The Sunderland v Newcastle challenge which might well have been the most unusual rivalry between the clubs
This might well have been the most unusual - and cool - rivalry between Sunderland and Newcastle
This might well have been the most unusual rivalry between Sunderland and Newcastle and it all began 12 years ago today.
That’s when the then Black Cats’ owner Ellis Short took a drenching as part of the Ice Bucket Challenge - an online craze which saw people soaked with icy water and nominating others to do the same within 24 hours.
Once he had been soaked, the Texan billionaire threw down the gauntlet to his Newcastle counterpart Mike Ashley, their manager Alan Pardew and midfielder Jack Colback, who made the controversial switch from Sunderland to Newcastle at the end of the previous season after being at the Stadium of Light since he was eight-years-old.
Sunderland stars including Jozy Altidore and Patrick van Aanholt had already braved cold showers as part of the stunt, where people donate to the Motor Neurone Disease Association or Macmillan Cancer Support.
Short accepted his challenge and took a soaking at the side of the pitch at the Stadium of Light by centre-back pairing Wes Brown and John O’Shea.
Days later, Alan Pardew and Jack Colback accepted Ellis Short’s ice bucket nomination.
The pair were filmed at St James’s Park being showered with ice cubes.
Pardew and Colback were cheered on during the frosty feat by players and coaches at the Tyneside club.
Tell us if you remember this unique challenge or maybe have memories of the time when you did the challenge yourself.
The internet craze started in America, where people donates to the Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Association.
The ALS ice bucket challenge went viral since and saw people raise millions of pounds for charity.
Share your own memories of it by emailing [email protected]