Just 43,316 fans attended the 0-0 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion as protests against Ashley’s ownership continued. The crowd was the Magpies’ lowest Premier League attendance in almost a decade, and was around 7,000 lower than the corresponding fixture last season. Gaps were visible around St James’s Park as fans stayed away from the stadium – which is sure to irk Ashley. Our photographer, Martin Swinney, captured these images of the crowd during the stalemate – and they won’t please the Newcastle owner. Click through the pages to see them all:
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