FORMER MAGPIES DEFENDER EXPECTS FIREWORKS ON DERBY DAY IN DECEMBER

FORMER Premier League winner Danny Simpson reckons the Newcastle United players are in for “a big shock” when they visit Sunderland in December.

- By CLIVE YOULTON

The hugely-anticipated Tyne-Wear derby will see Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats go up against Eddie Howe's men off the back of a surprising start to the Premier League campaign.

Defender Simpson, who played for Leicester in their famous 2016-title winning campaign, was a Sunderland loanee while a Manchester United player before joining Newcastle in 2010.

He knows just what it means to travel to the Stadium of Light as an opposition player wearing black and white and believes the visiting players should be warned about what to expect.

Speaking to WDW Bingo, Simpson was asked what it was like playing for Newcastle in the derby in terms of atmosphere and tension.

He said: “When you go to the Stadium of Light as a Newcastle player on derby day, it is an eyeopening experience.

“Getting the coach to the game, and the fans are lined up in the street to abuse you, which is to be expected, but it's a tough atmosphere.