Newcastle United fans and Sunderland fans have had their answer from Northumbria Police ahead of the next derby.
That match to be played at St James’ Park on Sunday 6 December 2026.
Northumbria Police explaining why they will not review derby travel restrictions after Sunderland and Newcastle United supporter groups had raised concerns.
This match having been announced as a ‘Bubble’ game, with all of the Sunderland fans having no choice but to get official coaches if they want to go to St James’ Park.
Northumbria Police telling the supporter groups that they see no basis to revisit December’s derby travel restrictions, despite pleas for those arrangements to be paused.
This has been made public via correspondence published by the Red and White Army Supporters’ Trust (RAWA).
Chief Inspector Dean Hood of Northumbria Police saying a forthcoming meeting would explain the decision but not reopen it for further review.
Northumbria Police have pointed to missiles being thrown and fireworks being discharged near horses, when Sunderland fans walked up to St James’ Park for the last derby on Tyneside.
The Sunderland fan group RAWA and Newcastle United Supporters Trust included in the correspondence.
Chief Inspector Dean Hood of Northumbria Police commenting on the reasoning for the decision, detailing the last time Sunderland fans visited St James’ Park: “The resulting supporter walk‑up presented significant public safety issues which, in our assessment, cannot reasonably be mitigated through the same arrangements,” he wrote. “These included missiles being thrown, including glass bottles and full drinks containers, as well as fireworks being discharged in close proximity to police horses operating within dense crowds…We completely accept that the overwhelming majority of supporters are well behaved and simply want to attend and enjoy the game. The difficulty is that the identified risks also expose those well‑behaved supporters, particularly away supporters in this instance, to potential significant harm.”
Chief Inspector Dean Hood of Northumbria Police adding: “Having considered the risks and potential mitigations, we were unable to identify an alternative arrangement [to the imposed Bubble] that would sufficiently address the safety concerns identified…For the same reasons, I do not consider there to be a basis for the police to ask the Safety Advisory Group to revisit the decision…Our assessment of the identified public safety risks has not changed, and no alternative arrangement has been identified which, in our view, sufficiently mitigates those risks. The purpose of the forthcoming engagement is therefore not to reopen the decision, but to explain the rationale transparently and work collectively with supporters and both clubs to reduce, as far as reasonably possible, the impact and inconvenience arising from the arrangements.”