I’m still known as the man who scored a hat-trick against Sunderland – the love is unbelievable
Newcastle United midfielder Kevin Nolan scored a hat-trick in a historic 5-1 Premier League victory over Sunderland in October 2010
Kevin Nolan’s chicken dance after scoring the first of his three goals against Sunderland in October 2010(Image: Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
When Kevin Nolan netted a hat-trick for Newcastle against their fiercest rivals Sunderland, it carved his name into Toon folklore.
Nolan’s treble in October 2010 crowned an extraordinary 5-1 victory over Sunderland at St James’ Park as Chris Hughton’s side entered the history books for delivering the club’s largest ever derby triumph in the Premier League.
Yet Nolan, who continues to be approached on the streets by Newcastle supporters wanting to discuss that day, was simply relieved he had fulfilled a demand given to him by an employee of his local post office in the build-up to the match.
“That is all they ever talk about,” Nolan told the EFL Unfiltered podcast when asked about Newcastle fans stopping him for scoring a hat-trick in the derby.
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“They talk about that and the chicken dance because that is the first thing that comes to their minds. Any Geordie, and you’d even see young lads, even kids, who their dads go: ‘That is Kevin Nolan’, and they go: ‘Oh, that’s him. Who scored the hat-trick [against Sunderland).
“It’s unbelievable the love they show you there and it is everyone. I mean, I’ve never known anything like it. It is the closest thing I have ever seen… with Liverpool, you’ve got Liverpool and Everton in Liverpool and you either love one or the other.
“When you go to Newcastle there is nothing else. It is just the football club and there is this big massive stadium in the middle of the city where everyone loves going.
“It is like their church and if you get the chance to play there you have got to give it everything. I just loved everything about it. I loved all that about it.
“Walking in on that derby day week, I walked into the post office and the lady behind counter, she must have been over 70, is going: ‘Make sure you beat them on Saturday’.
“It’s more of a demand. It is like I am demanding you to make sure you do it. It wasn’t like she was asking. It was like I am telling you, you are going to do it.”
Nolan also found the net in the return fixture at the Stadium of Light that season, which concluded in a 1-1 stalemate.
Now, it’s down to Eddie Howe’s 2026 squad to carve out their own slice of derby folklore.
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