There has been outrage among Sunderland fans after part of the Stadium Of Light was redecorated with Newcastle United slogans ahead of Saturday’s Tyne-Wear derby.
Images of the changes made to the Black Cats Bar went viral on Thursday, with Sunderland banners amended to ones that were pro-Newcastle United ahead of the FA Cup contest.
It would be bad enough to change them to any club, but to allow them to be changed for your biggest rivals is a massive blunder. It has been a PR disaster for Sunderland, who have since released a statement apologising to fans.
And while there is laughter on Tyneside, there is fury on Wearside. Sunderland fans were already annoyed about where the Newcastle fans are sitting, with season ticket holders at the Stadium Of Light forced to move from their usual seat.
The arrangements meant that the Black Cats Bar would be used by Newcastle fans, with tickets in the hospitality section costing £600.
In that bar, there is Sunderland branding that reads ‘haway the lads’ and ‘keep the red flag flying high’, yet they were changed to ‘howay the lads’ and ‘keep the black and white flying high’.
Sunderland fans are rightly furious, and now Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has provided an update on the situation and explained how it became a reality.
Sunderland were ‘shocked’ by Newcastle’s redecorating
Downie has took to X to provide a lengthy message on why the changes were made and how Sunderland reacted when the images hit social media on Thursday.
He wrote: Understand Newcastle were allowed access to Black Cats Bar by Sunderland to ‘cover & protect’ the #SAFC branding & artwork on the walls ahead of the derby. #NUFC fans will be housed in the hospitality bar (£600 a ticket) & #SAFC were worried about their property being damaged. Sunderland expected the Newcastle decoration to be ‘neutral’ and were shocked when pictures emerged yesterday. #NUFC branding has been taken down but the damage has been done. In hindsight, #SAFC should have paid to cover the walls and artwork themselves & big OG been scored.”
Massive Sunderland blunder gives Newcastle an advantage
So Sunderland let Newcastle walk into their own stadium and redecorate, basically allowing them to do whatever they wanted unsupervised and without approval.
It is an absolutely crazy situation, and one that the Toon Army can’t stop laughing about.
The logic from Sunderland about wanting to protect their property makes sense, but they have gone about it in completely the wrong way. And it all stems from the seating arrangements that they agreed to, much to the dismay of their own supporters.
Sunderland fans are now at odds with their owners, as 6,000 Geordies prepare to make the journey to Wearside. It will be a ferocious atmosphere inside the Stadium Of Light, but it could turn toxic if Newcastle get an early goal.
That is even more incentive for Eddie Howe‘s side to get off to a fast start, as their biggest rivals continue to roll out the red carpet.
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