'Newcastle fan' urinates on statue of Sunderland legend Bob Stokoe as supporters outraged

Footage of a so-called Newcastle United fan urinating on the statue of Bob Stokoe outside the Stadium of Light has outraged Sunderland and Magpies supporters

Posted Tuesday, May 03, 2022 by Dailystar.co.uk

'Newcastle fan' urinates on statue of Sunderland legend Bob Stokoe as supporters outraged

A so-called Newcastle United fan has sparked widespread outrage after urinating on the statue of Sunderland legend Bob Stokoe.

Footage of the disgusting act was shared on social media, with the Magpies 'supporter' proudly posing in broad daylight in his away shirt. Urged to 'show them what you're made of' by the photographer, the guilty party then casually walks off to chants of 'we hate Sunderland'.

Fans were understandably furious after seeing footage of the incident - and some took to social media to make their feelings clear. One wrote on Twitter: "Absolute scum." Another added: "I’ve seen some rancid behaviour on social media, but urinating on statue of Bob Stokoe (a man who won trophies with Newcastle as well as Sunderland) is possibly the worst yet."

The 25-second clip was initially published on TikTok, but provoked fury from both sets of supporters when it was shared more widely on Twitter. Stokoe's memorial stands outside the Stadium of Light, but he is one of the few footballing figures to be celebrated on both Tyneside and Wearside.

As a player, Stokoe spent almost his entire career with Newcastle United, with the defender making 261 appearances in black-and-white. The centre-back would help Doug Livingstone's side lift the FA Cup in 1955, before concluding his playing days with Bury.

Stokoe went on to forge an impressive managerial career spanning three decades, including two stints at rivals Sunderland. It was during his first four-year spell at Roker Park that he guided the Black Cats to the FA Cup in 1973, and secured promotion from the Second Division in the 1975-76 season.

Stokoe's bronze statue was unveiled outside Sunderland's new home in July 2006, celebrating 'the man', 'the messiah', and 'the moment'. The plinth below is inscribed with Stokoe's own quotes from May 1973, reading 'I didn't bring the magic. It's always been here... I just came back to find it'.

Stokoe also managed Blackpool, Carlisle United, Charlton Athletic and Rochdale before finishing his long footballing career with a brief caretaker spell back at Sunderland. The former manager and player passed away in February 2004 at the age of 73.

Newcastle United, Northumbria Police and Sunderland have all been contacted for comment.