Newcastle Falcons vs Exeter Chiefs Programme

BY MARK SMITH - NEWCASTLE FALCONS MEDIA MANAGER
It is tremendous for Newcastle Falcons to welcome Wor Flags to
Kingston Park this afternoon to add a dash of colour and vibrancy to
the match-day visuals.
The fan-run group are synonymous with the St James’ Park
spectaculars which have lit up football’s Champions League and
Premier League, and although today’s display is on a smaller scale it
will be no less meaningful.
It’s just one of many ways in which the club are looking to try new
things with the aim of improving the match-day experience, and as
always we are keen to hear from supporters.
The backing from the Falcons’ playing squad around sharing Wor
Flags on their social media during the build-up has been encouraging,
although I realise I’d taken for granted that everybody automatically
understood the branding.
Our head coach Alex Codling asked me the other day “What does ‘Wor
Flags’ actually mean?”
He was well aware of the organisation and what they do – he just
didn’t know that ‘wor’ means ‘our’ in the Geordie dialect.
“Our flags - I like it, that makes perfect sense,” said the Londoner, who
has been taken by the region’s sporting passion since arriving in the
summer.
The fact that two of Wor Flags’ members are on the Kingston Park
staff - Dan Lycett and Jordan Robinson - is at the heart of how today’s
initiative has come about, although links between the city’s football
club and rugby are nothing new.
Rugby internationals at both league and union have been played at St
James’ Park over the years, and last week brought a reminder of the
connection when the news was announced regarding the death of
David Campbell.
The former Gosforth captain became chairman of rugby and was at
the heart of the deal which saw Newcastle United buying Gosforth’s
rugby operation as part of their burgeoning Sporting Club in the
mid-1990s.
Those successful negotiations with Sir John Hall were central to
placing the newly-named Falcons at the heart of rugby union’s
professional revolution, and it is no exaggeration to say that without
them the club might not be here today in anywhere near its current
form.
The same is also true regarding the significant investment of Dave
Thompson and Semore Kurdi once the football club decided to go in a
different direction, and while other clubs have floundered the Falcons
are here to fight another day.
The waving of a few thousand flags alone is not going to solve all of
the sport’s problems, but the fact there is an enthusiasm to engage
and improve can only be a good thing.
Having the Wor Flags name associated with Newcastle Falcons will
draw new eyeballs towards rugby, which is ultimately what we are all
trying to achieve.
FROM THE PRESS BOX - WITH MARK SMITH
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