Fans' outrage as Newcastle ditch St James' Park name (From The Northern Echo)
Send us your pictures, video, news and views by texting NORTHERN ECHO to 80360 or email us
Fans' outrage as Newcastle ditch St James' Park name
8:00am Friday 17th February 2012 in News
COMING DOWN: A worker uses a crowbar to remove the St James’ Park sign
HUNDREDS of years of tradition were scrapped yesterday as workers with crowbars prized the historic St James’ Park name off Newcastle United’s ground.
The home of the Magpies was yesterday renamed the Sports Direct Arena after club owner Mike Ashley’s company.
Drivers passing the ground shouted “it’s a disgrace” at the three workers taking down the sign.
One of the men removing the letters said: “I don’t want to do this, I should be doing this in the dark.”
As a film crew turned up to capture the moment Newcastle United lost its historic name letter by letter, the workers downed tools to escape the unwanted attention.
Newcastle supporter Phil Cammish, 27, of Fenham, Newcastle, said: “I walked past this afternoon and saw a man taking down the signs by the main entrance. They were using a crowbar to take each letter off. I was outraged. It will always be St James’ Park to me.”
Sports Direct Arena signs were put up outside the ground earlier in the day.
Steve Wraith, of fanzine Toon Talk, said: “We knew it was going to happen – it was just a case of when.
“It is typical of the club to do this and the timing is typical, too, when there is a break in the fixtures.
“The council still call it St James’, some sections of the media still call it St James’ and the fans definitely still call it St James’.”
The club caused uproar among fans when it announced in November that the home ground would be renamed, ending nearly 120 years of tradition.
Tom Learmouth, 19, of Slatyford, Newcastle, said: “It is shocking. By changing the name and taking the signs down, it is taking the club away from the fans.”
Another fan said: “I am not surprised the men taking it down got the reaction they did. I don’t think they should take the name down – it is important to the fans and we will always call it St James’.”
The club declined to comment.
davedoran says...
11:21am Fri 17 Feb 12
This iconic name is recognised all over the world but it has been treat like a back street project
The manner in which the task was carried out showed total disregard for the fans of NUFC and the citizens of tyneside and again Ashley and Llambias timed it so that a home game was not directly following it
The city council and business leaders now need to stand shoulder to shoulder and rid the Toon of these unprofessional deceitful liars and no help or support should be offered to Ashley and his mob from the council or the public so a plea to all stop buying his cheap tat