What a difference - City Fans 2014 v Pompey Fans 2019

[M18CTID]

Having come back from yet another defeat at Wembley, my 6th with Sunderland, I just wanted to say (which EVERY other Sunderland fan I have spoken to has mentioned), how fantastic the City fans were that day, (and I know a lot of our lot said it 5 years ago too) compared to the Pikey c*nts from Portsmouth on Sunday.

City fans were good crack, showed a lot of class when winning easy in the end by not taking the piss, and genuinely wishing us good luck for the season ahead. Every person I spoke to that weekend from City was spot on, and had all been through with City what we are going through now.

Compare that to the Portsmouth fans, who were allowed to but 6 tickets per season ticket holders meaning there were loads of day trippers there who have never been to a game, it was edgy before the game, with Pompey fans throwing cans at the Sunderland fans, and gobbing on them from the bridge at Wembley Way, and after the game, loads of coked up Pikeys wanting a confrontation, goading the Sunderland fans, singing Northern Monkey Wankers etc.

A fair few scuffles were reported, and overall a large minority of their fans were arseholes (I know we have a few too) who were equally happy you have a go in the faces of pensioners, families and young kids, as they were small groups / fellas on their own.


Anyhow, good luck for the rest of the season, and the vast majority of Sunderland fans will be rooting for you!

Funnily enough, I was browsing your forum yesterday afternoon just before you posted this and was reading the thread about the Pompey fans. As you say, we all have a number of idiots amongst our support but I was genuinely surprised to read of Pompey playing up (pardon the pun!) to the extent they did. I know they have a rather active hooligan element but I'd have thought in a following of 40,000 or so fans that the vast majority would've just been happy to make a day of it, as the Sunderland fans did.

Sunderland fans were impeccable in 2014 and I just can't understand why anyone would want to wind the opposition fans up when they've just won a trophy (save for if it was a local rival of course). As it was an earlier kick-off than expected in 2014, we had a few hours extra drinking before catching our train home so went drinking round Marylebone. Most of the pubs we went in were back street jobs and didn't have much life in them but we eventually found our way to The Globe on Baker Street. The place was packed to the rafters with Sunderland and there were only 5 or 6 of us. But despite just having lost the League Cup Final, there was no edge at all and we got chatting to a few.

 

[gkmcfc]

One of the best away following I've seen was Sunderland in 1991. Great support and fans and so much noise.
When we got relegated in 1997 I remember shaking hands with a Mackem in a pub in Didsbury. He knew what we were going through having seen similar a few years earlier.
2014 will always stick with me. The noise your fans made when you took the lead and then applauding us on the way out. Utter class. Good luck for the rest of the season.

 

[machine9]

Them and the hammers good down to earth fans similar clubs.

 

[squirtyflower]

Some great comments lads - Away to Accrington Stanley tonight then at Rochdale on Saturday, 6 points behind 2nd spot with 3 games in hand, so everything to play for still.

My neck of the woods. Although I was sure you played Stanley just before Christmas

 

[Mcfc S71]

I was in the kippax in 91 near the Sunderland fans and It was raining coins from both sides as I remember but at the end the Sunderland fans wanted to swap shirts over the fences

 

[cyberblue]

I was gutted for your fan's you lost. I was at the final in 2014 and your fans were a credit to your City. In spite of being bitterly disappointed you were good humoured and gracious in defeat. I am old enough to remember you winning the FA cup in 1973 against Leeds, what a day that was, Montgomery's double save and Stokeo with his hat. You knocked us out too that year. Good luck with promotion this year.

I had a good laugh with the Sunderland fans when they drew at our place 1973

 

[Ribchester]

I remember 91 had a good laugh in town no trouble. Went in Maine Stand surrounded by Mackems they could not understand why it meant so much to us to win. Funny as fuck when we explained it would mean finishing above rags for first time in memory, at which point they went “for fucks sake we never realised ....... seconds later we scored the third..... and they all said they were well chuffed they fuckin hate rags and all said they were shit anyway so on the balance of what was at stake said this made relegation a bit less painful. Spent all night on piss with them.

 

[Indaparkside]

I was in the kippax in 91 near the Sunderland fans and It was raining coins from both sides as I remember but at the end the Sunderland fans wanted to swap shirts over the fences

Only because they’d collected £37.90 compared to our 26p tight cvunts

 

[M18CTID]

I remember 91 had a good laugh in town no trouble. Went in Maine Stand surrounded by Mackems they could not understand why it meant so much to us to win. Funny as fuck when we explained it would mean finishing above rags for first time in memory, at which point they went “for fucks sake we never realised ....... seconds later we scored the third..... and they all said they were well chuffed they fuckin hate rags and all said they were shit anyway so on the balance of what was at stake said this made relegation a bit less painful. Spent all night on piss with them.

IIRC even if Sunderland had won 3-2 that day I don't think it would've been enough due to Luton winning their game. I think I recall working out that they'd have had to beat us 4-1 to stay up because of Luton's slightly superior goal difference. What Sunderland really needed was to better Luton's result rather than matching it.

Their following that day was the best away following I've ever witnessed at City in terms of both numbers and atmosphere. I think United had a couple of bigger followings than that way back before I started going on a regular basis but from personal experience Sunderland's was the best. Me and a mate went in The Parkside early doors and it was wall to wall red and white. Had a right laugh with their fans and I won £40 on the football card as well. I never felt threatened but when it was getting close to kick-off something happened where there was loads of pushing and shoving. I'm not sure whether some City had come in the pub and it had kicked off but to be honest I was just stood at the bar wankered and watching it unfold!

 

[christened at st marks]

Mick Horsewell you can forgive so much !