Newcastle angry over 'email stadium name'

Fans of Newcastle United have claimed that their stadium's new name is an insult to the team's history.

The club's managing director Derek Llambias has confirmed that the future name of the stadium will be that of a sponsor followed by '@St James' Park', The Journal reports.

The commercial name of the venue until the end of this season will be sportsdirect.com@St James' Park, promoting the business founded by Newcastle United's current owner Mike Ashley.

Llambias said: "We are not getting rid of the St James' Park name.

"We are offering people the chance to have their branding all around the stadium as well as on a new jumbo electronic scoreboard. The company can then say it is whatever @St James' Park."

However, editor of club fanzine The Mag Mark Jensen said: "The idea of turning the history of St James' Park into something that resembles an email address absolutely beggars belief.

"The people at the club have shown that they have absolutely no class, and while they talk about having a long-term plan it’s quite clear that they just make it up as they go along."

Steve Wraith, editor of the Players Inc fanzine, added: "It's too little too late. It's been known as St James' Park since 1892. It's not something you can come in and tinker with."