If you want to translate from the "geordie" into "english" then I sugest you ask a "geordie". I once had a book written by a fella who used to do the gobbin' on Up North - Tyne Tees Television Nevil..... whats his name?, called "Larn yesel geordie" which was a parody of the northeast dialect and the way of life, however not very helpful to you but quite a good laugh in its day. I was born and raised in Sunderland but left for work when the shipyards went down in the late seventies. I never knew the term "mackum" then or I think I may have heard it occasionaly.Then, all from the northeast were known as "geordies" snuffy - your are right about where "mackem" comes from the dialect is diferent but only noticable by outsiders,then the dielect is diferent in every town and village throught the region and I can tell a South Shields dielect from a Newcastle Dielect a mile off. So where does "sand dancers" come from? The name "Geordies" originates from the mines and the use of the safety lamp. George Stephenson a well known scientist of laterdays invented such a thing and all the miners used it.Then came along a fella who invented another safety lamp, The Davey lamp, miners across the country thought the Davey lamp the best but the northeast mines stuck with the "Geordie lamp" hence the name "Geordies". If history serves me well there were coal mines from Hartlepool to Morpeth and beyond so folks from County Durham and Northumberland are and were known as "Geordies" and never a mention of "mackums" or "monkeyhangers" I think "mackem" is a trible name for football suporters wishing to have a seporate identity from the rest. Ironicaly I attendeded a folk club in Washington CD(County Durham) every Saturday without fail, (did a couple of floor spots on residends nights)it was called the "Davey Lamp Folk Club",(got that wrong didn't they) wonder if its still going, hope so