Bizarre reaction from Sunderland fans after BBC Sport report record breaking Newcastle United Women’s team | OneFootball

BBC Sport have been reporting on an astonishing day at St James Park.

The Newcastle United Women’s team were playing only their second ever match at St James Park on Sunday.

Back in May, 22,134 fans turned up for the first ever Newcastle United women’s match at SJP, a 4-0 victory in a league match against Alnwick Town in the National League Division One North.

‘Newcastle United set a new Women’s FA Cup attendance record as they came from behind to beat Barnsley in the second round at St James’ Park.

The crowd of 28,565 marked the tournament’s highest attendance outside of a final.

After Emily Pierrepont opened the scoring for Barnsley inside 15 minutes, Georgia Gibson equalised with a 30-yard strike midway through the second half.

Minutes later, Sharna Wilkinson scored the winner with a long-range effort.

“I’m genuinely lost for words,” Wilkinson told BBC Radio Newcastle after the Lady Magpies booked their spot in the third round.’

To put Sunday’s astonishing crowd really into perspective, both the Newcastle United Women’s team and the Barnsley side, both play in the fourth tier of English women’s football.

Well, surely a good news story all round. For women’s football in general and especially for the north east, this kind of crowd turning up to break all FA Cup attendance figures in the women’s game, outside of the actual finals at Wembley.

A day that suggests a great future ahead for women’s football on Tyneside, especially in the context of how women’s football is prospering generally, both internationally and domestically, especially the Lionesses having won the Euros. With Newcastle United determined to support their women’s team all the way into the top tier Super League in the future and yes, maybe even a day out at Wembley to (hopefully) win the FA Cup in the women’s game.

Newcastle United FC@NUFC

HOWAY THE LASSES! 🙌 ⚫️⚪️https://t.co/AB726NvILH

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It (women’s football) is of course still growing and has a long way to go in terms of fully getting to where it wants to be, but another great landmark yesterday at St James Park, apart from some bizarre Sunderland fans (and others) who reacted to the BBC Sport coverage and other national / local reporting like this…

‘Was in Newcastle today. Mad the amount of over 40s in football shirts. Sad fu..ers’

‘Probably ganning woman’s match.’

‘Can confirm that they were handing out free tickets in their thousands for this.

People talking about women’s football and attendances.

People thus aren’t talking about beheadings and murder.

Sportswashing.’

‘I think there was a womens game on. You’re right though – there’s definitely loads more black and white shirts around than recent past.’

‘Aye, there was lads bringing them into work last week asking who wanted one.

They were freebies what had been given out.’

‘Free Ticket Mags mate.’

‘Sad Knackers.’

‘Sad c…. think it’s the best attire to do their Christmas shopping in.

Got to prove the are the most geordie, of all geordies.’

‘Yup. Anyone over 16 wearing a footy top out and about needs to give their head a wobble. These muppets were 40s and 50s..’

‘It’s sportswashing mate. I’m just making sure people are aware. The Saudis want headlines about women’s football. It’s obvious they flooded the schools and local clubs with tickets to get people to go and break that record.’

‘Funny how there weren’t any women to be seen watching their national team in Saudi’s 2 games in Qatar,

Obviously didn’t fancy it.’

‘There’s an article on the Guardian website about female Saudi fans at the world cup if you’re interested.’

‘Getting over 20000 more people to attend a woman’s FA cup match than the amount who attended Sunderland men’s last FA cup match at home is still impressive.’

‘Free tickets, on a high after doing well in the PL and women’s football more popular that ever after the euro win. Very good attendance, but not surprising really all things considered.’