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Middlesbrough fans aim dig at £300m Newcastle takeover with banner

Middlesbrough fans have decided to aim a dig at the £300m Newcastle United takeover with a banner displayed at the Riverside on Saturday.

Boro supporters displayed it during their 2-0 Championship victory against Peterborough United over the weekend, taking aim at Newcastle United’s recent takeover.

The PIF Group, backed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, acquired the Magpies from Mike Ashley earlier this month, making them the richest side in club football.

As we have seen this week, there has been a huge amount of criticism of the takeover due to many concerns regarding the Saudi regime.

However Newcastle fans celebrated outside of St James Park following the announcement of the new owners, with a sell out crowd expected for Sunday’s game against Tottenham and huge banners and flags are expected to be on display.

With that in mind, Middlesbrough fans have taken aim at the Toon Army by displaying a banner saying: “£300m has bought your club and your morals. F*** NUFC.”

Middlesbrough's banner was spotted in the stands

The Premier League approved the takeover due to assurances from Newcastle that the Saudi state and the Public Investment Fund were separate entities, but it’s not stopped criticism aimed at them.

In a statement, they said: “All parties have agreed the settlement is necessary to end the long uncertainty for fans over the club’s ownership.

“The Premier League has now received legally binding assurances that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not control Newcastle United Football Club.

“All parties are pleased to have concluded this process which gives certainty and clarity to Newcastle United Football Club and their fans.”

MIDDLESBROUGH v PETERBOROUGH MATCH REPORT:

Middlesbrough left it late to overcome struggling Peterborough as Paddy McNair and Josh Coburn netted to settle an otherwise unremarkable Championship game.

Northern Ireland international McNair had his shirt pulled in the box with five minutes left on the clock, prompting referee John Busby to point to the spot, with keeper David Cornell being sent the wrong way.

Substitute Coburn produced a second in injury time, connecting with Martin Payero’s centre to condemn Posh to a sixth straight away defeat.

Boro had the better of the game up to their final five-minutes flurry, though looked as though they would have to share the spoils.

Onel Hernandez saw his shot cleared off the line in first-half stoppage time, being as close as they came despite plenty of effort from their attack, while Posh failed to register a shot on target in reply leaving Darren Ferguson reeling.

Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock had seen his side lose three of their past four games going into the visit of second-bottom Peterborough, so this result will ease some of his immediate pressures.

Only Derby’s points deduction keeps Posh off the foot of the table, as they seek to avoid an immediate League One return this season, while Boro go up to 12th.

Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock told BBC Tees:

“It’s been as difficult a 48 hours I’ve ever known. I’m really proud of the lads today. everybody put a shift in, I’ve asked players to play out of position and nobody moaned, nobody complained.

“The longer the game went on the better we got and the goals were the reward.

“We just wanted to try to impress too much, players wanting a touch or trying a silly ball. Whereas second-half we were more measured, we looked a lot more dangerous and we had some good chances.”

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire:

“It was there for the taking. You could see the way the game was going, we were in control for large parts, but the quality wasn’t there in the final third attack-wise.

“We had many opportunities to pick them off, it was the final ball, final weight of pass, final decision. It wasn’t good enough.

“Whether it’s a penalty or not, I don’t know, but he’s given it and if you keep wasting opportunities like we did. At times we were four versus three. That’s the reason why I felt we lost the game.”

SEE MORE: Several Premier League managers vent fury at Newcastle takeover during press conference

Fans reacted as Middlesbrough fans aim a dig at the £300m Newcastle takeover with a banner…

@SavMondo: Must have taken a while for them to scrawl that with a sharpie on their kitchen roll. Taking effort into consideration I’ll give it a solid 2/10.

@Murton76: No spelling errors and it wasn’t written on a bedsheet. They’re better at banners than NUFC, and no horses were punched during the making.

@NotSoLocalHero: Boro trying to force a rivalry yet again. Standard.

@AlanJon99605687: I assume this follows on from their banners aimed at Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea and Leicester investments, to name a few 🤔🤔

@NATHD_J: Bless them still trying to create a rivalry 😂

@Whitby_MagNUFC: Gut feeling is, if it was Boro then they would be rejoicing. Let’s hope they can have a good season and get in the play offs.👍🏴🏳️

@paulnufc1892: Honestly nobody cares about Boro never have never will.

@darrenlongstaf1: Still packing out the ground I see 🤣🤣🤣

@rob1892black: What or who is a boro? I’ve never heard of it

@j_linthorpe: Won more trophies in your life than NUFC

@malnufc1892: I’d forgot that lot existed.

@Scotty9804: Small club in Yorkshire.

@MelchettsTash: Aww bless them trying to make themselves relevant. Cute!

@ChrisCanning24: Jealous 😂😂😂😂

@paulsiddle: I FUCKING LOVE THIS

@gershi1565: I don’t see the point when there are current owners that are also doing shady stuff.

@drmcnufc: Surprised there’s enough of them to hold it up.

@NUFCFanzone: Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

@So_fkn_deluded: Irrelevant club with no real rivals.

@PaulDav86486288: Look out @worflags, there’s a new kid on the block ! Dunno why you guys spend all that cash on having beautiful flags made professionally when a couple of rolls of Plenty and some red paint will do hahahaha

@NUFCscubasteve: Not sure how we come back from razor-sharp wit like that.

@ThornIvan: Stay classy #Boro

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