On behalf of everyone at Newcastle United FC, we wholly condemn the behaviour of a number of our supporters who invaded the pitch during the second half of the club's friendly against Darlington this evening (July 15).

The club will be seeking to obtain footage of the disorder from Darlington FC and the police and will be taking the strongest possible action against those individuals responsible for the shameful behaviour.

This behaviour is not typical of the vast majority of our fans, however this incident gives a poor impression of Newcastle United and its loyal supporters.

Statement from Newcastle United Manager Alan Pardew:

Having reflected overnight on yesterday's match at Darlington that was interrupted in the second half by the actions of some of our supporters, I am left bitterly disappointed by the events that unfolded after Sammy Ameobi scored our second goal.

Apart from the frustrating disruption to what was a very good game of football and an important part of our pre-season preparation, the pitch invasion was totally unacceptable and has brought shame on everyone connected with Newcastle United.

We came to play a football match and to provide entertainment for a family audience - instead we witnessed some truly appalling behaviour which damages the reputation of this great club and the vast majority of our true and law-abiding supporters.

As Derek Llambias said yesterday evening, the club will now be taking the strongest possible action against those individuals responsible and that can't happen soon enough. I speak for everyone at Newcastle United when I say I never wish to see those scenes at a football match again.

photo: nufc.co.uk

DARLINGTON  -  NEWCASTLE  UNITED  0 : 2

Uprkos tome što je na teren The Northern Echo Arena-e, isprobao 22 igrača, Alan Pardew se nije nadao da će se i on naći na terenu u ulozi mirotvorca. Naime, pri rezultatu 0:1, u 53. minutu meča, Alan Pardew u igru ubacuje Sammy Ameobi-a. Toon Army, kojih je na meču bilo 6000, započinje pesmu: "If Sammy scores, we're on the pitch". Posle samo tri minuta provedenih na terenu, Sammy Ameobi postiže gol i oko 300 Toon Army ispunjava svoje obećanje i uleće na teren. Međutim, reaguje obezbeđenje i policija i dolazi do tuče. Situacija se smirila tek posle desetak minuta i meč je nastavljen.

Alan Pardew je na teren The Northern Echo Arene izveo kombinovan tim. Startnih XI: Forster, Simpson, Williamson, S Taylor, Ferguson, Barton, Guthrie, Smith, Vuckic, Ben Arfa, Best. Newcastle United je po prvi put u svojoj istoriji, zaigrao u narandžastim dresovima.

Već posle tri minuta igre, na ovom meču kapiten Newcastle United-a, Joey Barton, sa nekoliko metara, dovodi svoj tim u vođstvo od 0:1. Gostujući sektor skandira: "Ashley, Ashley sign him on".

Nešto kasnije, Haris Vučkić je mogao da duplira prednost svog tima, ali je na njegovu nesreću, na gol liniji pogodio Steven Taylor-a i šansa je propala.

Toon Army nastavlja sa humorom, uzvikujući: "Banned from the USA, Joey's, banned from the USA".

Vredi napomenuti, da je za Newcastle United debitovao Cabaye sa brojem 4 na leđima, dok se Hatem Ben Arfa vratio na teren posle groznog loma noge, noseći na leđima dres sa brojem 10. Debitovao je i mladi Abeid.


Poluvreme: 0 : 1


U nastavku meča, Pardew šalje na teren, mnoge, koji su po prvi put debitovali za NUFC.

Zatim sledi situacija, koja je prethodila invaziji navijača newcastle-a na teren. Sammy Ameobi, posle solo akcije sa petnaestak metara, postiže levom nogom gol, za 0:2, minut 56. Sledi invazija, prekid, tuča, odlazak domaćih igrača u svlačionicu, molba Pardew-a i Carver-a da se navijači smire i posle toga nastavak.

Nastavak meča, ostao je u senci, uletanja Toon Army na teren.


Konačan rezultat: 0 : 2


NUFC: Forster, Simpson (Dummett 65), S.Taylor (Tavernier 65), Williamson (J.Henderson 80), Ferguson (R.Taylor 46), Barton (Gosling 60), Smith (Abeid 57), Guthrie (Cabaye 9 [Donaldson 72]), Vuckic (Sam Ameobi 53), Best (Ranger 57), Ben Arfa (Richardson 67).

Gledalaca: 9,721 (preko 6.000 toon Army. Ni traga ni glasa od Mike Ashley-a, ali je na tribinama bio Llambias).

Steve Harper, Tim Krul, Shola Ameobi, Xisco, Demba Ba, Sylvain Marveaux, Cheick Tiote, Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Kazenga LuaLua (otišao u Brighton na pozajmicu), James Perch, Peter Lovenkrands, Wayne Routledge i Jonas Guiterrez, nisu bili u konkurenciji za tim.

photo: nufcblog.org