It has been a long time since either Newcastle or Sunderland brought some silverware back to the North-East, but they could be celebrating one together this summer if Durham triumph in the Friends Provident Trophy.
Not since Jim Montgomery defied the laws of physics with that wonderful double save against Leeds in the 1973 FA Cup Final and Bob Stokoe danced - a bit like your drunken grandad - across the Wembley pitch have the Black Cats lifted a trophy.
And not since a man landed on the moon - although conspiracy theories suggest the only place Neil Armstrong and that other chap nobody remembers landed was a warehouse in the middle of the Nevada desert - and Bob Moncur lifted the Fairs Cup in 1969 have Newcastle seen the black and white stripes tied around a big shiny pot.
Look, I’m not going to say it again, the Intertoto Cup does not count as a trophy......
As for Durham, well they’ve never got their hands on a trophy but they have the chance to put their football neighbours to shame after they qualified for the semi-finals of the Friends Provident Trophy with a wonderfully tense one-wicket victory over Nottinghamshire on Sunday.
Given the fact that followers of Durham come from both Newcastle and Sunderland supporting backgrounds, an appearance in the final in Lords would bring the two sets of supporters together at a major final for the first time since, well erm, ever I think.
It raises the tantalising prospect of a unique celebration of North-East sporting culture, where tribal allegiances are cast aside for 24 glorious hours in the sunshine in west London.... or it leads to the first recorded incidents of crowd trouble at a major domestic cricket final!
Seriously, though, there are some of you who will be reading this - if you’ve got this far - who don’t really care for cricket, but I hope everyone in the region gets behind Durham in their quest for a first trophy in 15 years as a first class county.
The club have already achieved so much - three current England Test players, the Riverside as an international venue and one of the best Academy set ups in the country, but a trophy would cap it all off.
Hopefully, with the football season finished, Durham can attract a massive crowd for the semi-final next Wednesday (June 20th) and the sort of passion and noise normally reserved for the region’s football grounds can help roar them to Lords.
As for the final itself, it could just be one of the best ever days in North-East sporting history. Sunderland and Newcastle fans dancing, doing the conga, rather than dancing around each other with fists flying.
It is at this point, however, that I should probably own up and admit I will not be there next Wednesday as I’ll be travelling down to the Glastonbury Festival.
The rest of you don’t have such an excuse so let’s get behind them. If anyone needs a brief breakdown of the rules, I’m happy to help, or at least point you in the direction of someone who can!
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