Dear Sir

I am e-mailing to you to pass on my comments on a minor incident that happened after the match on Sunday.

I went to the game last Sunday with my nine year old daughter, Amy. We go to most away games together and being of the age she is she has no idea of the bad old days when going away to watch your team was like walking through a minefield. Obviously the result went our way. It was her third visit to St.James Park so it is obviously the first time she has seen us win, the previous results being drawn one lost one. Each time we come we park and go and get some dinner and a drink. We have always been made most welcome by the Geordies. She wears all her colours and shirt as she should and is proud to show them off but also loves the banter that goes with it.

On Sunday we parked at the Newcastle arena near to the bridge. Walking back after the game with the Geordies one man was shouting, quite loudly about Liverpool playing in the Champions league etc, knowing Newcastle fans there was a bit of harmless banter, nothing obscene with a nine year old as you could imagine. This person, I deliberately won't call him a supporter or a Geordie took offence to us and starting having a go verbally before deciding to up the ante and pushed me physically and very aggressively whilst shouting in a threatening manner. The hard case then ran away shouting, he must have run because he was concerned my daughter would turn on him. My main concern being more than capable of looking after myself was that my daughter would be upset and frightened and may get the wrong impression of Newcastle people but I needn't have worried. We crossed over the road to avoid any further confrontation. Within seconds we had umpteen people approaching us, real Geordie people, to see that we were alright and apologising for what had happened. I am writing to thank these people. They did not need to do or say anything as I tried to explain about one bad apple etc but they went a long way towards ensuring that a little girl did not leave your city with the wrong impression of among the best people in the world.

I am hoping that you may metion what happened in your next programme. I would like to thank everyone who came to help and re-assure my daughter. It means she is now looking forward to our next visit to Newcastle. Also I hope that the perpetrator of an attack on a man and his small daughter reads this and is as ashamed as he really should be. Many thanks for another great day out to everyone we met and look on the bright side. If we can beat you at home, imagine what we'll do to Sunderland.

Good luck for the rest of the season.

Ian and Amy

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2001

Answers

Apology posted

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2001

Why's this not on my answers page? maybe now...

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2001

'tis a real sad day when a Dad and daughter are the subject of an idiots fan abuse. Whether or not this idiot was a toon supporter does not justify being an asshole. Certainly there are plenty around, but these idiots are not fans they are scum and the worst of the worst.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2001

It's definitely worth getting published in the programme.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2001

Great story Mac - the aggressor is an @rsehole of the very worst kind, but how great that several other's understood the importance of making sure the damage was minimised.

This is why we must all oppose mindless hatred in football. This is a wonderful sport, and we must be able to enjoy the banter with opposition fans that is an integral part of the enjoyment.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2001