:00:02. > :00:04.Hello and welcome to Thursday's Look North. Tonight:
:00:04. > :00:14.Anger and disbelief as Newcastle United announce they're re-naming
:00:14. > :00:16.
:00:16. > :00:21.St James's Park. Absolutely disgusting. It will always be St
:00:21. > :00:23.James' Park. The are changing the name? You are joking. We're live
:00:23. > :00:27.outside the ground with full reaction to the club's decision.
:00:27. > :00:29.Plus, we ask will it bring in the millions of pounds the owner is
:00:29. > :00:33.hoping for? Also tonight a murderer cleared of
:00:33. > :00:36.a prison assault could now face a private prosecution.
:00:36. > :00:45.Hundreds turn out to pay their respects in the final farewell to
:00:45. > :00:48.Sir Jimmy Savile. And we are live at the MetroCentre
:00:48. > :00:58.for the bigger Christmas light switch on. But who either mystery
:00:58. > :00:59.
:01:00. > :01:03.It's been called St James's Park for more than 100 years - but not
:01:03. > :01:06.any more. There's been widespread anger among Newcastle United fans
:01:06. > :01:08.across the world, after Mike Ashley, the club's billionaire owner,
:01:08. > :01:15.announced he's renamed the famous old football ground "The Sports
:01:15. > :01:18.Direct Arena" after his own company. But it could change again. He's
:01:18. > :01:21.hoping to sell the naming rights as soon as possible, claiming it's a
:01:21. > :01:25."lucrative way" to attract additional income. Dawn Thewlis
:01:25. > :01:29.joins us now from outside the ground. Dawn, can we still call it
:01:29. > :01:35.St James's Park? Well, I reckon you can, especially
:01:35. > :01:39.while the sign's still up. But don't be surprised if this
:01:39. > :01:44.disappears overnight. Because, as you said, the ground is now
:01:44. > :01:47.officially at least called the "Sports Direct Arena". The reason
:01:47. > :01:51.the renaming is so contentious is because this is an old stadium with
:01:51. > :01:59.130 years of history behind it, not a new-build, and it strikes at the
:01:59. > :02:01.very heart of Newcastle fans. But the club will tell you that the
:02:01. > :02:06.naming rights and a shirt sponsorship deal are worth between
:02:06. > :02:16.�8-10 million. Well, people have been queuing up to have their say
:02:16. > :02:18.It's two years since Mike Ashley launched a contentious but
:02:18. > :02:24.unsuccessful bid to sell naming rights to the stadium incorporating
:02:24. > :02:27.the words "St James's Park," home to Newcastle United since 1892. But
:02:27. > :02:30.while Ashley's had to settle for plugging his other main business
:02:30. > :02:35.interest, the fans have been basking in the warm glow of a team
:02:35. > :02:38.riding high in the Premier League. Until this morning, that is. And
:02:38. > :02:48.the battle lines have been drawn between a "nice little earner" in a
:02:48. > :02:54.money-driven sport and decades of tradition. I am an old time there.
:02:54. > :02:58.My son is modern, he says you have to go with The Times. But to bring
:02:58. > :03:02.their history back, St James' Park has all the history. It is a
:03:02. > :03:08.massive change for me. I am not saying it is wrong but I feel sad
:03:09. > :03:15.about it. Absolutely disgusting, it will always be St James' Park.
:03:15. > :03:18.are changing the name? You are joking. It is tradition, it will
:03:18. > :03:23.always remain St James' Park. It does not matter about the name
:03:23. > :03:28.change. A massive kick in the teeth for fans and anyone connected to
:03:28. > :03:35.the city. News has even reached celebrity
:03:35. > :03:45.News has even reached celebrity News has even reached celebrity
:03:45. > :03:48.fans in the Australian jungle. They were quick to say there is no
:03:48. > :03:58.They were quick to say there is no name -- plan to rename the local
:03:58. > :04:00.
:04:00. > :04:10.metro station. But what do Ashley's predecessors
:04:10. > :04:10.
:04:10. > :04:13.But what do Ashley's predecessors think?
:04:13. > :04:23.The fallout will be felt beyond football as the stadium hosts,
:04:23. > :04:25.
:04:25. > :04:31.among other things, weddings. for a lot of plans the fall-out
:04:31. > :04:35.goes well be all and it all. dream has been to marry her fiance
:04:36. > :04:40.there. I was a bit gutted, but I thought about it and it will not
:04:41. > :04:46.spoil my plans. I have waited eight years, so will my invitations will
:04:46. > :04:52.say St James' Park, not "The Sports Direct Arena". I am just worried
:04:52. > :05:02.about the branding everywhere. Newcastle's next home game is not
:05:02. > :05:04.until 3rd December. Will the row Well, just two years ago when
:05:04. > :05:09.Managing Director Derek Llambias was asked if St James Park would
:05:09. > :05:13.always stay in the name, he said, "Absolutely. In our reign.
:05:13. > :05:16.Absolutely!" So considering all the upset it's
:05:16. > :05:20.causing among the fans, just why is the club renaming the stadium? Is
:05:20. > :05:24.it really worth it? They say it's to generate essential finance to
:05:24. > :05:33.allow the club to move forward. Keith Akehurst looks at the
:05:33. > :05:39.Inside Newcastle United's home, it's already difficult to spot the
:05:39. > :05:43.name St James's Park. The owner's firm is emblazoned everywhere.
:05:43. > :05:48.Maybe the manager realises the time's up. Even his seat has the
:05:48. > :05:51.boss's logo on. The first attempt to cash in on the
:05:52. > :05:55.naming rights was two years ago. The club admit they tried to get a
:05:55. > :06:01.global sponsor, but no-one was interested. So, Mike Ashley named
:06:01. > :06:11.it after his own firm. They've been told that St James's Park name is
:06:11. > :06:13.
:06:13. > :06:18.just too local. We took advice from several experts. Basically, to give
:06:18. > :06:22.ourselves a chance, they said we have to look for a different market.
:06:22. > :06:25.The word Arena opens doors to a different type of sponsor.
:06:25. > :06:32.managing director says the club have to maximise cash flows and
:06:32. > :06:36.revenues. I would hope to generate between 8 and �10 million every
:06:36. > :06:40.year. We need to be self-sufficient and this will help us. The fans
:06:40. > :06:43.want us to find more players. We need a striker for January and we
:06:43. > :06:45.need to give ourselves as much money as possible.
:06:45. > :06:54.Financial experts are sympathetic to the dilemma United find
:06:54. > :06:59.themselves in. It is understandable what they are trying to do football
:06:59. > :07:03.clubs are under a lot of pressure. Clubs have got to get their act
:07:03. > :07:09.together, and that means utilising every stream of revenue that they
:07:09. > :07:14.can find. We want to go down a road of sustainability, where clubs are
:07:14. > :07:19.not in huge amounts of debt. That means there will need to be some
:07:19. > :07:23.sacrifices. And losing a name that has been synonymous with the ground
:07:23. > :07:27.for over 100 years is going to be one of those opportunity costs that
:07:27. > :07:30.football is is sadly going to have to bear.
:07:30. > :07:37.For a number of years, Newcastle United was kept afloat with support
:07:37. > :07:41.from the city council. This is an insult to thousands of football
:07:41. > :07:46.fans in Newcastle and the wider region. St James's Park has been
:07:46. > :07:49.the home of football in Newcastle for more than 130 years. To change
:07:49. > :07:55.the name of an icon like this is beyond the pale.
:07:55. > :07:59.So, it seems it's time to wave bye- bye to the old name.
:07:59. > :08:06.Well, with me now is the editor of "Toon Talk" fanzine Steve Wraith.
:08:06. > :08:11.Steve, "The Sports Direct Arena" - how does that sound to you? It does
:08:11. > :08:15.not sound good at all. It does not have the same ring to it as St
:08:15. > :08:20.James' Park, and it is years of history and tradition and heritage
:08:20. > :08:25.just torn away by that man again. I have heard his argument and the
:08:25. > :08:30.statement, and it does not really wash. It is just a bit of an excuse.
:08:30. > :08:34.There is no money coming in, this is just another example of non-
:08:34. > :08:40.communication with supporters and in just doing what he wants. Very
:08:40. > :08:50.disappointing, and a lot of upset between people ranging from 19 or
:08:50. > :08:59.2285. What do you make of what you make of the timing? It just seems
:08:59. > :09:04.to be that time for bad news. Again, another international break, a bit
:09:04. > :09:09.of a dip in news items, and it is a good chance to create some PR for
:09:09. > :09:13.his global brand. It is disappointing, very disappointing.
:09:13. > :09:20.The club and its football team are doing very well, we are in the top
:09:20. > :09:24.four. And it is not really what you need in those circumstances.
:09:24. > :09:29.We have her words like tradition, history and heritage mentioned a
:09:30. > :09:39.lot. But does that count for very much in football these days?
:09:40. > :09:55.
:09:55. > :09:58.Probably not is the answer. Well, talking to
:09:59. > :10:07.Well the "Sports Direct Arena" name may never be adopted by the fans,
:10:07. > :10:11.but it could be a lot worse. The men are running Newcastle
:10:11. > :10:17.United say this is all about being up there with the Arsenals and the
:10:17. > :10:20.Chelseas. Chelsea has come out and said they are going to rename their
:10:20. > :10:25.present stadium. They have a lot of history as well but they have an
:10:25. > :10:28.owner at has more money. We do not have that money. And we want to
:10:28. > :10:33.compete with the big boys, so we have to bring in more revenue.
:10:33. > :10:37.There is a difference, though. Chelsea says any new sponsor will
:10:37. > :10:42.have to include the words Stamford Bridge in any new name. As for
:10:43. > :10:47.Arsenal, they did not replace the name of their stadium. They built a
:10:47. > :10:52.brand new one on an old industrial estate. It is not even on the site
:10:52. > :10:59.of their old ground. What do people on Tyneside think it is all about?
:10:59. > :11:07.Money, definitely money. Money. Money, it is just about money.
:11:07. > :11:17.Money. Her money. And they have a point. In the world of corporate
:11:17. > :11:19.
:11:20. > :11:24.sponsorship and footballing finance, The sports director Rina name may
:11:24. > :11:34.never be adopted by the fans, but it could be a lot worse. These are
:11:34. > :11:35.
:11:35. > :11:38.some of the names of other stadiums TThere's Hunky Dory's Park at
:11:38. > :11:40.Drogheda in Ireland, Witton Albions ground used to be called the
:11:40. > :11:43.Bargain Booze Stadium. And how about Dick's Sporting Goods Park in
:11:43. > :11:46.Colorado? Perhaps Newcastle Fans should think themselves lucky - for
:11:46. > :11:56.now at least! And who knows, whoever buys the naming rights
:11:56. > :11:58.
:11:58. > :12:02.might even bring the St James's As a soldier, he survived tours of
:12:02. > :12:06.Northen Ireland and Iraq. But he was attacked and stabbed, doing his
:12:06. > :12:09.job, just two miles from his home. As we told you on yesterday's Look
:12:09. > :12:12.North, Craig Wylde was one of three officers at Frankland Prison in
:12:12. > :12:15.Durham who was stabbed by a triple murderer. His attacker - 24 year-
:12:15. > :12:19.old Kevan Thakrar - was cleared of all charges, after claiming he
:12:19. > :12:21.lashed out in self-defence. But this evening, the Prison Officers
:12:21. > :12:28.Association says it's considering funding a private prosecution
:12:28. > :12:31.against Thakrar. Stuart Whincup reports.
:12:31. > :12:35.Craig Wylde and his wife Kat remember every detail of the
:12:35. > :12:45.horrific attack. They were both working on the same prison wing
:12:45. > :12:45.
:12:45. > :12:51.when it happened. He stabbed me as quickly as that. At first I thought
:12:51. > :12:55.he had just punched me, until I heard the splash of blood. I saw
:12:55. > :12:59.him cracker -- staggering towards the clinic door. There was just so
:12:59. > :13:05.much blood coming out of his arm, it sounded like there was a tap
:13:05. > :13:09.running it was so loud. I just thought, this is it. His perfect
:13:09. > :13:14.man that I have met, who I want to spend the rest of my life with. I
:13:14. > :13:17.thought I was going to lose him, in their or all places. Kevan Thakrar
:13:17. > :13:19.admitted stabbing Craig and his two colleagues. But he said he was
:13:19. > :13:22.suffering from post traumatic stress and lashed out because he
:13:22. > :13:31.feared he was going to be attacked. Twenty months on, Craig suffers
:13:31. > :13:35.constant pain from his injuries. That day has changed thier lives.
:13:35. > :13:40.Creed is humiliated if we go out for a meal because I have to chop
:13:40. > :13:46.up his food, he cannot use a knife and fork. I get defensive when I
:13:46. > :13:50.see people looking as well. People just do not realise. It has such a
:13:50. > :13:56.massive impact. A if we go shopping and he goes to the toilet, I have
:13:56. > :14:01.to go and help him with his hands. I think people think, though, it is
:14:01. > :14:05.just a stab in the arm. I do not think people understand the
:14:05. > :14:07.severity of the case. After he admitted to the attack, the couple
:14:07. > :14:14.can't believe Thakrar was cleared of all charges. After this
:14:14. > :14:20.judgement, they fear for every prison officer. Staff in the prison
:14:20. > :14:23.service, I do not see how they can do their job without thinking, is
:14:23. > :14:33.the prisoner at that I'm going to unlock going to come out and attack
:14:33. > :14:33.
:14:33. > :14:41.me? It has opened the floodgates. Any attack on staff now, people can
:14:41. > :14:44.say they have post-traumatic stress A report's been published into an
:14:45. > :14:47.emergency landing by a plane whose wheel fell off. The Flybe Exeter to
:14:47. > :14:50.Newcastle flight last March returned to Devon after the wheel
:14:50. > :14:52.fell from the aircraft, as the landing gear retracted. The Air
:14:52. > :14:55.Accident Investigations Branch says a bearing had seized up, and
:14:55. > :14:57.'consequential damage' allowed the wheel to detach. The report said
:14:57. > :15:02.that 'despite the Captain inspecting the main landing gear
:15:02. > :15:03.before takeoff, it's unlikely the abnormalities would have been
:15:03. > :15:06.visible.' The Sunderland footballer, Titus
:15:06. > :15:10.Bramble, has denied sexually assaulting two women. Bramble is
:15:10. > :15:13.also charged with urinating in a public place. The charges relate to
:15:13. > :15:18.a night out in Yarm in September. Bramble appeared before Teesside
:15:18. > :15:21.Magistrates today, and is due back in court in January.
:15:21. > :15:24.The return of steel-making to Teesside has been delayed. SSI has
:15:24. > :15:28.announced the target date to restart the blast furnace is now
:15:28. > :15:32.the 6th of January next year. It's because additional remedial work is
:15:32. > :15:36.needed. The firm's chief executive admitted it's "disappointing" but
:15:36. > :15:39.said it won't affect the recruitment programme.
:15:40. > :15:42.Hundreds of people turned out to say a final farewell to Sir Jimmy
:15:42. > :15:52.Savile, who was laid to rest today in Scarborough, his favourite
:15:52. > :15:52.
:15:52. > :15:58.seaside town. Cathy Killick has this report. A ripple of applause
:15:58. > :16:03.for Scarborough's adopted son. The procession passing the Esplanade
:16:03. > :16:12.here. Crowds lining the route, many knew him personally and those who
:16:12. > :16:19.didn't felt they did. A message spelled out by his fans for him.
:16:19. > :16:26.will be Mr everywhere. Very few people like him around these days.
:16:26. > :16:32.We had prime position. To come and pay our respects. A great guy who
:16:32. > :16:37.made people's dreams come true. cavalcade continued along the drive,
:16:37. > :16:44.he often ran this route whilst training. Giving him a view of the
:16:44. > :16:54.sea. At the woodland cemetery a suitable plot was prepared as more
:16:54. > :17:03.family and friends gathered for the burial itself. Bless this grave and
:17:03. > :17:10.watch over it as we buried here the body of how brother Jimmy Savile.
:17:10. > :17:16.He wanted to lie at an angle of 45 degrees so he could look at the sea.
:17:16. > :17:23.His wish was granted. For the family there are mixed feelings, it
:17:23. > :17:30.is the end of a long farewell. in one way, it was a public funeral,
:17:30. > :17:34.he meant a great deal to his family. Joy for in the are the fact that he
:17:34. > :17:42.brought so much happiness to people's lives, people respected
:17:42. > :17:48.him so much and it was just so nice that people turned round and said
:17:48. > :17:53."yes, we will pay an hour last respects to him." that is Yorkshire
:17:53. > :17:59.people for you. Parts of him would undoubtedly have enjoyed the last
:17:59. > :18:05.three days of hullabaloo, but what he asked for was this, some were
:18:05. > :18:11.good to rest with a view he laughs. That is what we will have. He
:18:11. > :18:17.worked out life's pleasures, have fun, do a good turn, and have a
:18:17. > :18:19.view of the sea. The jury, in the trial of a care
:18:19. > :18:22.worker accused of ill-treating patients at the Amathea Care Home
:18:22. > :18:25.in Workington, has been sent home for the night. 24 year-old
:18:25. > :18:29.Kimberley Walker is accused of ill- treating two dementia patients. She
:18:29. > :18:31.denies both charges. The jury at Carlisle Crown Court was sent out
:18:31. > :18:34.this morning. The Newcastle United footballer,
:18:34. > :18:37.Nile Ranger, has been fined �3,300 after admitting drink-driving. The
:18:37. > :18:43.20 year-old striker was arrested in September, after he was pulled over
:18:43. > :18:49.by police in Newcastle. Tests showed he had 94 milligrammes of
:18:49. > :18:52.alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the limit is 80.
:18:52. > :18:55.Mark Allison, the man behind the "Run Geordie, Run" challenge, which
:18:55. > :18:59.saw him cross the United States in 100 days to raise money for charity,
:18:59. > :19:02.has announced his latest target. The 40 year-old from Shotley Bridge
:19:02. > :19:09.will run across Australia, covering 2,600 miles from Perth in Western
:19:09. > :19:15.Australia to Bondi Beach in Sydney. The 70 day trip will start in
:19:15. > :19:18.October 2013. The families of two Gateshead men,
:19:18. > :19:22.who died after taking the heroin substitute, methadone, as a
:19:22. > :19:25.recreational drug are calling for a change in the law. In all, four
:19:25. > :19:29.young men from the Tyneside area have died in the last year after
:19:29. > :19:31.taking the drug, having been unaware of its dangers. For
:19:31. > :19:34.tonight's Look North report, BBC Newcastle's political reporter,
:19:34. > :19:44.Fergus Hewison, has been speaking to some of the families involved in
:19:44. > :19:44.
:19:44. > :19:54.the campaign. Went to bed, about 3am in the
:19:54. > :19:59.
:19:59. > :20:05.morning, when the police knocked on the door. They told us that... To
:20:05. > :20:13.tell us that he had died. He had died because somebody had given him
:20:13. > :20:23.methadone. He had been with his mates, somehow he had got some
:20:23. > :20:23.
:20:23. > :20:28.methadone. He slipped into a coma. He could not do anything.
:20:28. > :20:35.grieving families, after the deaths from the heroin substitute
:20:35. > :20:39.methadone. So did Stephen, 19. They are for people trying to kick
:20:40. > :20:47.heroin addiction but neither of these men were addicts, they took
:20:47. > :20:54.it as a recreational drug not knowing its dangers. I still feel
:20:54. > :20:59.the pain now. People using it must normally take it in front of a
:20:59. > :21:04.pharmacist, but at weekends if the pharmacy is closed, people can take
:21:04. > :21:09.it home. Some users are then selling it on the black market with
:21:09. > :21:14.deadly consequences. Methadone is not a recreational drug, it is
:21:14. > :21:19.prescribed for people trying to give up heroin. If your body is not
:21:19. > :21:23.used to opiates then it can be lethal. Regardless of your
:21:23. > :21:29.circumstances, mixing methadone with alcohol can to press your
:21:29. > :21:37.breathing and upset your heart rhythm. It can cause death. I would
:21:37. > :21:46.say "please, please, don't you somebody else's methadone." for
:21:46. > :21:52.stop now are calls for the law to be changed. You must asked -- ask,
:21:52. > :21:58.if it cannot be trusted, why do you want to give it out just for the
:21:58. > :22:06.weekend? It does not make sense, it is dangerous. It is killing the
:22:06. > :22:09.young ones. Methadone from uses is getting into the market and being
:22:09. > :22:15.bought by unsuspecting people who don't really know what it can do to
:22:15. > :22:18.them. I would like to see tighter controls. The Department of Health
:22:18. > :22:22.says it is under the strictest controls possible, and it points
:22:22. > :22:32.out only those who have been carefully assessed can take doses
:22:32. > :22:32.
:22:32. > :22:35.home. However, at present it has no They could've paid a fortune and
:22:35. > :22:38.brought in a pop star or a contestant from X-Factor. But, any
:22:38. > :22:41.minute now, the MetroCentre's Christmas lights will be turned on
:22:41. > :22:44.by some real heroes instead. The Centre's decided to ignore the
:22:44. > :22:48.celebrities and allow a very special group of children to do
:22:48. > :22:58.this year's big switch-on. Peter Harris is live at the MetroCentre
:22:58. > :23:02.
:23:02. > :23:07.now. We are at fever pitch. Yes! This is
:23:07. > :23:12.special, no celebrities here, nobody from X factor or strictly
:23:12. > :23:18.come Dancing, tonight it will be the children from the heart unit.
:23:18. > :23:26.Let us speak to some of them, going on to this stage. We have Lucy and
:23:26. > :23:32.Noah. Hello Lucy, can you turn round so our camera can see you.
:23:32. > :23:41.am very excited. You were doing cartwheels earlier. You were poorly
:23:41. > :23:48.weren't you? You have done very well. You have been brave. What do
:23:48. > :23:58.you think it will be like when you press the button? I don't know.
:23:58. > :24:05.have had a heart transplant haven't you? It was really scary. What will
:24:05. > :24:09.it be like when you switch the lights on? I don't know. You get
:24:09. > :24:17.yourselves ready kids. We will speak to Lucy's mother. Just tell
:24:17. > :24:22.us, Gill, a great opportunity to do this. Like you said earlier, no
:24:22. > :24:27.celebrities here, but the children are heroes and celebrities in their
:24:27. > :24:35.own right. The fact that we can give money to the trust is just
:24:35. > :24:45.great. Normally it takes 2005 udder pounds to give the man a to charity,
:24:45. > :24:56.
:24:56. > :25:06.-- 2500. It is being given to charity. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,...
:25:06. > :25:10.
:25:10. > :25:18.The lights are on! Absolutely Take a look at this drizzly shot
:25:18. > :25:23.from Northumberland today, part see bare brightening the scene. If you
:25:23. > :25:33.would like to get your hands on one of these then go to the BBC Look
:25:33. > :25:36.
:25:37. > :25:41.North website. It was a fairly grey day for many of us today, but going
:25:41. > :25:46.towards the weekend things will brighten up nicely. A blanket of
:25:46. > :25:51.cloud a amongst many parts, it is a similar story as we head into the
:25:51. > :25:57.night. Lots of cloud around, thick enough to produce patchy and light
:25:57. > :26:03.rain and drizzle. In eastern areas in particular, are the cloud breaks
:26:03. > :26:09.in Cumbria. A range of temperatures, most places down to eight or 10
:26:09. > :26:12.Celsius, around 50 Fahrenheit. One or two parts of Cumbria could
:26:12. > :26:18.plummet more significantly into single figures under the clear
:26:18. > :26:23.skies. Tomorrow not a great deal of change, lots of cloud in the east
:26:23. > :26:27.and drizzly rain. Best of any brightness in the West, the clouds
:26:27. > :26:33.thickening up again through the afternoon. At tea time we are
:26:33. > :26:39.looking at more widespread rain. As far as temperatures go, similar
:26:39. > :26:44.figures, 12 or 13 Celsius, mid- Fifties Fahrenheit. You will notice
:26:44. > :26:50.more widespread rain in the West and you will see the south-easterly
:26:50. > :26:55.winds picking up. That is the picture for tomorrow, in behind
:26:55. > :27:00.that we get into some clearer weather. Still a mild wind as we
:27:00. > :27:04.head into the weekend, but a much better chance of bright spells on
:27:04. > :27:08.Saturday and Sunday. I would not rule out the chance of a shower
:27:08. > :27:18.completely, but temperatures through the weekend through to the
:27:18. > :27:19.
:27:19. > :27:23.mid- teens, but cooler into the For the first time a senior
:27:23. > :27:28.European Union official has admitted we could be heading for a