Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
National
Simon Meechan

Flags at Newcastle United matches are paid for by fans, please don't take them home with you

Newcastle fans will hold another pre-match flag display at St James' Park on Easter Sunday.

As has been the case since the Wor Flags' organised displays began, the flags to be flown when Newcastle United play Leicester City are paid for by Newcastle United supporters and will be arranged by volunteers. United may have the richest owners in the world, but the flags are still crowdfunded through donations made by normal, every day, Newcastle United fans from all walks of life.

"It's all fan-funded," Thomas Concannon, from Wor Flags, told ChronicleLive.

Read more: Sam Fender fans are desperate for a St James' Park gig

"We get an incredible amount of backing from fans. The club has never had anything to do with funding it. Every flag is paid for by fans, from donations."

Wor Flags is urging supporters to be respectful and leave the flags in the ground after full-time.

On Friday, a small number of supporters were spotted taking flags home with them after Newcastle beat Wolves. Similar incidents have happened at other fixtures this season.

Wor Flags would like the flags back and is inviting fans to return them this weekend by leaving them under their seats after the game.

While match-going Newcastle fans will likely have heard of Wor Flags, especially since the displays resumed following Mike Ashley's exit, some may not know who pays for the displays: it's the supporters, not the club or the wealthy Saudi owners.

Even though PIF has more than enough money to pay for banners and surfer flags, the supporters' group wants to keep the displays independent of the club.

"We stress that it keeps our authority and gets the right messages across when it [the displays] comes from fans," Thomas said.

Every pinched flag is money out of supporters' pockets, some of whom even make regular donations through a direct debit system.

In tweets sent on Monday, Wor Flags posted: "We’d like to thank everyone who has tried to help in retrieving any flags taken home after the game on Friday.

"We don’t want to see anyone banned or abused for doing so, more just politely reminded that they should remain in the stadium for future use.

"There may be some fans who turn up with their own flags, we’d hate for people to feel like they couldn’t bring their own.

"We’ll be attempting to come up with a system that prevents any future misunderstandings.

"To any fans that have taken them home, and it is a very small minority, please bring them back to the next game. They are bought by fans to help create an atmosphere at St James’ Park."

Wor Flags has a special display lined up for the Leicester match on Easter Sunday. The group remains tight-lipped about the theme, but it will celebrate a "pivotal moment" in the Magpies' history.

You can donate to Wor Flags displays here.

Go here for the latest breaking Newcastle United updates

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.