Why Moncur Got Abuse On Mackemland

Last updated : 18 October 2012 By Footy Mad - Editor

Moncur spent 12 years on Tyneside, racking up almost 300 appearances, but after captaining Joe Harvey’s side to an FA Cup final defeat to Liverpool, the defender crossed the divide and signed for Sunderland in 1974.

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Moncur recalls the first time he arrived at Sunderland after signing from Newcastle and an innocent mistake that got him off on the wrong foot with his new fans.

Bob Moncur: “After Newcastle won our FA Cup semi-final in ’74 (against Burnley) I got a sponsored car.

"There weren’t too many players that had them back then.

"It was a Geordieland special, all black and white stripes with Bob Moncur, captain, Newcastle United emblazoned on it.

“My last-ever game for Newcastle was actually the final and then I was away with ITV on their World Cup panel and actually signed for Sunderland live on TV. When I got back home I tended to forget it was all dolled up black and white.

“For my first pre-season game with Sunderland, Bob Stokoe had already given me the captaincy. I drove up to Roker Park and as I was coming in I was looking at all these hostile faces, thinking ‘I know I’ve come from Newcastle but give me a break!’ They were all gesturing at me.

“It wasn’t until I got out that I realised I was driving my black and white car! So on the Monday I went to a garage in Consett and told them ‘you better paint it red and white’. Instead, they gave me a brand new one – and it was red!

“It was not quite so bad in those days.

“There was some animosity back then but nothing like now. A lot of people would go to both clubs because they loved the game. Very few do that now.

"The game has changed.

“They are more aggressive to each other now, which is a shame. It was nowhere near as bad in my day.

“I did not play that many derbies because we were in different divisions, but in my early days I played against Jim Baxter.

“I got the job of marking him – suffice to say we got beat 3-0! I did not enjoy that, although I was young enough not to experience any fear and I got over it.

“I was young, trying to make the grade so I did not have real fear. As a player, your job is easy. Yes, there is a bit more edge to the game but you just go out to try to get a result. I never feared them, I quite enjoyed it.”