Credit: Craig Hope via X

Daniel Lewis

Sun 22 March 2026 12:07, UK Updated Sun 22 March 2026 14:20, UK

Newcastle United and Sunderland fans caught up in violent scenes outside St James’ Park will be dealt with by police.

That is according to Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Mackem News that it is a matter for the authorities, rather than the two clubs themselves.

It comes amid unsavoury footage shared via social media in the build-up to kick-off in Sunday’s high-profile Premier League fixture.

Sunderland are playing at the home of their fierce rivals in the league for the first time in just over a decade.

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Footage emerges of fan violence ahead of Newcastle vs Sunderland

The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards reported around an hour before kick-off that “fights have broken out close to St James’ Park”.

The Sunderland fans making the journey into enemy territory were given a police escort, but some are alleged to have broken free and walked through a large gathering of Newcastle supporters.

Worryingly, a further update from the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope via X suggested CPR was administered on one supporter as fights broke out.

In the view of former FIFA referee and PGMOL chief Hackett, it is something Northumbria Police will now look into, rather than Sunderland and Newcastle themselves.

“This is a police matter and they will have been on duty overnight and late into today to keep the two sets of supporters apart,” he said.

“The majority are in fact well behaved, but sadly often people who are not even going to the game have a different agenda.”

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Keith Hackett shares personal experience of managing Tyne-Wear derby

Hackett himself officiated this fixture in the past and has revealed how the authorities can dictate if a fixture of this magnitude gets postponed by external factors.

“Some years ago I was appointed to officiate this game,” he said. “The weather was appalling and when I inspected the playing surface with several areas under water, I was left with the decision to call the game off.

“However, before that decision was made public I was visited by the Asst Chief Constable. He made it clear that if the game was abandoned there would be serious problems in the city centre.

“I spoke to the Football League and the game went ahead and came to a conclusion. Kevin Keegan and I had an exchange in the tunnel and he asked me if ‘I was for real’. He could not believe the game was going ahead.”

For more on Sunderland, head over to Football Insider.