Newcastle may not win the league this season, but they are way out in front of the competition when it comes to a pre-match pint, according to figures in the Mirror.
The report claims that supporters coming to Newcastle as an away fan have the choice of 108 pubs withing a half-mile radius of St James’ Park.
It sees Newcastle over three times ahead of second-placed Newport County and Wolves, who both have 32, while Ipswich and Blackpool round out the top five, with 29 and 26 respectively.
When the distance from the ground is increased to one mile, Newcastle are still well ahead, with a huge 174, while Sheffield United would be second with 134.
It is little surprise that fans of other clubs love to come to Newcastle to see their teams play, and often make a whole weekend of it.
St James’ Park is an iconic landmark on the city skyline
It is, of course, largely due to the fact St James’ Park is virtually in the city centre, and why it is such an iconic landmark.
It is also why Newcastle fans would never want to move to a new, relocated stadium, and why seeing the ground on the skyline, and having it so close to the Bigg Market and Haymarket, known for being hot-spots for party revellers is part of its charm.
Seeing it so close on the skyline is synonymous with Newcastle, and is why fans are so angry about plans to build on the area behind the Gallowgate End, which would block out the view of the stadium coming across the bridges.
It also, of course, means it would be nearly impossible to expand without that land, meaning in future years, moving away from it may be the only option left.
As the pub-location figures show, moving away from St James’ Park would have a negative affect on all businesses, and why tourism in the city could slump as a result.
But for now, Newcastle supporters can continue to appreciate what they have got, and away fans can look forward to their weekend carnival on Tyneside when their team is playing in our wonderful city.
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