Metalist fans view of the Toon....

SAw this and it made me feel all warm and gushy....

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2013/02/15/72703-32815163/?

FANS from Ukraine turned the Toon yellow and blue ahead of Metalist Kharkiv’s Europa League clash.

Hundreds of Ukrainian football fans descended on Newcastle ahead of the fixture, which finished goalless.

Three planes brought 500 Kharkiv supporters directly to Newcastle airport in the morning, before jetting them back to Ukraine hours after the match.

The whole trip was bankrolled by Serhiy Kurchenko – the club’s multi-millionaire new owner, as a present to fans. And they seemed to like what they found.

One told us the city was “more beautiful than Vienna and Istanbul,” while others agreed that we’re always willing to help out newcomers – even our football rivals.

Olga Safonik, a 19-year-old student in England for the first time, said the city centre was vibrant and the locals friendly to foreigners.

“We don’t know much English, but people give us help anyway,” she said in Russian.


“Nobody’s aggressive here. It’s just a different attitude from in Ukraine.”

Her friend Alina Chshenina, 22, added that people always seemed to be smiling, and added: “It is very good for shopping.”

University lecturer Evgenii Sakholov, 27, who came to Newcastle with his dad, said he had been looking forward to seeing the town and the team he had heard so much about back home.

He said: “We know the club because our Ukrainian team, Dinamo Kiev, have played them before. It was a wonderful game. Also, we know Alan Shearer.”

“For the town, we know it’s an industrial city. But it’s not very touristy, it doesn’t seem like there is much, especially for visitors. The stadium is very beautiful, though.”

Damir Valyulo, 50, even said the trip gave fans a chance to experience “the spirit of English democracy”.

“We swapped hats with a policeman and took photos when we had free time in the day,” he said. “That is not something you could do in Ukraine.” He added: “It is interesting to see the statue of Mr Grey [Grey’s Monument] because we know the Earl Grey tea.”

Metalist Kharkiv – founded in 1925 and originally in the Soviet league – flew out to the North East last week and played a friendly against Whitley Bay on Sunday, ending one all.

Kharkiv is a town in the North East of Ukraine, with a population of 1.5 million. It was the capital of Soviet Ukraine for a short period, before power was transferred to Kiev.

Newcastle United did not respond when asked whether owner Mike Ashley had plans to match Mr Kurchenko’s generosity in paying for fans to see an international away game.

 

That makes a good read, I'm pleased for the most part that they enjoyed it.

As for MA matching Mr Kurchenko’s generosity, I think we all know the answer to that one.

 

Mike Ashley's version of this would be to pay for 50 fans to travel on Megabus to Kharkiv.

 

One of my lasting memories of Newcastle is rather different.

Outside the metro station near the ground, there was an old man playing two bongo drums (exceptionally well, I should point out). A guy in a suit walked over to him, and said something to him. The old man nodded. The suit man then took out his wallet, counted out £50, and handed it to the man. He then kicked over one of his drums and walked off...

 

Didn't like the tune he was playing then.

 

I was talking to some of the Brugge fans when they were here on Thu 25th Oct, and they all said how much they were enjoying the visit and how they'd enjoyed meeting our fans and talking to them.

They all seemed like a decent bunch.

 

They clearly hadn't spoken to one of MrTiote's incarnations...

 

Apparently not.

Weren't they lucky.

 

I've been hearing a lot of them were given a happy ending to their trip in the Toon after the game... Geordie gals are so classy