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Former Cat hails return of 'very special' derby
The Journal
|June 26, 2025
PHIL Bardsley believes Sunderland and Newcastle supporters have “something special” to look forward to with the return of the Tyne-Wear derby showdown.
The former Black Cats defender enjoyed seven seasons with the Black Cats and got to experience first-hand the magnificent occasion of the iconic North East rivalry.
Only 12 miles separate the two famous clubs - and Sunderland’s memorable promotion back to the Premier League now means next season there will be two Tyne-Wear Premier League derbies for the first time in eight years.
“It’s brilliant Sunderland are back in the Premier League,” stressed Bardsley, speaking exclusively to SportsBoom.com.
“You only have to look at the massive fan-base, the amazing stadium and now there's going to be a Tyne-Wear derby again, they don’t come much bigger than those matches.”
“They're the games that all the players and supporters look forward to, to see that game again is going to be very special.”
This story is from the June 26, 2025 edition of The Journal.
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