, Newcastle's Port of Tyne was still the world's second-largest shipbuilder and largest ship-repairing port. Then came the devastation of 1980s however, as deindustrialization came.
It is never forgotten but both places are more hopeful than ever in regards to their futures.
No one is doubting it's still a tough place to live. ONS employment figures show the unemployment rate in the North East for people aged 16 and over was 5% -- 0.3% higher than the UK average. The blinding lights of London still remain firmly in the distance but Northerners don't envy anyone. Their heritage is a source of pride and there is always belief in the area regardless of the hurdles put in place. It's the same when the clubs are at a low ebb. The issues and pitfalls are worn like a badge of honour -- somewhat character building. The successes are celebrated as if they would be the last. The words guts, character and passion might be cliches but it's what first springs to mind.
This transfers to the terraces and pitch, it's what is demanded from the teams. On Sunday, that is the very least to be expected. "Warriors are needed for this game" once remarked Roy Keane, previously Sunderland manager.
The derby went away but for some, it never left. Nor will it ever.