It’s been an incredibly turbulent reign for Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley and you have to wonder how the supporters are going to react to news that St. James’ Park has been renamed “sportsdirect.com @ St. James’ Park Stadium”.

Via DailyMail

Managing director Derek Llambias has told BBC Newcastle the stadium will be named after owner Mike Ashley’s sportswear shops business until a new sponsor is found.

Llambias said: ‘We will showcase Sports Direct until the end of the season. I’m sure we’re going to get a sponsor in for next season.’

Llambias is unrepentant, and as he aims to build bridges with unhappy supporters, Llambias has conceded that the decision to offer the naming rights for the ground could have been handled better.

He added: ‘We could have worded it better, and that’s why we came out yesterday to explain what we’re trying to achieve.

‘With the renaming it was always going to be whatever brand it was, at St James’ Park. For the remainder of this season, we already have sportsdirect.com on the Gallowgate so we’d like to take that branding through the rest of the stadium.

‘On the outside - where you see St James’ Park - we would like to have sportsdirect.com @ St James’, so it can showcase it to whoever is out there that wishes to buy that package.’Image via NUFC