BROADCASTER Jeremy Vine has apologised for a laughable gaffe over the Newcastle United and Sunderland rivalry after the recent Saudi takeover. 

Mr Vine, who hosts a show on Channel 5 and BBC Radio 2, tweeted earlier this morning asking his followers: "Are you a Newcastle fan who may switch to Sunderland as a result of the #sauditakeover? If so please get in touch"

It's fair to say he misjudged the tone and sentiment of the tweet though, with thousands reacting in horror to his question. 

The initial tweet caused outrage among fans on Tyneside and Wearside.

One user said: "All ethical arguments re: the takeover aside… this is not how football support works in our neck of the woods.

"The hatred is illogical to outsiders but… visceral. 

"I’m sure any Newcastle fans who do have real objections about the new ownership are far more likely to turn to local clubs like Gateshead or South Shields than flock to their most hated (League one) rivals."

Another added: "Only politicians switch football teams. No one will switch either way. The question shows a complete lack of understanding of true football fans."

Other fans quickly shut down the broadcaster's question. One person said: "Won't happen. Rivalry too intense. Takeover changes nothing and no way EVER a Newcastle fan will start supporting Sunderland,or the other way round. You can safely bin this question."

Now, Mr Vine has retracted his initial question and apologised with a picture of his head in his hand. 

He tweeted: "Through the medium of radio I have now apologised to the entire city of Newcastle for this misconceived question"

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