Sunderland have not lost in their last nine Premier League derbies with Newcastle dating back to 2011, though the Magpies won an FA Cup meeting in 2024
Eddie Howe was technically on safe ground as he rang the bell.
The Newcastle United head coach had just got the 2023 Great North Run under way to loud cheers in the heart of the city.
But he had not accounted for those Sunderland-supporting runners who were not so thrilled to see him as they whizzed past.
"The biggest stick I've ever had," he said this week. "I got abused by 50% of the people there."
