Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce: 'Secret derby' scoreline was meaningless
Sunderland thrashed Newcastle in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Stadium of Light yesterday, with Duncan Watmore netting a hat-trick for the Black Cats.
Allardyce and opposite number Steve McClaren had agreed to arrange the game to give their fringe figures a run-out in a high intensity encounter, with neither club involved in this weekend's FA Cup fourth round.
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Hide AdAnd Sunderland boss Allardyce today stressed that game-time for the likes of new signings Jan Kirchhoff and Dame N'Doye was far more important than the final score.
Allardyce said: "The result was nothing. If we had lost 6-0, it wouldn't have mattered to me whatsoever.
"All that mattered was how the players played and got through 90 minutes of a quality, high-tempo game at the Stadium of Light.
"That's very difficult to achieve with our geographical position. In this area, there's only Middlesbrough and Newcastle who can provide a game of that level.
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Hide Ad"That's why me and Steve (McClaren) were very grateful to put the game on.
"With no game this weekend, playing those players and giving them a feel with who they'll play with and getting some match practice was very important to us."