Newcastle’s motto replaced Sunderland’s inside the Stadium of Light (Picture: Getty)
Sunderland have apologised after a bar at the Stadium of Light was decorated in the colours or arch-rivals Newcastle United ahead of their FA Cup derby showdown.
The north east rivals meet for the first time in almost eight years in the third round of the competition on Wearside on Saturday.
Newcastle supporters have been given the Black Cats Bar area at the stadium for corporate hospitality fans.
If that didn’t enrage Sunderland fans enough, images circulating on social media show the area decked out in Newcastle colours with a banner reading ‘keep the black and white flag flying high’ placed over the bar.
Other images show Sunderland’s motto ‘Ha’way the lads’ defaced and replaced with Newcastle’s rallying cry, ‘Howay the lads’.
Sunderland have since issued a statement apologising for ‘a serious error in judgement’, vowing to immediately review the situation.
‘Sunderland AFC acknowledges that a serious error in judgement was made in relation to Black Cats Bar earlier this afternoon.
Sunderland fans were furious with the decorating job (Picture: Getty)
‘We apologise to our fans for the understandable concern they have fairly voiced in response and this sentiment is shared by the club’s ownership group and board of directors, who have requested an immediate review is undertaken to determine how this process unfolded.
‘A direct decision has also been taken by the ownership group and board of directors to return the space to its original state and we once again apologise to our supporters that this was not addressed sooner.’
Sunderland fans have blasted their club on social media, accusing them of being ‘out of touch’ and ‘rolling out the red carpet’ for their fierce rivals.
Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini described the incident as ’embarrassing’ warning Newcastle fans will still be talking about it ‘in 50 years’ time’.
‘We’ve got a group who’ve taken over the club who you would think, after the last lot we’ve had, would have a bit more knowledge of how football works,’ he told BBC Radio Newcastle.
‘There are people from the region on the board. The owner, his club was involved in one of the biggest rivalries in French football with his family’s club, and we’ve opened ourselves up to this. I don’t believe it if I’m honest.
‘It’s embarrassing. This will be mentioned by Newcastle fans in 50 years’ time.’
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Sunderland fans were fuming ahead of the visit of their hated rivals on Saturday.