Jeff Stelling isn’t even a Newcastle United fan but he was not prepared to let the club be badmouthed without responding.
Newcastle supporters reacted furiously to a claim from talkSPORT’s Ian ‘The Moose’ Abrahams that there is nothing to do in the city, which is why St. James’ Park gets such a healthy turnout every week.
Abrahams maintained that Newcastle is not a big club and he was backed up by former England international Danny Murphy on air.
“Newcastle, since I’ve been born, have won nothing – not a thing!” Abrahams said of the Magpies.
“Since colour television was invented… zilch!
🗣️ Danny Murphy: "Newcastle are well-supported but they are NOT a big club."
🗣️ @BroadcastMoose: 'They get 52,000 fans but what else is there to do in Newcastle!?'
It's a question that has been asked over and over again… Are #NUFC a big club? 🤔
[📻 @JimWhite] pic.twitter.com/LaCLBRPXOr
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) September 24, 2018
“Jim said ‘they’re a big club, they get 50,000 people’, but what else is there to do in Newcastle?
“Some smart alec sent me a review from TripAdvisor about what there is to do in Newcastle. I looked at it; I think there’s one art gallery and a few parks to walk around.
“‘Whoopee! I won’t go to the football and I’ll walk round the park’.
“Sorry, I stick with what I said: yes, they get a lot of people through the gate – I’m not denying that – but that doesn’t make you a big club. Just because you get 52,000 people through the gate when there’s practically nothing else to do on a Saturday afternoon!”
Thank you to the people of Newcastle today. I’ve been shown warmth and stopped several times for selfies. Having been around the City today, I was wrong and apologise for what I said about your home. The video of today will be on @talksport early next week pic.twitter.com/EpLH2sNJ8U
— Ian Abrahams (Moose) (@BroadcastMoose) September 28, 2018
While Abrahams has since retracted his comments, Soccer Saturday host Jeff Stelling was not going to let him get away with the remarks.
On Saturday’s edition of the popular Sky Sports programme, Hartlepool fan Stelling launched a passionate defence of Newcastle.
“You may have also seen this week that a radio reporter said that the only reason Newcastle get 52,000 is because there is nothing else to do in the city,” Stelling said.
“Now this is not a rant but…
“He has probably never been to St. James’ Park.
“He has probably never had a night out in the Bigg Market.
“He has probably never eaten at any of the wonderful restaurants.
“He has never appreciated the marvellous architecture of Grey Street.
Jeff Stelling's passionate rant about the city of Newcastle is SUPERB! 😆⚫⚪ pic.twitter.com/09e1gzV81s
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) September 30, 2018
“He’ll never have been to the Theatre Royal, never have been to the Racecourse.
“He’ll never have strode along the Quayside in the shadow of the Tyne Bridge.
“I doubt that he has ever visited the Baltic gallery.
“He probably doesn’t know that Greggs opened their first ever branch in Newcastle in 1951.
“He’s never had a Newkie Brown.
“And he’s never had a stottie cake…actually, he has probably eaten a stottie cake, quite a lot of them in truth.
“It is a wonderful city with loads to do and loads to eat and loads to drink and don’t believe what you hear on the radio.
“Trust me.”
