Newcastle Unitedâs first European match since 2007 might have to be played at Sunderlandâs Stadium of Light, it has emerged today.
Thanks to Evertonâs failure to win at Old Trafford yesterday, The Magpies are now guaranteed a place in Europe next season and whilst the Geordies are still hopeful of a top four Champions League finish, they know they will at least have a Europa League spot. Something which may leave the club temporarily needing a new home.
St. Jamesâ Park is one of the major football venues for this summerâs Olympic games with the ground set to host the Womanâs Quarter Finals on August 3rd and the Menâs Quarter Finals on August 4th.
This means that if Newcastle were to finish sixth in the Premier League come the end of the season and Liverpool were to defeat Chelsea in the FA Cup final, then Newcastle would have to enter the Europa League via the Third Qualifying Round First Leg on August 2nd. Liverpool, by virtue of winning the cup and not finishing in the top five, would go straight into the Group stages but Newcastle would have to win a two-legged fixture to qualify.
This possible scenario has left Newcastleâs hierarchy scrambling around as their 52,000+ home has already been booked out for the Olympics. They are mulling over a request to bitter rivals Sunderland for permission to play an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime fixture at the 49,000 Stadium of Light where Newcastle would be the home team against European opponents. Sunderlandâs ground is the only realistic venue within 30 miles that could hold anywhere near the amount of fans that Newcastleâs first match in Europe would require and other, less controversial alternatives such as Gatesheadâs stadium only holds 11,800 and would be way too small.
There is a possibility Newcastle would ask Darlington FC to allow The Magpies to play at The Darlington Arena which does hold 25,000, a figure that despite being half the size of St. Jamesâ Park would be deemed acceptable. Though the infamous pitch invasion of last summerâs pre-season friendly which saw several fights break and embarrassed the club could mean that alternative is off the menu.
Nothing is particularly clear when trying to work out UEFAâs decision making but presumably there is the option that special compensation will be allowed to Newcastle to play the away first-leg fixture first as to not clash with the Olympics, or they will be allowed to play the game at an earlier/later date.
But the reports are that Newcastle arenât so sure and the prospect of the Toon playing a home fixture at Stadium of Light remains if Newcastle were to end up sixth this season.
Thanks to Evertonâs failure to win at Old Trafford yesterday, The Magpies are now guaranteed a place in Europe next season and whilst the Geordies are still hopeful of a top four Champions League finish, they know they will at least have a Europa League spot. Something which may leave the club temporarily needing a new home.
St. Jamesâ Park is one of the major football venues for this summerâs Olympic games with the ground set to host the Womanâs Quarter Finals on August 3rd and the Menâs Quarter Finals on August 4th.
This means that if Newcastle were to finish sixth in the Premier League come the end of the season and Liverpool were to defeat Chelsea in the FA Cup final, then Newcastle would have to enter the Europa League via the Third Qualifying Round First Leg on August 2nd. Liverpool, by virtue of winning the cup and not finishing in the top five, would go straight into the Group stages but Newcastle would have to win a two-legged fixture to qualify.
This possible scenario has left Newcastleâs hierarchy scrambling around as their 52,000+ home has already been booked out for the Olympics. They are mulling over a request to bitter rivals Sunderland for permission to play an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime fixture at the 49,000 Stadium of Light where Newcastle would be the home team against European opponents. Sunderlandâs ground is the only realistic venue within 30 miles that could hold anywhere near the amount of fans that Newcastleâs first match in Europe would require and other, less controversial alternatives such as Gatesheadâs stadium only holds 11,800 and would be way too small.
There is a possibility Newcastle would ask Darlington FC to allow The Magpies to play at The Darlington Arena which does hold 25,000, a figure that despite being half the size of St. Jamesâ Park would be deemed acceptable. Though the infamous pitch invasion of last summerâs pre-season friendly which saw several fights break and embarrassed the club could mean that alternative is off the menu.
Nothing is particularly clear when trying to work out UEFAâs decision making but presumably there is the option that special compensation will be allowed to Newcastle to play the away first-leg fixture first as to not clash with the Olympics, or they will be allowed to play the game at an earlier/later date.
But the reports are that Newcastle arenât so sure and the prospect of the Toon playing a home fixture at Stadium of Light remains if Newcastle were to end up sixth this season.
