The thing is, that in 10 years or less Ashley will be gone, and the chances are we will once again play at st. James park, the same ground we have played on since 1892, a ground on which we have won leagues, FA Cups and champions league matches. In 10 years time Sunderland fans will still he going to a flat pack, generic stadium in the middle of some waste ground with no history and no memories. I know which one i would rather have.
Fair enough. I'd rather the position we're in now than the one when the stadium was last officially called St. James'
Hero. Yeah I know it's wrong but feelings running high for some fans. I couldnt give a stuff, it will always be SJP to me.
Given that the name change is now old news, the lettering removal seems to have been interpreted as some sort of symbolic gesture by the media eg: The Telegraph: "In a move sure to bring a tear to the eye of Geordies and traditionalists, Newcastle United have torn off the St James' Park sign from the outside of their stadium." Other papers carried descriptions of the crowbar used to do the deed and quotes from the apparently reluctant club workmen - all a little bit melodramatic and OTT for some plastic letters, surely? Far more sensible were comments from the club's long- serving tea lady Kath Cassidy, who recently said: "I will never call it anything other than St Jamesâ Park. Thatâs what it has always been, and thereâs no other name for it." Exactly.
Michael Atkinson quotes: "I heard that they were taking the sign down at about 3pm yesterday on Facebook. I got so angry at Mike Ashley I couldn't believe they had waited so long to do this after selling the naming rights last year. 'I couldn't believe that they were doing it in broad daylight. It seems that whenever the club is doing well on the pitch, Ashley just kicks us fans in the knackers. "It's such an iconic name, and Ashley is just out to promote his own business. People on Facebook were saying someone should go and put a new sign on the stadium once it had been taken down and I thought why not. "I had a few cans of lager in the house, I'd had eight cans of Fosters, so at that point I decided I was going to make a stand and speak for all Newcastle fans. "I couldn't believe how quiet the place was. I thought they would have loads of security making sure no-one did anything to the ground. I knew I was going to get arrested for what I was about to do, but I didn't care. "I started to paint the letters on but after only two minutes, I was spotted by a police riot van and they asked me what I was doing. A security guard from Newcastle United then came out and I just held my hands up straight away. "The police and the security guards were fine about everything, they just told me to stop what I was doing and to get in the police van. "I'd do it again, no doubt. Ashley can't keep treating us fans like this. He has done some good such as buying Cisse, but when things are going well, it seems that he just does things to annoy the fans. It seems that he revels in being the bad guy."
A man has been charged after graffiti was daubed at Newcastle United's ground hours after the St James' Park signs were removed. On Thursday the letters were removed after November's announcement of the name change to the Sports Direct Arena. The words "St James" were written in white paint at the ground before being removed on Friday morning. Michael Atkinson, 29, of Hareydene, Newbiggin Hall, Newcastle, was charged with criminal damage. He is due to appear before Newcastle Magistrates' Court on 7 March. The graffiti was written on one of the walls at the ground below where one of the St James' Park signs had been. Workmen later arrived to remove it. Many Newcastle fans have said they will continue to call the ground St James' Park. The club says the change is a temporary measure to "showcase" the sponsorship opportunity to "interested parties". The club's managing director Derek Llambias has said stadium rebranding could generate up to £10m a year.
It's perhaps ironic that a 'crowbar' was used to remove the name from the Magpies stadium... PS..Whatever sponsors name may be given to that stadiums name in the future, it will always be known as the sportsdirect in my eyes...
