Newcastle United release a statement expressing "great sadness" that two of their "most loyal" fans lost their lives on Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 which crashed on Thursday afternoon in Eastern Ukraine, reports BBC Sport. The two are named in the statement as John Alder and Liam Sweeney.
"John and Liam were travelling out to New Zealand together to support Newcastle United in the forthcoming Football United Tour, which takes place next week in Dunedin and Wellington," adds the statement.
"Both men were familiar faces at every Newcastle United away game and attended not only first team games but reserve and academy matches too."
