Fans blast Newcastle stadium name-change

November 5, 2009

Newcastle fans reacted with scorn Thursday after it emerged that the club’s St. James’ Park stadium is to be rebranded with the name of a dotcom sponsor.

The Magpies’ home is to be renamed as sportsdirect.com@St James’ Park until the end of this season, to plug the sportswear firm of controversial club owner Mike Ashley.

Some 16,000 people have signed an online petition protesting at the name change, while local MP David Clelland has tabled a parliamentary motion urging the club’s owners to reconsider.

“The idea of turning the history of St James’ Park into something that resembles an email address absolutely beggars belief,” said Mark Jensen, editor of The Mag fanzine, which described the move as “cheap and nasty.”

Club managing director Derek Llambias admitted the name change had been badly handled.

“We could have worded it better,” he told BBC radio, while defending the decision which could see the stadium changed to another name if an outside sponsor is found.

“If it brings in a good chunk of money to the club that goes straight to the team, it’s a revenue that we should look at,” he said.

“Newcastle United’s history is just incredible … people have to look at maximising their revenues. That’s one part of a stadium that you can use that is under-utilised.”

NEWCASTLE (AFP)

Tags: AFP, bbc, beggars belief, chunk, clelland, club owner, Derek Llambias, fanzine, james park, magpies, managing director, mark jensen, mike ashley, mp, MP David Clelland, NEWCASTLE, newcastle fans, newcastle united, online petition, parliamentary motion, scorn, sportswear, St James, st james park

Coleen Rooney on Katie and Peter Saga

May 28, 2009

Coleen Rooney has joined in the big discussion of the moment…Not not the MP expenses, but the Katie Price and Peter Andre split of course!

In her lastest OK! coloumn Coleen wrote:

‘Katie and Peter splitting up really shocked me. I saw the row on their show that everyone’s talking about, but I thought that it was just one of the random arguments they have – it’s just what they do on their show.

As I don’t know them, it’s hard for me to comment about their relationship, so I can’t say why or what has made them split up, or whether it is the result of something that has been building over time.

Will they get back together? Who knows?

No one should interfere. I hope they do work things out, but if they aren’t happy together, then maybe they’re better off apart – not just for themselves but for their children, too.

Katie and Peter both come across as great parents.’

Very diplomatic Coleen, you never know when you might meet them at the OK! mag offices, so best to say nice things isn’t it!

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