Newcastle moved back to the top of the Championship with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa thanks to a strike from Yoan Gouffran and a Henri Lansbury own goal.
After both sides were relegated from the Premier League last year, many fans, pundits and journalists alike expected Newcastle United and Aston Villa to bounce back from their disappointment, and make an immediate charge back to the top flight of English football.
For Newcastle United, this has been the case. The club currently sit at the top of the table, and have looked like real worthy contenders for the Championship top spot come the end of the season. Aston Villa however have had a wholly different season, and now hover just six points away from the relegation zone.
And yet, the fierce rivalry between both clubs, as demonstrated in Newcastle United’s recent 2-0 win over Steve Bruce’s side, is still alive and well. Arguably the two biggest clubs in the division; why do sets of both fans hate each other so much? HITC Sport asked Newcastle Untied fans for their views…
Aston Villa’s Henri Lansbury (L) in action with Newcastle United’s Jonjo Shelvey
“I’ve got nowt against Aston Villa, they hate us!” said one Newcastle United fan, who didn’t think much of any supposed rivalry. “I don’t hate any football club” added another Newcastle fan, who had to backtrack on his comments after Sunderland were brought up.
“I’ve never hated them, I’ve just never liked them!” said another Newcastle United supporter, who wasn’t quite sure whether the fact that Aston Villa have relegated Newcastle United twice had anything to do with it.
“They’re just too cocky” said another Magpies fan, “they like to think they run the league…but they’re 16th!”
Other Newcastle United fans put the revival of the Aston Villa rivalry down to Villa’s signing of midfielder Henri Lansbury. While playing for Nottingham Forest, Lansbury was involved in a controversial penalty incident, which saw Newcastle lose to his old club. However, Newcastle fans got the last laugh Monday night, after Lansbury scored an own goal. Karma, perhaps?
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Newcastle United’s Yoan Gouffran celebrates after Aston Villa’s Henri Lansbury (R) scores an own goal for Newcastle United’s second
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