Opinion

In the warm afterglow of Saturday’s win over Fulham, I enjoyed a few beverages on Saturday evening and in so doing, caught up with some old acquaintances (whose names have been changed to protect the innocent), including a number of others who also have Newcastle United season tickets.

The discussion soon moved on from Bruno’s last gasp winner to ticketing arrangements at St James’ Park.

Me and the lad sit in the ‘Family Enclosure’ up in Level 7. He’s turning 20 next month and when he became an adult, I was bracing myself for the club to tell us that we were no longer welcome in that part of the ground. I was expecting this because it had already happened to a mate of mine, although when that occurred, the lad that sits behind us was the exact same age and he and his dad weren’t turfed out.

That was the beginning of the 2023/24 season and there was no rhyme nor reason as to why my mate and his son had been offered more expensive seats in what I consider a worse part of the ground, whilst the two in the row behind me...