Newcastle vs Sunderland: Jack Colback set for hot reception after crossing games biggest divide Midfielder has become a crowd favourite at Newcastle after turning down a new contract at Sunderland in order to move to St Jamess Park Given that most of us kicked a ball about as a child with dreams of one day playing for the team we supported, few can blame Jack Colback for accepting an offer to sign for Newcastle United. Unless, of course, you are from Sunderland. Sunderland supporters always ignored Colback’s Newcastle roots, welcomed him to their club, encouraged his development and lauded him when he became a regular in the first team. He was perceived to be one of their own. However, after 136 appearances on Wearside, Colback rejected a new deal at Sunderland last season and accepted one from Newcastle instead. It felt like the ultimate betrayal, drawing criticism from fans, but also from Sunderland owner Ellis Short who complained his club had been shoddily treated by the player and his advisers. “To come to the team I supported as a boy, my hometown team, was really special for me,” explained Colback. “It was an opportunity I couldn’t let slip. “If you asked fans around the world the one thing they’d like to do before they die, it would be to play for the team they support and I’ve got the chance to do that.” Such misty-eyed romanticism did not go down well on Wearside. Sunderland, rather spitefully, pointed out shortly after his move to Newcastle had been confirmed, that Colback always relished beating them when he was their player. They released pictures on Twitter – which were later deleted – showing him wildly celebrating each of the Black Cats three successive victories over their bitter rivals. Colback had never spoken of his Newcastle allegiance and, having scored his team’s third goal at St James’ Park back in February, the midfielder antagonised Newcastle supporters by holding his fingers to his lips, mocking their silence, rubbing salt into a gaping wound. Colback has moved just 12 miles to continue his football career, but he has crossed arguably the biggest divide in English football. It cut Sunderland’s followers deeply, particularly as the 25-year-old received his first England call-up shortly after moving to Newcastle. “I understand why there has been so much acrimony,” said Sunderland manager Gus Poyet. “It was a difficult decision he took, not too many could have made it. He made that decision, you cannot say nothing negative about us. “I normally wish my ex-players well. He did well for me on the pitch, but I hope he has a stinker on Sunday and doesn’t play well at all. It’s strange for me what happened, because he won a couple of man of the match awards for me at the start and was very important. “The fans saw him as one of us. He was one of us. He was from there [Newcastle] but he ended up in our Academy and he did everything for us. It was so hard to lose him in that way, I wasn’t happy. He has gone to the other side. He will get some abuse on Sunday, but it will be worse when he plays at the Stadium of Light, for sure.” Colback is not the first player to have played for both clubs. There have been 58 before him. He is not the first Geordie to have played for the Mackems either, but he is the first to have been developed and nurtured on Wearside, who has signed for their biggest rivals on a free transfer. He not only left, he deprived the Black Cats of a transfer fee too. Sol Campbell did something similar when he left Tottenham to sign for Arsenal and spent his entire career listening to vicious abuse from Spurs supporters, long after he had stopped playing for the Gunners. Colback is in the eye of an even fiercer storm. It is possible for a footballer to remain anonymous on the streets of London, it is impossible to hide in the football-centric North East. Certainly, there will be no hiding place for Colback in the Tyne-Wear derby tomorrow. Newcastle’s supporters will put Colback on a pedestal, he will be their representative in the heat of battle. Sunderland will see him as the enemy. He will be the most despicable of pantomime villains. “He’ll cope with the crowd,” said Sunderland winger Adam Johnson. “I don’t think Jack will be too bothered. He knew what was coming up when he moved and personally I think he is a very good player and was a big loss to us. “We all have to move on and I don’t think he will be too worried by a few boos. We knew he was a Newcastle fan. I wouldn’t say he was open about it, but I think everyone knew. “When you know where he is from, it’s a bit of a giveaway. It wasn’t too hard to realise, but when you go on the pitch for a rival club, you always do your best anyway. That’s professional.” The last player to move directly from Sunderland to Newcastle was Paul Bracewell back in 1992. The most recent to move from Sunderland directly from Newcastle was Lee Clark in 1997, whose time on Wearside came to a bitter end when he was pictured at the 1999 FA Cup Final with Newcastle supporters wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with an anti-Sunderland slogan. It does not happen often and none have caused as much acrimony as Colback’s. “I think hes handled the move impeccably because he took a bit of criticism after it and he didnt respond,” said Alan Pardew, who will become the first Newcastle manager in history to lose four successive games to Sunderland if the Black Cats triumph on Sunday. “I think he feels a bit aggrieved about the way it ended at Sunderland. His performances for us have been fantastic. “He has grown in terms of having a different role here. Ive given him a number of different scenarios which he has always answered. I couldnt be more delighted with him. He was a major thorn in our side in these fixtures so Im just pleased hes not playing for Sunderland on Sunday if Im honest.” THE TELEGRAPH
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 19:57:11 +0000