The Tyne Wear saga which unfolded in 1990 and still gets talked about today
A football story which still grabs attention began to unfold 35 years ago this week.
Sunderland and Newcastle United were both bidding for promotion back to the top flight of English football in 1990.
A saga which grabbed the headlines
It would result in one of the most dramatic outcomes - but one of the first chapters in the tale was told in February that year.
St James’ Park was the venue for a league match with Sunderland sitting in fifth and Newcastle in seventh but with a game in hand.
There were gale force winds and it made football difficult but it was the Black Cats who took the lead five minutes into the second half.
Marco gets the opener
The Gates Gabbiadini partnership did the trick with Marco slotting home the opener.
Sunderland maintained the lead until ten minutes from time when a foul led to a free kick for the Magpies.
The ball was floated into the Sunderland box and Mark McGhee nodded it home.
More than 31,000 people saw the game and didn’t realise at the time that there would be plenty more to come that season.
The rivalry was renewed in May 1990
The two derby rivals would meet in the play-off semi finals which Sunderland would win on aggregate, but then lose in the final against Swindon.
They had regained top flight football - in a season when the two teams promoted with them were Leeds and Sheffield United.
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