Keane was delighted to have brought an end to the long-running hoodoo, but was more pleased with the three points it brought to aid the club’s climb up the Premier League table.

Asked if it was important to have come out on top of their local rivals, he said: “If it means we are making progress, then yes, of course.

“But we have to remember how many years Newcastle and Middlesbrough have been ahead of this football club.

“We can’t get on the high horse and start thinking we have achieved anything, far from it.

“As I keep saying, it is another small step in what we are trying to achieve at the football club.

“The bottom line is, people might not remember, but we got three points today. Hopefully, that will get us up the table and try to get into the group that’s ahead of us because we stayed up last year and the next part of my plan was to try to get into the group ahead of us.

“Even people who haven’t got a clue about football can see we are making progress.”

Richardson, who was so disappointed to have a free-kick ruled out and another hit the post three times at Fulham last weekend, finally got his reward this afternoon, and wrote himself into Wearside folklore in the process.

Newcastle knew they were in trouble when Nicky Butt tripped El-Hadji Diouf 19 yards out, and with the wind at his back, Richardson smashed the ball high into Shay Given’s top right corner with the keeper helpless.

It was a fitting way to seal a pulsating encounter which the Black Cats could have won even more comfortably had substitute Kenwyne Jones, playing his first game since June, not headed inches over and had Djibril Cisse’s late shot not come back off the post.

But there was a period in the game when Newcastle might have maintained their stranglehold over the fixture.

Shola Ameobi, who had not scored in two years before Monday evening, helped himself to a second goal of the week with 30 minutes gone to cancel out Cisse’s 20th-minute opener.

However, he passed up a glorious opportunity to put the Magpies in front 13 minutes after the break when after being played in by Obafemi Martins, he lifted his shot high over the bar.

There had been controversy earlier when missiles were thrown at Barton, who responded by kissing his badge, much to the further annoyance of his tormentors.

Given was also confronted by two home fans on the pitch after Richardson’s goal and police and stewards had to separate opposing fans after the final whistle as they clashed.

Keane said: “I’m not really sure what went on at the end. If you think I am going to sit here and criticise Sunderland a supporters, then you are wrong.

“I am sure the Football Association will look at it, but listen, I was just focussing on the game, particularly at the end.

“But football is an emotional game, don’t get me wrong. We will have a chance to look at it over the next one or two days and if supporters were out of line...

“But you have got to enjoy it. It has been a hell of a long time.”

Opposite number Joe Kinnear did not see the Barton incident, which saw him sent back to the dug-out by police, or the trouble at the end of the game, but he had sympathy for his player.

Told what had happened, he said: “It’s a bit unfair, then, isn’t it? It’s not Joey Barton’s fault, is it?

“He has been in the thick of everything this week. Every mass murder that has gone on in this country, his name has been associated with.”

On the game, which left his club without a league win in seven attempts, Kinnear said: “I am disappointed, obviously, because of the immense disappointment for the supporters and everyone else.

“But looking at the bigger picture, we were beaten, and we have to play West Brom on Tuesday night and get maximum points.”