I still dont undertand buying and waving Saudi Arabia flags. I suppose they all became Saudi overnight when the takeover went through just like any player becomes a geordie when they play for them. "Any Mackems going?" "Just Pickford and Henderson any Geordies?" ****ing classic that twitter exchange!
Until RELATIVELY recently, we were. The term was loosely applied to anyone from North Yorkshire up to The Borders and across to Carlisle. And while we kept our (mostly good natured) rivalries amongst ourselves, against the rest of The UK, we put up a united front of disdain. Personally, I preferred it this way.
Only ever heard Charlotte Crosby correct someone on the telly for calling her a Geordie. Everyone else just seems to go with it.
Pure North-South divide lazy ignorance if the think Yorkshire up over everyone is a Geordie. Proven by the bellend MP that said Fraking wouldn't be a problem because it's pretty much a desolate wasteland.
I did say RELATIVELy Recently. AS for your North-South divide I suppose it depends on you view of just where The North East is. I believe that the term 'Makem' was conjured up from nowhere, about thirty years ago. Before that the generic name for people from the NE was Geordies. One of my childhood memories is watching a N/C Cup Final in the mid fifties at the house of and uncle who had bought a TV. We were all rooting for N/C. They were our neighbours and we had much more in common with them that with people from Manchester. Most of the NE lads who enlisted in The Army, ended up in either The DLI or The Northumberland Fuselier's. For those of us in, say The RAF, we got refered to as Geordies, without thinking this at all ignorant. As a youngster I listened to a radio comedy programme called 'Wot Cheor Geordie'. Bobby Thompson was star of the show. Bobby hailed from Penshaw, In The Pits, I never heard of any animosity based on where in The NE anyone came from. I would say that there is nothing lazy, or ignorant in telling how it was.
Hmm I would have to do i bit of digging but the rivalry between Sunderland and Newcastle went back a few centuries Newcastle were called Geordies cos of their support of some poxy King, George the whatever, whereas Sunderland did not support the monarchy. The development of Sunderland was hindered because of this? Mackems, as we all know is to do with shipbuilding of a century or so ago. To be a Geordie (like a true Cockley, sound of Bow Bells) you need, like me to be born other banks of the Tyne (QE in Gateshead). Although some sand dancers who argue they are not Geordies. So as much as the lazy press would like the whole of the NE to be jawdees and part of the geordie nation its bollocks... just as Radio Newcastle says its the station for all NE, no it isn't. BBC TV NE has more claim to that. It is an assumed takeover that I for one do not accept.