New name: not in my name

Order, order! The possibility of St James' Park being renamed is bang out of order! That's according to David Clelland, at least. The MP for Tyne Bridge, a long-standing and committed fan, feels so strongly about the spectre of rebranding that he's tabled a motion in the House of Commons to register opposition.

I wonder whose support he can count on. A shame old Tony Blair isn't still in power - he'd probably aye away, appalled at the thought of the stadium where he used to sit in the Gallowgate being renamed...*

The BBC's report of the story seems like an exercise in euphemistic understatement. The report's author refers to Jabba's reign as "a turbulent period" in our history before quoting Clelland as saying: "Mr Ashley has not been particularly good for the club". What next? Last season could have been more of a success? We didn't see the best of Xisco? ASBO's a cheeky little blighter?

Anyway, you can record your own disgruntlement by signing the petition on the Newcastle United Supporters Trust site. Llambiarse's pathetic attempts to mollify us today - "Our intention is to have whoever the sponsor is - say SportsDirect.com @ St James' Park. We are never going to lose St James' Park, it is always going to be @St James' Park" - have been rejected by the Trust, and rightly so. The battle will go on.

* It's an urban myth, if you didn't already know, but one I'm quite happy to perpetuate.