Update: Former Magpie Steve Harper played for current club Hull City in a pre-season kickabout at Harrogate on Monday, wearing a black armband for John and Liam.

Newcastle fan and John Alder's MP Ian Mearns spoke in the House of Commons on Monday, referring both to the "extraordinary" supporter John and the current efforts of Sunderland and Newcastle supporters in raising funds for charitable causes.

Urging the Prime Minister to help repatriate the bodies of both local men, David Cameron's response was as follows:

"It's right to pay tribute to all those who lost their lives, to John Alder and Liam Sweeney. It's heartbreaking, the families that have been ripped apart by this, the lives that have been snuffed out due to this appalling tragedy."

Latest TV pictures from Ukraine show a train reported to be carrying over 280 bodies departing for Kharkiv, where onward transit to Amsterdam now agreed. It's not known whether John and Liam are on board that train though, with the bodies still to be identified. 

The complete unreality of this situation from a Tyneside perspective remains; with news updates from Kiev and Moscow and the train en route to Kharkiv - all stops on United's European tour in previous seasons. 

Like seeing their personal possessions pictured in the media scattered across a foreign field, it's all difficult to take in. Make that impossible.    



Family, friends and fans gathered outside SJP on Monday lunchtime to pay their respects to Liam and John. 

Ex-Chairman Sir John Hall was present to hear tributes read out, before a minute's applause. Family members then spent time in the stadium, viewing flowers and messages placed on seats their loved ones occupied.   

An online collection started by Sunderland fans had passed the £30,000 mark by Wednesday, with red and whites, black and whites and followers of other teams (including Ukrainians Donetsk contributing online here 

And the safcmuseum twitter account has put signed Newcastle and Sunderland shirts and memorabilia up for auction, with proceeds going to the same cause.

As one wrote, "this transcends football rivalry".

The collection served the original purpose of funding floral tributes to John and Liam from Sunderland fans, organiser Gary Ferguson placing those outside SJP on Tuesday:

 

All other monies will be donated to charities selected by the families of the two lads: the Marie Curie Hospice in Newcastle and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

A separate fundraising page by Toon fans entitled "flag and funeral cost" was then opened up online here. That has raised over £7,000 to date.  

Donations to both funds have also come via collections from as far afield as Oxfordshire, with Toon fans who support non-league side Thame United organising a whip round before Saturday's home friendly match.

A bucket collection for the flag and funeral fund for John and Liam will be taken at Spennymoor Town FC ahead of their game against Hamilton Academical on Thursday.

Books of condolence have been opened at St Andrew’s Church on Newgate Street and St Mary’s Cathedral on Clayton Street - both in Newcastle City Centre.

NB: we've heard from NUFC.com readers who donated to the fund established by Sunderland fans and wanted to us make that fact known, thus contradicting press reports that this is an entire SAFC enterprise. 

That's not being petty or detracting from the laudable actions of Sunderland fans - rather, it's an attempt to show that the collection is a fine example of football supporters uniting in a common cause. 

And for those outside the region relying on the media - who could logically conclude from the coverage that John and Liam's fellow Newcastle fans haven't reacted - it's worth stating that it's obviously not the case.

PS: it's worth mentioning that many of comments posted online come from Newcastle fans recognising and rightly praising the efforts of their Wearside counterparts. 

John	Liam

Victims of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash on Thursday included two Newcastle United supporters travelling to support their team in New Zealand.  

We're desperately sad to report that they were John Alder and Liam Sweeney. Both were well known to away followers, particularly John, whose usual matchday attire led to the affectionate nickname of "The Undertaker".  

Both were in attendance at Oldham last week, doing what they loved. Our thoughts are with their friends, families and the many fans who knew them by sight.

Watching Newcastle will never be the same again.

Updates: Berwick Rangers, Whitley Bay, Dunston UTS, Blyth Spartans and Darlington (versus Sunderland) all staged a minute's silence before games on Saturday. 

Gateshead FC staged a well-observed minute's silence before Friday's friendly against Newcastle U21s and the Newcastle United Women's side did so on Sunday. 

And it's not just football, with the Newcastle Diamonds Speedway team holding a silent tribute ahead of their meeting with Berwick at Brough Park on Sunday. 

Present and ex-NUFC players including Tim Krul, Adam Campbell, Adam Armstrong, Paul Dummett, Ryan Taylor, Steve Harper, Michael Bridges, Yohan Cabaye and Joey Barton posted their tributes on social media.

Youth team player Kyle Cameron meanwhile dedicated United's 6-2 win in a Swedish tournament on Friday to John and Liam. The team also wore black armbands.

NUFC issued a statement on Friday morning expressing their own condolences and confirming the following:

Players and staff will wear black armbands during both games in New Zealand as a mark of respect.

A tribute of unspecified form will be organised at the Manchester City home game on Sunday August 17th.

NUFC club statement regarding John and Liam

PS: Thanks to Paul English for John's photo, taken at the Eintracht Frankfurt away game back in 2006. The photo of Liam has been provided by his family.
 

Unlikely lad:
Conference chance 
for SJP old boy  

Ahead of their return to the Conference following a 12 year absence, Dover Athletic have signed former Newcastle reserve midfielder Nicky Deverdics.

Since leaving United in 2006, the 26 year-old has played in Scotland (Gretna), England (Gateshead, Barnet, Blyth Spartans, Alfreton Town), Iceland (BÍ/Bolungarvík) and most recently, TB Tvøroyri (Faroes).

Another sad loss:
Jon Lockwood RIP

Update:
Do you play for Hull?  

Something that lifted our mood slightly was seeing this photo taken after United arrived at Dunedin Airport on Sunday - we've posted it on that basis for you to see. 

Despite looking like another behavioural breach that could see further FA punishment, Alan Pardew was actually taking part in a traditional Maori hongi greeting (rubbing noses and foreheads) with a local resident. Phew. 

Couldn't someone have mentioned this in his defence though after the David Meyler incident?

Former player passes:
Ray King RIP
  

The death of ex-Newcastle United goalkeeper Ray King has been confirmed, weeks before his 90th birthday. 

Amble-born Ray was with the club between 1942 and 1946, appearing in wartime fixtures and also guesting for Chester City and Wolves while serving in the Army.

Leaving Newcastle before league football resumed, a number of injury problems saw King forced to leave the professional game after a brief stay at Leyton Orient.

However he made a successful return with Port Vale in 1949, enjoying an eight year stint with the Valiants before moving on to Boston United.

Ray later managed both Poole Town and Sittingbourne and settled in Dorset for many years before returning to his native Northumberland. 

Following the death of his wife in 2009, Ray relocated to Thailand and lived in Bangkok with his son Gary.  

Update:
Book compo result 

Local author and NUFC fan Paul Brown has researched the early history of Newcastle United for a new book examining the roots of the club through a thirty year period culminating in their FA Cup success of 1910.  

"All With Smiling Faces - How Newcastle became United" is published in and an exclusive run of personalised hardback copies can be reserved now.

Individually numbered and personalised, this special edition costs £15, which includes free delivery in the UK before publication.

More information about "All With Smiling Faces..." and a link to order copies can be found online here or by clicking on the rather fine cover artwork above.

Thanks to Goal-Post books we had two of those limited edition copies to give away and asked what injuries the main character in Geordie folk song "The Blaydon Races" sustained (the title of Paul's book is from the lyrics).

All but the terminally bewildered answered correctly that it was "two black eyes and a broken nose" (metatarsal was the most creative entry received) and books will be heading off to this pair later in the year:

Miss Dianne Renner, Tweedmouth
Simon Carmichael, Hampshire

2014/15:
Wellington Phoenix (a) 

Following their visit to Dunedin, the Magpies will travel on a further 380 miles over to the North Island of New Zealand for their second tour game - also on grass.

The opposition this time on their home ground of the Westpac Stadium are Wellington Phoenix - the only non-Australian side playing in the ten team A League.

Holding 34,500 fans, 27,000 tickets had been sold just over a week before Newcastle's game - which is a doubleheader along with West Ham v Sydney.

Big Sham and the Hammers kick off at 2pm local time, before Newcastle and Wellington meet at 4.30pm.

Squad:  Aarons, Abeid, Alnwick, Sammy Ameobi, Anita, Armstrong, Campbell, Colback, Coloccini, De Jong, Elliot, Dummett, Gouffran, Haidara, Perez, Riviere, Satka, Tiote, R.Taylor, S.Taylor, Vuckic, Williamson, Woodman, Yanga-Mbiwa.

Wellington: tbc

UK TV: Live on BT Sport 1 @ 5.30am BST.

NUFC fans meet pre/post match @ The Four Kings bar.  NZ Mags Facebook page

2014/15:
Transfers