‘Very similar’: Dion Dublin makes ‘intimidating’ claim about Newcastle and Leeds

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Dion Dublin has claimed that Newcastle United and Leeds United fans are ‘very similar’, as he told Premier League Productions (18/04/22 at 1:05 pm).

The former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker added that both St James’ Park and Elland Road can be ‘intimidating’ places to play.

Newcastle and Leeds have spent large parts of the season near the bottom of the Premier League table, before new managers have come in to change their previously rocky and turbulent tide.

Eddie Howe has made a bigger change up north because he has taken a lifeless Newcastle support and brought them back up to full voice after the Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce era came to an end.

Whilst Leeds fans were crushed when Marcelo Bielsa was sacked, their Premier League status, under Jesse Marsch, is edging closer to being confirmed for another season.

Nonetheless, when speaking about the change of mood at Newcastle, Dublin spoke about how their fans compare with Leeds.

“I think it’s chalk and cheese because they wanted to go and play away from home, that’s how hostile it was (at St James’ Park) for themselves,” said Dublin. “Now they want to play at home.

“Whenever you walk out at St James’ Park, whether I was with Coventry, Villa or Man United. All you see is black and white. You can’t see your own fans because they stick them right at the top, out of the way, you can’t even see them.

“Even though the stadium is massive. They are still quite close as well. You can hear everything. The noise is deafening.

“When it’s bouncing, it’s very similar to Leeds when it’s bouncing and it’s intimidating.”

Newcastle will have a wad of money behind them next season, which will, for once, make St James’ Park a place their fans will be looking forward to visiting on a weekly basis.

For well over a decade, they were used to the ambitiousless Ashley drive the sole out of the place.

But now, an interesting summer awaits those in Black and White because they will be pushing for those European places.

Leeds will be thinking around the same lines, but a lot will depend on how much Marsch will be backed and if they can keep hold of their star players.