Newcastle United fans are offering to pay compensation on behalf of a jobless supporter who painted on a wall at the club's stadium in a protest over its controversial name change, reports The Guardian. Unemployed barman Michael Atkinson was caught by police writing "St James" on Newcastle's newly renamed Sports Direct Arena at just before 2am on 17 February.
Magistrates in Newcastle handed him a conditional discharge and told him to pay £100 towards the £187 clean-up costs after he pleaded guilty to criminal damage.
Outside court, Graeme Cansdale of NUFC Fans United said supporters have approached the umbrella organisation offering to help Atkinson cover the cost of his protest.
Cansdale said:
Cansdale added: "I think a lot of people would say Mike Ashley has vandalised the club by writing 'Sports Direct Arena' all over the stadium - for free."
The life-long Toon fan said outside court: "Being banned from games is worse than the fine. I don't really regret it but I won't do it again. It would be daft to get nicked for the same thing." "He has done something illegal, but I don't think he has hurt the club. What he has done may have been ill-advised; however it is certainly reflective of what a lot of fans think."
Newcastle declined to comment.
