BOTH Sunderland and Middlesbrough have performed a shocking U-turn by agreeing to proposals to play Premier League matches abroad.
The Sunday Sun can reveal the North East duo rubbished the idea of taking the domestic game overseas less than three months ago.
Black Cats chairman Niall Quinn and Boro chief executive Keith Lamb each told the Football Supporters’ Federation they were firmly against an idea they also regarded as unlikely.
Yet both clubs were part of a unanimous vote in favour of the worldwide plan at a Premier League meeting on Thursday.
Having been alerted several months ago to the proposal to play an extra 10 top-flight matches across the globe, the FSF attempted to canvass opinion among all top-flight clubs “We wrote to all 20 Premier League chairmen. We got three letters back: from Liverpool, Sunderland and Middlesbrough,” said FSF chairman Kevin Miles. “They all said they were not in favour of the idea and that it would not happen.”
In his reply to the FSF in November, Quinn insisted the Sunderland board had no plans to support playing games abroad.
Lamb, replying on behalf of his chairman Steve Gibson, declared that Boro would not support the move and thought it unlikely to happen.
The FSF have launched a campaign against the proposals, entitled “No To Gam£ 39”, and are urging fans nationwide to sign a petition which will be sent to the Premier League and its 20 clubs.
Fans can sign the petition at the FSF website at www.fsf.org.uk and North East supporters are being urged to attend an FSF meeting to discuss their campaign plans at Gateshead Stadium on Monday, February 19 at 7.30pm.
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