Newcastle's Pardew calls for calm ahead of Tyne-Wear derby
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SUNDERLAND, United Kingdom (AFP) - Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has appealed for cool heads from both sets of players and fans during Sunday's potentially explosive local derby at Sunderland.
Mr Pardew is beginning to understand the ferocity of the Tyne-Wear derby after two years in charge of Newcastle and he expects another tumultuous encounter at the Stadium of Light this weekend.
The fixture may not have as much global recognition as the Manchester, Merseyside or Glasgow derbies or the Milan derby in Italy, but the battle for supremacy in the north-east of England is just as intense as those more glamorous fixtures.
Previous clashes between the clubs have often featured fighting between rival fans in and around the stadium and extra police have been drafted in to ensure any potential flashpoints are quickly dealt with.
