'Didn't speak for a week' - Meet the Newcastle United and Sunderland families split by derby day divide

The North East football scene has not seen a Sunderland vs Newcastle United fixture since 2016, but the day is nearly here and it has left some local households divided.

The two giants of the region will face off in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday, and while some families are staunchly red and white or black and white, others in the region are facing a bit of an identity crisis this weekend.

Some derby days live long in the memory of fans, and Newcastle's last win in a game against Sunderland came back in 2011, the same day as Sunderland fan Vikki Ferguson married her husband, Steve - a Newcastle supporter.

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"I remember talking to him after we got married and he said 'I was praying, just let us win today, they can have the rest of them, just not today'" recalls Vikki, who lives in Hebburn and is predicting a 2-1 home win on Saturday.

"He would go out with his friends and I would stay in on previous derbies" she explains, and it has led to yet another divide in the family: "I think it's why our oldest is a Sunderland fan now, because he used to watch the games with me!"

But it isn't just marriages that combine fans of the two clubs, as Chester Le Street's Gary Husband can confirm. Growing up with a Sunderland supporting dad, Goeff in Chester le Street, Gary and his brothers grew up leaning towards the black and white side of the North East.

"I don't know what's happened, but the problem in [my dad's] eyes came from my older brother. Him and my dad never supported the same team" explains Gary.

"My other brother came along and he decided he was black and white over red and white, and I did the same.

"The running joke now is he's had three attempts to try and get one of his sons to follow Sunderland and he's failed all three times!

"I remember being taken to a game at Sunderland and wanting to go in my Newcastle coat, with everyone around us telling me to turn my coat inside out. I must have only been about eight.

"My uncle also supports Sunderland and he's had three sons who all support Newcastle as well!"

"My son is only five but he shouts 'toon toon' so my dad's even had a chance with grandkids."

Despite the divide, harmless joking is all a part of derby day for the Husband household. "I remember after the 5-1 game [in 2010] he didn't speak to us for a week! He's sending us text messages now which brings up memories of past games because there hasn't been a derby for so long."

Gary explains the family aren't ones to go out much, but remembers one particular moment from watching a derby out the house. "I can't remember which game it was, but we must have won, all my brothers were on one side of a table and my dad and his brother on the other.

"Basically there were two old gentlemen over the table who decided to call the night early."

Jon Etch of Gateshead can agree on the power of going against your parents as a child. Growing up with a Sunderland supporting dad, Jon and his brother grew up knowing St James Park was where they wanted to spend their Saturday afternoons.

"My dad was born in '55 so when he was growing up they were the better team" he explained.

"I've got an older brother and he had his box room filled with The Pink, which would always have a centrefold poster of a Newcastle player.

"I remember falling in love with that room. At the time it was Keegan's entertainers. Still being a young boy I was naive to know what that term meant but I knew Newcastle were really good" he continued.

"I went to my first game in either 1995 or 1996 in a friendly against Gateshead and it went from there.

And how did his dad react? "He was gutted!" explains Jon.

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"We try to watch games together because my dad's working patterns have been all over the place, but I remember the derby in 2002. I've got up running about and my dad just collapsed in a heap.

"You know what it's like, trying to get one over on your dad when you're a teenager!

"For the 5-1 I was in town and bumped into my brother. I had a drink so we went back to wind our dad up and when we got in the look he gave, he must have known what was coming.

"The aftermath and six in a row has been heartbreaking, though!

This year is different for the family however. With Jon's father currently in hospital plans have changed. "I'll go to the hospital, see if he's ok to watch it. If he's not doing too well it's also my partner's birthday, so if I can get those two hours she gets the rest of the day."

"I'll just enjoy the day and enjoy the banter between families.

"I don't want to dwell or anything, but unless Sunderland keep pushing with a possible promotion chance this could be the final derby I watch with my dad, so this will be extra special if I'm honest.

"Obviously the derby goes back a long way through history, but the fact it has been caught up in football makes this extra special. Regardless of it being two cities, the surrounding area will have families like ours which makes the derby extra special."