IT has become one of the fashion statements of the season, and Chris Mort expects Mike Ashley to continue to wear his Newcastle shirt with pride when he sits in the Stadium of Light directors' box at the weekend.

The previously reclusive Ashley pinned his colours firmly to the Magpies' mast when he wore a black-and-white replica shirt with Alan Smith's name and number on the back to August's 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough.

Since then, the Newcastle owner's Toon top' has become a permanent match-day fixture, but there have been suggestions that he would opt for a less inflammatory choice of clothing during this weekend's Wear- Tyne derby with Sunderland.

Ashley will switch to a collar and tie if Black Cats chairman Niall Quinn requests that he does so.

But with the biggest game of his Newcastle reign now just three days away, the sportswear magnate is looking forward to sporting his side's colours.

"I would expect him to wear his shirt," confirmed Newcastle chairman Mort. "He's not going to do that to embarrass anyone, and he's not going to go out of his way to create a problem.

"He would only wear it in the directors' box if Niall and the team there were happy for him to do so. But he is going to say, I want to wear my shirt because that's what I wear to the football match'.

"He doesn't do it to embarrass the opposition, whether that's Sunderland or anyone else, but we'll have a chat with Niall and take it from there."

Quinn will seek police advice about Ashley wearing his Newcastle shirt before making a final decision, but the Sunderland chairman said: "I certainly wouldn't have a problem with it.

"But I don't know what the police would say. The man supports his team, and that's great. When you see enthusiasm like that, that's fine."