Newcastle fans banned from public transport for Sunderland derby match
Newcastle United have been allowed 6,000 fans to attend the FA Cup clash against Sunderland on Saturday, with strict travel conditions
Police have banned Newcastle United fans from taking public transportation to this weekend’s FA Cup match at Sunderland’s stadium.
Following safety considerations between the authorities and the two clubs, 6,000 Newcastle fans will gather at the Stadium of Light on Saturday lunchtime for the club’s first away derby since October 2015.
All Newcastle United supporters must use authorized coaches from St James’ Park to the FA Cup third round game, and spectators will not receive their match ticket until they are at the Stadium of Light.
Northumbria Police Chief Superintendent Neil Hutchison indicated that allowing such a huge number of Newcastle fans to use public transportation would be unsafe.
There is much excitement for the FA Cup game between Sunderland & Newcastle at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.⚽
Football fans in the North East are known for being amongst the most passionate in the country & this fixture is much-anticipated by supporters of both clubs. (1/7) pic.twitter.com/mP4DKs8GUL
— Northumbria Police (@northumbriapol) January 3, 2024
He said: “Ever since the fixture was announced, extensive discussions have been held with all parties and a lot of work has been ongoing to facilitate the safe delivery of such a large-scale event.
“As a result, all partners involved agreed to a number of conditions. This includes, in order to facilitate a 6,000 away allocation, Newcastle supporters travelling to and from the stadium on designated coaches.
“Without doing so, the public transport system would not be able to accommodate such a large number of supporters safely.”
There will be a large police presence at the ground as well as in both city centres and Mr Hutchison said any disorder “will be clamped down upon”.
“Ultimately, we want to ensure all supporters can have a safe and enjoyable time – and everyone can play their part in achieving that result,” he said.
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