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Newcastle and Sunderland World Cup bids D-Day looms

Jul 12 2009 by Dan Warburton, Sunday Sun

Former England star Peter Beardsley with Newcastle City Council leader John Shipley (left) and Gateshead Council leader Mick Henry launch the NewcastleGateshead World Cup Bid at St. James Park ... along with young supporters and Newcastle United Academy players

BIDS to bring World Cup football to the North East will step up in the next 48 hours as the race to host the tournament enters a new phase.

A number of high-profile stars have thrown their weight behind Newcastle Gateshead’s bid to become a host city as part of England’s plans to stage the 2018 or 2022 tournaments.

Meanwhile, Sunderland also hopes to hold group stage games at the Stadium of Light.

Tomorrow FA chiefs will tour Tyneside before turning their attention to Sunderland as official inspectors check the region’s infrastructure.

The party will consider each venue’s facilities, ranging from hotels and road links to training grounds and pitch surfaces.

Both St James’s Park and the Stadium of Light have attracted ringing endorsements from people across the region.

Spearheading a welcome party for the FA visit to Wearside is Black Cats fan Steve Cram.

The Olympic silver-medallist, who is also the Chancellor of Sunderland, said: “This is too good an opportunity to miss for Wearside and the whole of the North East.

“Having taken part in the World Championships, the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games, I know how exciting a big sporting event can be for both those taking part and the crowd.”

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