Good thread, great reading the nostalgia. At 36 I'm looking forward to regaling stories of three play off finals in three different stadiums, Stockport away, Lloyds & Tara Stout.

I never came to Selhurst in the late 70's, only ever came when Wimbledon played there, but i did witness those sorts of events before the whole casual scene, crazy to think how far football has come. Those blokes most likely travelled down in transit vans as well. Selhurst invokes memories of how football used to be and i mean that in a good way, been to the Likes of Swansea/Hull this year with grounds in middle of trading estates with no pubs, seem soulless, but i guess thats progress.

Loved Ayresome Park, got hospitality there and the waiters had white gloves. Sat next to Bob Mortimer at lunch. Got a signed bottle of Middlesbro wine from Malcolm Allison. Great times.

Hated Ayresome Park once got a good kicking and a half wall brick in my face as part of the pre match festivities. Funny how ones perception can be altered dependent on the hospitality of the hosts.

Thought you may not feel the same way about Bro mate. Amazing what a bit of local rivalry can do. I will never forget in the 80s coming across a tribesman right in the middle of the Borneo jungle with the stretched ears, tattoos, blowpipe and ..... a T shirt that said Borough are back.

I actually used to go to Sunderland games with my Sunderland supporting mates and they with me to Newcastle,odd though this may seem we are 50/50 split round Jarrow, and when i did it was normally The Fulwell end that we went in, so yes it was loud, the old leazes at Newcastle was a fabulous end and very intimidating, the best game i ever attended in it was Blyth Spartans V Wrexham, when they tore that end down they tore the heart right out of the club in many peoples eyes.

Boro coming up would be of little interest to most of us, its convient to get to but does not constitute a derby in our eyes.

As for Sunderland speaking for myself i would rather they went down and kept on going down, i would like to see them go into administration, if i had my way they would be expunged from the history books but as we don't live in North Korea as guess i will have to settle for relegation. I know some people like derby matches, i don't i hate them, always felt that way. The rivalry between Newcastle and Sunderland goes far beyond football and is historical and cultural.

I sat in a bar on New Years day when Newcastle got beat of West Brom and a group of Sunderland supporters were delighted with the result even though it was bad for their own team to quote " I hate Newcastle more than i support Sunderland" both teams have people like that, i have already seen Newcastle fans posting that their preferred result this Saturday is a Palace win.

I was at Fulham yesterday, suffering with hangover now and without Reme we are a different team and carry little in the way of a goal threat and have no creativity. I don't get finished work till 14.10 Saturday so will be going to the game stone cold sober, i fear it could be a long 90 minutes.

I shall be in sharks bar, opposite the gallowgate at aproximately 1pm, very tasty barmaids in this establishment, im sure the wife will be amused!

" I hate those f@cking northern monkeys " The late Lenny Mclean.