Newcastle United fan Jade Thirlwall drops cheeky Sunderland jibe live on BBC Radio 1

‘Have you ever seen a Mackem in Milan?’ is a not what you’d expect to hear on BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge on a Friday afternoon. However, Newcastle United daft Jade Thirlwall couldn’t help but let her black and white roots shine through as she performed on national radio.

The former Little Mix performer has gone solo this year, and branching out, she was given the chance to perform her own songs and some covers in the famous BBC R1 slot this week.

And jumping right to it, second song in, Thirlwall, covering Chase and Status and Stormzy’s ‘Backbone’, she altered the lyrics to give a taste and her twist of her life and background, referencing her Yemeni roots, South Shields home and love of Newcastle United, by taking a dig at local rivals Sunderland (see the clip above for full quote from the performance).

She sung: “I've written more hooks than you've had roast dinners. This is southern fried, I'm a northern girl (out of South Shields)... Score a goal like Alan Shearer wearing Brown Ale. Have you ever seen a Mackem in Milan? (doesn't sound real).”

The jibe will no doubt go down well with the black and white half of her hometown, Thirlwall grew up in Laygate, South Shields, as well as fellow Newcastle United fans the region over.

The dig, if you didn’t know, comes from a well-versed Magpies’ chant, sung by fans about the Black Cats’ lack of European games in their history. The full chant goes: “Have you ever seen a Mackem in Milan? (repeat). Have you ever seen a Mackem, ever seen a Mackem? Ever seen a Mackem in Milan? Have you f-ck!”

Sunderland, in their entire history have played just four games in European competition, in 1973-74. For context, Newcastle United played six alone last season in the Champions League.