The Darlington bust-up: reports, interviews and video

Posted on July 16th, 2011 | 47 Comments |

Barton turns peace-maker during pitch invasion at Darlington v Newcastle.
Barton acted as peace-maker
Trouble at the Darlington v Newcastle United pre-season friendly receives condemnation from the press and the clubs themselves.

It seems the Darlington nonsense has (rightly) received a fair bit of condemnation. Pitch invasions are never welcomed these days and it does nothing good for the reputations of either Newcastle United or Darlington.

From what I can gather it started as a ‘light-hearted’ invasion with smiles all round and then turned nasty. The rozzers reported it as follows:

“There has been a crowd of more than 9,700, which is significantly more than expected based on ticket sales.

“Everything was peaceful until Newcastle scored their second goal and a pitch incursion occurred which was high spirited but not violent.

“A further pitch incursion of around 20 to 30 people followed – a Newcastle supporter being escorted from the ground and three Newcastle supporters were arrested for pitch incursion.

“The game ended without incident and crowds have subsequently dispersed.“

There were allegations that Derek Llambias received some personal abuse from Toon supporters in a bar somewhere before the game but they’re from the Daily Mail and I’m not sure if they’re true or not. Llambias allegedly left the game after the second pitch invasion and rushed back to the Toon to issue a club statement condemning the behaviour which reads as:

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.

Apparently Joey Barton and Alan Pardew were prominent peace-makers during the outbursts, encouraging fans to calm down and go back to their seats. Pardew said:

“I’ve been at the club six months and never seen an incident like this. I hope it was a one-off.”

And Darlington manager Alan Cooper said:

“It only takes one idiot to produce a knife or a bottle and you have a problem. The worst thing is I saw a lot of young kids about.”

It’s a poor show which ever way you look at it and it overshadows the 2-0 start to our pre-season preparations.

See a video of the pitch invasion for yourselves:

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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Posted on by Hugh de Payen in category: Alan Pardew and Club Statements and Derek Llambias and General miscellany and Hugh de Payen and Interviews and Joey Barton and Videos , with tags: , ,
Comment on this post

47 Responses

  5. hope every 1 of the idiots that went on that pitch gets at least a 5 year ban.

  6. How can any of the nobheads that invaded the pitch last night continue to criticise Mike Ashley & Co for the damage they’ve done to our club then do something like that?
    Fans need to support the team/club that’s all – it’s none of our business how the club is run – maybe some of the idiots last night could do a better job? these idiots have no interest in the club, just interested in causing as much trouble as possible – stay away.

  7. So the darlo fans don’t like it when someone invades their pitch? They didn’t seem to mind when they ran on at Gateshead a few months back. A bit of high jinks blown out of all proportion.

  9. I was at the match last night and it was a total embarresment. Ive got a season ticket for st.james , but i dont get to many away games.. so i seen this as ideal oppurtunity. I took my fiancee and it was just humiliating. @ 5 i hope they get banned for life, i actually know some of the people fighting personally and i hope they get a life ban.

  10. @ cla5hb0y68

    So if the Sunderland fans invaded the pitch at St. James’ park it would be ok as long as it was only a bit of “High Jinks”?

    What you and a hell of a lot of people don’t seem to grasp is the damage this kind of thing does to the club’s reputation, look at the reaction around the world to anything bad that happens at Newcastle. Do you think this kind of thing would even make the papers if it had been any other club? we’re a laughing stock around the world and it’s not all down to Mike Ashley.

  12. goes without saying these idiots should be banned,but like a few people have mentioned,it was blown out of proportion.it started off good natured,but the fighting was confined to about 5 or 6 people,and the security was rubbish also.the police and stewards should have prepared better,as they should have known big numbers of newcastle fans,were going to turn up.
    john,have to disagree with you there about ashley and llambias,it’s their actions at the club,that are creating the apathy,ill will,the mistrust.i think we can expect more scenes like this,down the track,with their continued presence at the club.alan pardew is part of this ridiculous situation,that is being foisted onto the fans.the whole thing is going to end in absolute mayhem,ashley wants to do himself a favour and find a buyer,because this situation is never going to improve.
    derek llambias must be as thick as a brick to turn up,at a bar where the fans are.he continually insults them,patronizes them,belittles them,then turns up in the same bar as them.time and time again these idiots show a complete lack of judgement,and a blatant disregard of the fans feelings towards them.obviously no one wants to see any violence,but ashley and co are bringing this on themselves.

  13. john,the clubs reputation is being tarnished by the illustrious mike ashley and his rag tag cohorts.

  14. Looking on the bright side, Guthrie’s out for six weeks and Fergie wont make the US (not for profit just break even) tour :(

    No matter what Pardwho says this squad is not ready for the new season. We need to sort out a genuine left back pronto because undoubtedly Fatman wont want to lose the Jose transfer fee so he’ll leave at the last minute (hopping on Fatmans helicopter) and we’ll be up the proverbial again with a makeshift left back or worse still Raylor :)

  16. @10 i held my head for a second but was not humiliated by the actions of others. your over reacting

    if sunderland fans invaded st james park pitch id f ucking applaud… getting down from level 7 and some how on to the pitch would be a feat worthy of appraisal..
    some useless tw@s at the game yeah but forget em. was a decent game and some good performances. enjoyed the evening

  17. the 1s that blameing ashley and co last night want to take a long hard look at them selfs act ya age not ya shoe sizes

  18. toonarmyelite,every club has their idiots,but this to a large extent,is being created by ashley and his cohorts.
    i’m surprised we have not had more bother,on the chronicle blog someone said,ashley and llambias have had an easy ride,after some of the strokes the’ve pulled,at this football club.i can see more trouble happening this season,as fans are pig sick of mike ashley.added to the fact this “cupcake” pardew couldn’t deliver a newspaper,it’s all going to end in s**t.
    for me it’s the albert einstein quote,when it comes to mike ashley,”you cannot hope to solve a problem,with the same level of consiousness,that created it,in the first place”.something along those lines anyway.

  19. Maybe those who invaded the pitch have reading your posts & we should blame you Trojan?

  20. TROJAN 69 did not see ashley and co forcing people to invade the pitch you idiot

  21. Isn’t inciting hatred illegal? Or does it only count if it’s related to religion?!?

  22. Same old Trojan 69….crash on Wall Street blame Ashley….problems in Palestine blame Ashley…. boring…

    I’m no fan of Ashley myself, but this is ridiculous…get a grip man…

  23. Llambias “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.” i think hes spot on meself

  26. witters,it doesn’t matter what i say on this blog,you will call me an inciter.you came on the other night to try and do the same,after a had a joke about toonsy.you had to try and turn that into something it wasn’t.
    munich mag,yes mike ashley is responsible for the banking crisis,the israeli-palestine conflict etc,with all due respect your living in germany,so your probably not aware of some of the strength of feeling that exists on tyneside.i dont condone for one minute the actions of a few idiots last night,although witters probably thinks i was at the forefront of it.
    i’ll take your point about the pitch invasion wasn’t all down to mike ashley,but rightly or wrongly the way they are running the club is getting people’s backs up,and a few too many shandies coupled with an apathy towards the board etc,it’s always going to be a recipe for disaster.
    mike ashley,llambias etc are going to have to talk to the fans,to let them know what is going on at the club,and stop all the lying.this situation is untenable the way it is,and something has to give,because this siege mentality has been going on for far too long.

  27. TROJAN 69 i see you for what you really are and anybody thats reads ya comment at 12 can see what you really are

  28. Trojan 69…me living in Germany has nowt to do with it mate, I’m from Newcastle, have followed Newcastle for years, probably longer than you without being disrepectful, mand know EXACTLY what the feeling is on Tyneside….

    The Darlo pitch invasion was all about idiots thinking they can do what the heck they like, disrepecting the good people of Darlington and Darlington football club. The fighting was all about sprogs thinking they are tough…you see it all the time in Newcastle…

    That you managed to turn this all on Ashley shows a certain amount of fantasy in my opinion….

  29. Trojan…firstly Im sure toonsy is big enough & ugly enough (I presume) to fight his own battles, what I objected to is you implying I’m a member of a cult as I happen to be a regular reader of .co.uk particularly when I find your views way out there. I respect your views but in the main I happen to disagree. If any of comments have caused offense then I apologise.

    Regarding my comments today I acknowledge that you condoned the pitch invasion last night but I do not see the connection you have.

    I once read a book that said the only person who is responsible for your actions & how you respond in certain situations is entirely down to yourself. It included a story about a Jewish concentration camp prisoner, Victor Frankl and how he got through it.

    I decide to respond differently to you & I happen to disagree with the way you respond. And then I tell you…that’s why I like reading & commenting o. These blogs.

  30. “coupled with an apathy towards the board”

    Wouldnt call it apathy Trojan :) How about contempt or despisement ?

    BYW wouldnt bother about “you know who” just let him witter on, its what he does best :)

  31. “and know EXACTLY what the feeling is on Tyneside”

    How do you manage to know EXACTLY what the feeling is like on Tyneside when you live in Germany ?

  32. witters,my views are way out,you’ll see alot stronger views than mine on here lol.

  33. AndyMac@31….think about it mate..

    ..cos I’ve got superhuman powers…

    I’m sure your mate Trojan can answer for himself, he seems to be able to communicate quite competently….

  34. At least the Toon Army show a little passion towards their team, it was all light hearted stuff until some Darlo supporters took offence at Geordies running on to their lawn.

  35. not condoning the pitch invasion,but as usual the media will have a field day,building into something more,than it actually was.what it appeared to be was a bunch of charvers,who’ve drank too much blue pop.

  36. tasers would have sorted that row out in about 10 seconds. there’s nothing more amusing that watched idiots doing an involuntary “funky chicken” on the pitch.

  37. Tripp says:
    July 16, 2011 at 5:52 pm

    “tasers would have sorted that row out in about 10 seconds. there’s nothing more amusing that watched idiots doing an involuntary “funky chicken” on the pitch.”

    To some people perhaps, I’m glad I’m not one of them.

  38. Whether it was one person or one hundred, it doesn’t matter. Total disgrace last night. Idiots should be banned.

    Also anyone who kicks a man when he is down, like in the video, is a total coward. You can tell they were all pissed up because not one of them has the balance to throw a punch or kick.

    Real shame.

    On a lighter note, does this result mean Hughton IS the better manager, as his Newcastle beat them 7-2?

    :-)

  40. Troj, ToonArmy, Munich, AndyMac etc.

    My tuppence worth on your ongoing, er, ‘dispute’ is that we’re all Toon supporters and I genuinely do think we’re all ‘United’ behind the team when they’re on the pitch, which is after all what really counts.

    Personally, I take that as a ‘given’ when chatting to NUFC supporters on this ‘blog.

    Where we sometimes disagree is on matters surrounding the politics of the club and that, I think, is perfectly fine. I think it’s fascinating to see the different takes we all have on the NUFC politics, Ashley, Lamearse, Pardew etc.

    I also think it’s great that, come match day, 50k+ people in SJP and a few million by TV, radio, Interweb or whatever – who may dispute the fine art of Toon politics at other times – get firmly behind the team for 90 minutes.

  41. Has any1 heard Carlton Cole has knocked stoke bk & he,s supposed 2 b in talks with us,, I really hope this is,nt true, he,s worse than strolla,, plz sum 1 tell me its not true,,

  43. Hey Hugh…I don’t personally have a “dispute” with anyone on here, AndyMac nor Trojan 69, I just tend to disagree with them the majority of the time.

    But as you point out, that’s what the blog is for.

  44. munich mag,just for the record,i dont have a problem with you fullstop.it would be pretty crap if we all had the same view.anyone on here can call me what they like,apart from a racist,then i’ll do me stack.

  45. Munich Mag says:

    AndyMac@31….think about it mate..

    ..cos I’ve got superhuman powers…

    I asked the question simply because I live on Tyneside and I dont have a clue what the feeling is here !

    I know what most of my mates think and those who I work with and the pub regulars but thats not exactly the whole of Tyneside ?

    If you ran a straw poll right now, I’d guess there’d be a slight majority in favour of cutting Fatman’s doodahs off but who knows ?

  46. Trojan 69.. agreed mate, I have no problem with you either…we are all entitled to our opinions, but are as you say just opinions…we’re all diferent, no problem at all.

    Being called a racist on the other hand is way out of order, I can understand you getting radged by it if that were ever to be the case…

  47. AndyMac…aye you’re right, the feeling on Tyneside maybe is hard to guage, cos we’ve had so many slaps down over the last few years, sale of Judas, constant misleading from the management…

    As you say though, even with just a “slight” majority MA’s doodahs are not looking too safe !…the majority could be more than slight I believe …!