Wear-Tyne row as away fans told to take coaches

Jamie Driscoll has criticised the policing of this year's Wear-Tyne derby

A mayor has claimed away fans are being treated like "hooligans" ahead of Saturday's Wear-Tyne derby.

In order to receive their tickets, Newcastle United fans must travel on a convoy of specially-operated buses to Sunderland's Stadium of Light ahead of the match on Saturday.

Police say public transport would otherwise struggle to cope with both sets of fans attempting to reach the ground ahead of kick-off at 1245 GMT.

North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll said police should allow Newcastle fans to make their own way to the match and not "demonise law-abiding people".

Political row

More than 6,000 Newcastle United fans are expected to travel to Sunderland for the clash, with the club putting on designated coaches to ferry them to and from the ground.

The arrangement formed a key part of an agreement between the two football clubs and regional safety authorities, as part of efforts to avoid the risk of any disorderly behaviour breaking out on public transport.

On Friday, Mr Driscoll told ITV's Good Morning Britain police should not demonise those who have no intention of causing trouble at what will be the first derby match since 2016.

The independent mayor said fans “don’t like being labelled hooligans and banned from public transport”.

However, Kim McGuinness, Labour's police and crime commissioner for Northumbria, said the claim "sounds very much like the comments of someone who has never attended a derby match in this region".

Sunderland's Stadium of Light will host Saturday's derby match

There has been significant disorder at some previous derbies, including in 2013 when Newcastle fans rioted and a police horse was punched following a 3-0 Sunderland win.

Mr Driscoll told the BBC's Local Democracy Service (LDRS) it was "great" that extra buses were being put on, but said fans should not be forced to use them.

"Why is it we can transport 70,000 people out of South Shields for the Great North Run, but not 6,000 to Sunderland for a football match?" he asked.

“Fans have told me they don’t like the implication that all football supporters are potential hooligans.

"It’s true that there’ll always be a handful of trouble causers in any group. We see drunken behaviour every Saturday night in every city in the country, but we don’t ban everyone else from having a pint.

"We’ve got football banning orders and CCTV, let’s use them for those who deserve them.”

Kim McGuinness at the Stadium of Light

Ms McGuinness - one of Mr Driscoll's rivals in the forthcoming North East mayoral election - said there are a minority who want to make trouble at matches and who "take pleasure in causing violence".

She added: "That is not acceptable and we have to do everything in our power to prevent that.”