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Mackem Logic pt2

Without sounding too bitchy towards the great unwashed, we've had another dose of Mackem-ness today as we've been to see Sunderland play Fulham.  Don't panic, as I've not parted with cash for the privilege as it's another Family Learning freebie and this is the 4th game we've been to for nowt this season !

It was interesting to note that there was no real change from my last blog on the Mackems and their great unwillingness to get behind their team.  Fair enough, they didn't get off to a great start as Fulham got an early penalty which was put away rather cheekily by Berbatov.  Needless to say, going behind turns every Mackem against their team and each player is then just bloody useless according to their so called loyal fans.  Now I know that I like to have a moan every now and again at St James Park, but the negativity you hear at the Stadium of Light has to be witnessed.  We've been to four games, sat in different areas each time and the negativity towards their players is the same throughout the ground.

Head from the back to the front and they all get their share of criticism. Colback - not quick enough and can't go past anyone, Johnson - a waste of £10m and can't take anyone on, Bramble - just lumps it anywhere, O' Shea - too slow, Gardner - goes missing at full back, Graham - no positional sense, Larsson - can't pick a pass, they even have a pop at Sessegenon and he's their best player by a mile in my opinion.

It's a really strange atmosphere all round really as they just don't behind their team and there's no atmosphere in the ground at all - I'd love to see what an attendance would be like for a game like Fulham if they didn't give tickets away.  I suspect they'd be lucky to get 30,000 and are those 30,000 happy people - it seems not to me as all they seem to want to do is whinge about the team and it must come across to the players.

The other bit that narks me is that Adults of an age that should know better, just love to have a good swear at the match and it's hardly encouraging to take the kids as all they hear is bad language - I bet they don't sit and do that in their front rooms with their grandkids.

Anyway, does it bother me - not really as they aren't doing themselves any favours and as we've got them in a few weeks, let's hope the rot continues.  Hilariously, we also get another visit to the Stadium of Light on May 4th for the game against Stoke (or Sunderland's reserves) and that will be 5 games we've been to this season for nowt, that's a quarter of a season ! Ironically, my renewal letters for the Newcastle season tickets has arrived and we'll have to pay to watch them for another season !!!

So, a lucky draw for the Mackems today, although if you listened to the pundits on the bus home, they were unlucky not to win, but it sounds like we weren't watching the same game.

Expect pt3 on May 4th !!!

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