Newcastle United to wear black armbands in friendly against Sydney FC for two fans lost on-board MH17

NEWCASTLE United will wear black armbands when they play Sydney FC in a preseason friendly match in Dunedin on Tuesday.

Flowers and football shirts are laid around the Sir Bobby Robson statue outside St James Park the home of Newcastle United soccer team in Newcastle England Friday July 18, 2014, after two fans of the club died on board flight MH17 which was shot down over the Ukraine on Thursday. John Alder, in his 60s, and Liam Sweeney, 28, were travelling to New Zealand to watch Newcastle play in a pre-season tour. (AP Photo/Tom White/PA) UNITED KINGDOM OUT NO SALES NO ARCHIVE

NEWCASTLE United will wear black armbands when they play Sydney FC in a preseason friendly match in Dunedin on Tuesday.

The English Premier League club is mourning the loss of two of its most loyal fans, John Alder and Liam Sweeney, who tragically perished on Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17.

They were on their way to New Zealand to support their team in the Football United Tour and Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has vowed to have a successful tour in their honour.

“It’s important we represent ourselves in the right manner, especially after losing John and Liam, our supporters who were travelling out here,” Pardew said.

“We have to conduct ourselves well on and off the pitch and get some strong results. That is what they would have wanted and that is what we want.

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew: “We have to honour these guys in the right manner.”

“So in memory of those guys in particular, we want this to be a successful tour. We have to honour these guys in the right manner because it does mean a lot to us. Their tragic loss has hurt the group.

“Owners and managers come and go, as do players, but the fans are always there. And these two guys in particular, to go to the lengths that they did to get out here, has brought home just how important supporters are.”

With Newcastle’s season-opener against Manchester City less than a month away, Pardew has promised to play his strongest possible team against the Sky Blues.

And Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold believes the tournament, which also features West Ham United and Wellington Phoenix, will provide a wonderful opportunity for his players to test themselves.

Flowers and football shirts are laid around the Sir Bobby Robson statue outside St. James Park.

“To be coming up against two Premier League teams in the next week, of course it’s early stages and it’s a preseason exhibition game, but it gives the players a great opportunity to impress,” he said.

“We haven’t analysed Newcastle too much, we’ve looked at them, but it’s all about us.”

The match will be Arnold’s second in charge, following last week’s 5-1 win over the Macarthur Rams, and he hopes to see his players put into practice what they’ve been working on.

“I’m obviously new to the job and I’m getting to know the players myself and getting to see their strengths and weaknesses,” he said.

“We’ve been working hard on our structures and tactics and as long as we carry out the instructions of what we’ve done up to date, that’s what’s important.

“It’s the first big test for us against a very good team. It’s one of the top teams and I hope we will give our best.”

Originally published as Newcastle United to wear black armbands in friendly against Sydney FC for two fans lost on-board MH17