Sunderland boss Mel Reay insists Wear-Tyne Derby is 'just another game' and delivers verdict on record crowd

Sunderland Women’s coach Mel Reay has insisted that her side will treat this weekend’s Wear-Tyne Derby as “just another game”.

The Black Cats play host to the Magpies at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, and are expected to walk out in front of a crowd exceeding 12,000 people - a record for the Barclays Women’s Championship. It will also represent the first time that Sunderland have played Newcastle since their local rivals were promoted to the division at the end of last season, but Reay is keen to take a grounded view of the contest.

Speaking in a press conference, she said: “It is just another game. I know there is a lot of interest from, obviously, yourselves [the media] and the wider public in the North East, but for us it really is just another game that we're trying to plan for and prepare for and win.”

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Addressing the record ticket sales, and how they differ from most gates in the women’s game, Reay said: “Unfortunately, I think that's quite the norm in the women's game at the minute. We travelled to Charlton on Sunday and I think there were only 500 there. Playing in these big stadiums in front of really small crowds is probably what the players are used to at this moment in time.

“But to have 12,000 people inside the stadium, there should be a really good atmosphere. I think one stand will be full, so we're looking forward to it. It'll be a bit different from [Sunderland’s usual home ground] Eppleton in terms of we'll have fans cheering on in the thousands, but that's what we want when we play at the stadium.”

Reay also acknowledged the quality that Sunday’s opponents possess, but reiterated Sunderland’s desire to play the game, not the occasion. She added: “I think they've got a good squad. They've obviously recruited some really experienced players. Again, it's a very similar feel to the other games that we've played. There's a mixture of experience and some youthfulness in there. They've had a good start to the season, there's no doubt about that. We'll prepare ourselves as we always do and we'll make all the focus on us.”