8. It's Still The Fiercest Derby
Every city the length and bredth of the country will understandably stake a claim to hosting the biggest derby - from West Ham/Millwall, through to Liverpool/Everton and the Manchester derby - but none qualify on the same level as Newcastle and Sunderland's intense rivalry. Without the riches and trophies of Manchester, or the brotherly rivalry of Liverpool, the biggest game in the North East is stoked by genuine hatred between two sets of fans who generally keep themselves apart, albeit apart from in work-place environments. Some may be friends, but it's very much despite their football allegiances, and those relationships will be tempered somewhat by the deep-seated bitterness that exists between the two sides and their fans. There is certainly no love lost, and regardless of how well either team is doing, there is no sense of the game being won before the kick-off. It is a derby in the oldest sense of the word - a war that plays out not just between two sides, but between two cities, and the almost religious fervor that greets every goal scored by either team, as well as the immense relief that greets any kind of result, be it win or draw says as much as you need to know about the importance the game has in the region. What do you think? Did you think Newcastle deserved to win? Were Sunderland particularly poor? Share your thoughts below...