GARETH Southgate has urged the Football Association not to be too hard with Newcastle United after Saturday’s Tees-Tyne derby was blighted by terrorist taunts aimed at Middlesbrough striker Mido.

For the second season in succession, a small minority of Newcastle supporters directed Islamophobic chants at Mido, with their references to bombing coming just days after more than 180 people were killed by a series of terrorist attacks in India.

The Football Association will investigate the chanting that accompanied Mido’s arrival as a 77th-minute substitute, but Southgate feels it would be wrong if Newcastle paid too heavy a price for the actions of a handful of fans.

“We have to rise above it,” said the Middlesbrough manger. “If people want to shout those things, then it is a reflection on them rather than anything else. Newcastle are an excellent club, and they can’t do anything about their travelling fans.

“It’s an individual’s decision to sing whatever they want, and there’s a danger that we go on a witch hunt. It’s very hard. What do you? Punish the club? “I don’t think that’s fair. How can a club the size of Newcastle control individuals?

“Hopefully, you can highlight the people at the centre of it, stop them from coming to grounds and fine them.”

Last August, FA officials wrote to both Newcastle and Middlesbrough asking the clubs to take steps to prevent a repetition of the Islamophobic chanting that had been audible at the Riverside.

Those steps have clearly not worked, but while a further investigation will now take place, Newcastle are unlikely to face a punitive penalty.

Instead, the club will be urged to work closely with the police in an attempt to identify any supporter who joined in with Saturday’s chants.

An FA spokesman said: “We’ll have to look at it. We’ll speak to the clubs. This will most likely involve working with the club (Newcastle) to try and prevent it happening again. The police may also be involved in helping identify any offenders because this is potentially a criminal offence. We want to make it clear that you can’t get away with chants like this.”