Newcastle isn't a bigger club historically by any way of measuring, it also doesn't have a bigger fan base par se, stadiums have about a 3k capacity difference as well so nothing in that.
Yeah Sunderland is run down, but calling it a dire place as a scouser (i assume) is pretty stupid and exactly the same things we take umbrage with when idiots writing for the red tops say that about our own city.
Newcastle are struggling to sell because Ashley wants about a 3 fold return on what he paid for a club he has made into a total mess and a bit of a joke