Fans memories of their first Sunderland-Newcastle derby

Here's a 'where were you' poser question for you as we count down to the FA Cup derby match.

We asked Echo followers for their memories of their first ever Sunderland-Newcastle game and got a great response.

Some said it was 'canny', others 'horrific' but you all remembered.

Echoes from the derby's past

Lots of you shared your comments on Wearside Echoes - the Sunderland Echo's specialist nostalgia page on Facebook.

Have a look at what they said and then get in touch with your own recollections of your first Wear-Tyne encounter.

Lee Hopkins got his first taste of the derby in the early 1970s 'sitting on the concrete rails in the Roker End'.

The day when a streaker disrupted play

Karen Dillon remembered her first game because 'a streaker ran on to the pitch'.

Ben Bradshaw was there on the day the sides met in the League Cup in the 1979-1980 season at St James' Park.

The game finished 2-2 and Sunderland won on penalties. Ben recalled: "I was in the old stand paddocks with my Dad. Had to keep quiet."

George Taylor watched the game at Roker Park in 1967. 'I was 11 and Bobby Kerr scored two goals," he said.

Cannonball Fleming scored a brace

The matched finished 3-0 to Sunderland with George Mulhall adding the third.

Alan Dunkeld's memory goes back even further to a 2-1 win at St James' Park in February 1955.

Alan 'sat on the straw at the Gallowgate End and watched as 'Cannonball' Charlie Fleming scored both Sunderland's goals.

Brian Hastings was there in January 1966 and said: "We beat them 2-0. George Herd and John O' Hare scored . It was two days after we had lost 5-1 at home to WBA."

Not all derby memories were great

But for others, the experience was less joyful.

Lee Mckinney's first experience was a 3-1 loss at St James' Park in 1985.

Others had similar memories of watching Sunderland lose - but a new chapter will be written in derby history this weekend.

Share your recollections of past games by emailing [email protected]