The Mag
·12 September 2024
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Yahoo sportsThe Mag
·12 September 2024
For Newcastle United fans this weekend, it will be welcome to Wolves.
Or maybe not.
For those Newcastle United fans who rarely travel away, if at all, it may come as a surprise that not all places are as welcoming as Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Let us take for example… Wolverhampton.
Away fans that travel to Newcastle Upon Tyne are spoilt for choice when it comes to getting a drink (or two…) before and after the match.
Indeed, it is difficult to find any pub in Newcastle City Centre that will not welcome away fans.
I am sure there must be one or two, but even if that is the case and you find the needle in the haystack, you will only need to walk a few yards before you find one of the 100+ that will take your money and serve you alcohol (non-alcoholic also available).
Compare that then to Wolverhampton.
Previously, if you went as an away fan to Wolves, there was one pub that welcomed Newcastle United fans (or indeed any travelling supporters of any club).
Now there are… none.
Yes, the Bluebrick pub is now closed, so no pub welcomes away fans, only Wolves supporters.
The advice from the police and locals is that if Newcastle United fans fancy a drink, they should go to Birmingham or elsewhere!
Can you imagine the same up here: ‘Welcome to Newcastle Upon Tyne, hope you have a great time on your visit to see your team play Newcastle United. By the way though, if you fancy a drink before the match, we recommend that you go to Sunderland, Middlesbrough… because you’ll not be getting one here!’
What actually makes this even more ironic, or is that pathetic…?
Back in 2019, research was done by ‘Pubs Galore’ to find out which English football club had the most Pubs within a half mile radius.
One football club was found to have more than three times as many pubs within a half mile radius, than any other English football club…
The English football clubs with most pubs within a half mile radius:
108 Newcastle United
32 Wolves
29 Ipswich Town
26 Blackpool
22 Chelsea
21 Arsenal
20 Mansfield Town
19 Sheffield United
18 Everton
17 Brentford
17 Burnley
17 Norwich City
16 Port Vale
16 Queens Park Rangers
15 Exeter City
15 Liverpool
14 Nottingham Forest
14 Swansea City
13 Bristol City
13 Crewe Alexandra
So that 2019 research showed of course Newcastle United fans way out in front with 108 Pubs to choose from within half a mile of St James’ Park, more than three times as many as second place, though with 32 pubs each within half a mile, we have Newport and… Wolves!
In that 2019 research, it was found that if the range was extended to a mile radius, then Newcastle United/St James’ Park had 174 pubs within a mile.
I couldn’t find more up to date numbers than these 2019 stats but whilst I know some Pubs have obviously closed and others opened these past five years in the various towns and cities, fair to say that Wolves fans are well served (unlike visiting fans…) compared to pretty much every other Premier League club, apart from Newcastle United.
As a Newcastle United fan, you take great pride in how welcoming Newcastle Upon Tyne is to visitors. So long as away fans don’t embarrass themselves, take liberties etc, pretty much any visiting club (apart from the obvious) will see their supporters get a warm welcome in our pubs and city in general.