The Geordies have struck up a friendship with a number of the Partizan fans following their Champions League exit by the Belgrade club last season. The fact that they both play in black & white stripes and their arch rivals both play in red & white stripes may have something to do with it.
Whilst in Athens for the Egaleo game we were talking to a Belgrade-based Geordie and asked him to sing a song about rivals Red Star Belgrade. He only sang “We hate Mackems . . . “.
Of the hundred or so Partizan fans coming over for the game a good few of them will be staying with their new friends in Newcastle and making the trip to the Riverside in Newcastle shirts. Watch out for them.