Newcastle United and Sunderland are the two biggest clubs in the North East.
Newcastle United legend Rob Lee adamantly stated that Newcastle United have the biggest support in the North East by ‘a country mile’.
On the other hand, Micky Gray backed his former club, but he did lean more on the safe side by praising the large support both clubs have.
At this moment in time, Newcastle are currently sitting in the Premier League, while their neighbours are trying to earn promotion from League One.
Speaking to Jim White on talkSPORT (19/03/2019 at 12:10 pm), both Lee and Gray issued these responses when asked who has the biggest support out of Newcastle and Sunderland.
“There’s no comparison,” Lee told talkSPORT. “None at all.” Lee is then asked if Newcastle’s support is bigger by a country mile: “In my opinion, yes. Probably not for Micky because he is a born and bred Sunderland man, isn’t he?!
“What’s the biggest city,” Gray responded. “It’s the biggest city [Sunderland] so there are more people there.
“Put it this way, if you built an 80,000-seater stadium at St James’ Park. They’d fill it. But if you built an 80,000-seater stadium at Stadium of Light, they’d fill it.”
There is no doubt that the North East has some of the passionate supporters in England, but success in that part of the country has been limited in recent years.
Both clubs have suffered bad times, both on the field and off the field.
The Magpies have suffered relegation to the Championship on two occasions under Mike Ashley’s ownership, while the Black Cats have fallen to the third tier.
It is fair to say, one thing both clubs may agree on is that they have both had owners that have not been well liked by their own respective supporters.
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