Newcastle United: Council plea over St James' Park name

The stadium has been the home of Newcastle United since 1892

City council bosses have said they will be appealing to the media to continue to refer to the Newcastle United ground as St James' Park.

In November it was announced the ground was being renamed Sports Direct Arena, after owner Mike Ashley's company.

Many fans reacted angrily but the club said it was a prelude to securing a new global sponsor.

Councillors agreed to write to media outlets "respectfully requesting" them not to use the new name.

The motion was debated, amended and carried unanimously at full meeting of the council.

It "requests that the city council write to the media and asks that they continue to use the name of St James' Park in all reporting and refuse to use the name Sports Direct Arena.

"We respectfully request that you take this approach."

'Ensures consistency'

The authority also decided not to change any signs bearing the name St James' Park and has called on the club to reconsider its decision.

Newcastle United refused to comment.

The BBC said in a statement: "As of 10 November, the Sports Direct Arena became the official name for the ground as chosen by the club.

"It is not the BBC's place, as an impartial public broadcaster to decide or debate on whether this is correct or not, rather to report on the matches which take place on the field.

"Changing the way we display the graphics or refer to the ground on our programmes ensures consistency with every other ground which has a sponsor, be it new grounds that came with a sponsor like the Emirates, or old grounds that have changed their names like Bradford City's Coral Windows Stadium (formerly Valley Parade)."