I'm guessing you guys down under wouldn't be aware that two Newcastle United supporters were on the Malaysia Airlines flight that was shot down over Ukraine a couple of days ago.
The news has our club in mourning more so because the two lads (John Alder & Liam Sweeney) who lost their lives were well known and liked amongst our away support. Alder had amazingly only missed one toon game in 41 years! The pair were travelling to New Zealand for the fixtures against Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC, which should have been the trip of a lifetime.
I knew neither of them personally but remember John Alder well from when I was going to away games regularly a few years back. I didn't know his name but some of the lads called him "the undertaker" because he always wore a suit. When the news broke fans started laying flowers outside St James Park, at the statue of Sir Bobby. I wasn't at work so I spent most of the day on my laptop reading what other fans had to say.
Anyway last night the strangest thing happened...
A lad from Sunderlands most popular message board
www.readytogo.net said he'd be going to Newcastle on Sunday and asked if anyone would like to chip in for some flowers. He started this online donation thing with a fiver, hoping to raise a hundred quid. Have a look
http://www.gofundme.com/brx6wk
24 hours later the Mackems have raised over £12,500. Personally i'm astonished, impressed, grateful and just happy football fans can make the news for the right reasons once in a while. It's a shame it's taken a tragedy for us to put the petty bullshit away but Sunderland, we salute you.
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads...e-lads.943399/
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads...online.943788/
http://deadspin.com/rival-fans-pay-t...hot-1607726044