Newcastle United players far better appreciation than Sunderland players of what derby is all about

The Newcastle United players set to kick-off against their derby rivals this Sunday afternoon.

Bragging rights, local top dogs, all that nonsense, but who is better placed to prevail?

Would you say the Sunderland players or the Newcastle United players have a better appreciation of what the derby is all about?

On that front, there is only one winner.

Which will hopefully filter through into the performance and result today.

Played in the derby previously?

Not many matches on this front, with the Mackems hiding away in the lower leagues for so many years.

So we only really have that January 2024 match in the FA Cup to go on.

Ten of the Newcastle United players who got on the pitch that day in the 3-0 away day stroll are still in the Newcastle United squad.

Sunderland bought pretty much a new team in the summer, spending more money (£160m+) than any promoted club has ever spent before. That is reflected in the fact that looking at the team they put out last week that got hammered at Manchester City, only two of the Sunderland players started last year against Newcastle in the FA Cup.

Fans

Unless Africa has secretly been a hotbed of the Sunderland fanbase in recent decades, I think you will struggle to find many/any lifelong Sunderland fans amongst their team today. Obviously they based their summer recruitment largely on bringing in players from African countries and I think Sunderland now have nine in total who could have potentially been called up for AFCON (African Cup of Nations). Though I think just the seven are heading there with their national sides who qualified. Looking again at the team Sunderland put out in their most recent match (losing 3-0 at Man City, no local lads at all either with Dan Ballard the only English player and he is from Stevenage.

Nothing wrong of course with having players from wherever. However, if we are talking purely about having an appreciation and long understanding of what our local derby is all about, then having lifelong fans and/or local lads can only be a huge positive surely.

Actually, the two in the Mackem squad who probably have the best appreciation of what the derby is about, are Chris Rigg and Anthony Patterson, who are both subs these days. As is well documented, Rigg grew up in a Newcastle United family, whilst Patterson is from North Shields, so I would be surprised if he grew up in a red and white family. Please correct me in the comments section below, if I have got that one wrong.

Which brings me to our lot

More than possible that Newcastle United could have four lifelong fans starting today, with potentially Burn, Hall, Murphy and Miley all in the team to face Sunderland.

No doubt plenty of advice for this quartet from their families in the lead up to this derby, and just in case any of their Newcastle teammates weren’t aware of what this match means, these lifelong NUFC fans will have been able to give them chapter and verse.