Paphos People

Please excuse my ignorance............

But what/why is a Makem?

Hello JGG
For years followers of Sunderland AFC were happy to be known as Geordies. Let's face it many of them did live in Geordieland.
Then, about 20 years ago this term Mackem evolved and we realised it was a deregotary term used by Newcastle folk to describe someone from Sunderland or someone who followed Sunderland AFC.
As I understand it, there was fierce rivalry in the shipbuilding industry and those on the Tyne were losing out to those on the Wear.
The Geordies claimed that while during the day, the Sunderland folk were making the ships, they claimed that on a night, they were returning to the worksites and stealing from them hence the phrase Mackem and Tackem.
So without doubt, the phrase Mackem was meant as an insult, but the good folk of Wearside embraced it and took it to their hearts, much to the distatse of the geordie nation, and now Mackem is a term to be proud of.
http://www.a-love-supreme.com/alsshop/i ... ge&pID=234
Check that out above.

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So close yet so far away

Simarily, Boro are referred to as Smoggies or Smogs,
Sunderland fans used to attend matches at Ayresome Park wearing kilts. I've done it myself.This was to annoy the locals for their assumed strange behaviour towards children ?
Anyway, things moved on and as you will know, Teesside is a a place full of Chemical plants, toxic outbursts,chernobyl like clouds and the like.
Sunderland fans decided it would be a laugh to attend the game at the Riverside in paper suits and gas masks, which is what they did and it went down a treat, However, when they turned up the following season en masse Cleveland Police barred them from entering the ground.
The term Smogs or Smoggies was born and Boro have warmed to it. They have car stickers stating Smoggie on Tour etc.
Teesside is enveloped in Smog hence the term and it is believed that most Teesside folk actually have two heads because of this chemical inbalance.
It beggars the question, when they announce the attendance at the Riverside as 24,000, is that a head count ?
Cos if it is it would mean there were actually only 12,000 present
Smogmonsters and Proud !
Hence Sunderland are Mackems Boro are Smoggies and Newcastle are Skunks ( and that's being polite !)
Gary

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So close yet so far away

Are you wearing a tin hat on sunday disco?
i will have to watch in the pub,and loads of barcodes in Bradford.

FTM

Haven't decided what I'm doing yet mate. Was gonna go into Sunderland to watch it but have changed my mind. My mates are but I'll either watch it at home or in my local where I will be outnumbered by barcodes as well.
Gary

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So close yet so far away