Attacked horse ‘ fit for selection’
BUD the police horse has been called up for tomorrow’s Stadium of Light derby clash.
Bud became famous when violence flared in Newcastle City Centre after Sunderland’s 3- 0 win in April.
Pictures of Newcastle fan Barry Rogerson taking a swing at the West Yorkshire police horse were beamed around the world.
Forty- five- year- old Rogerson pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder and will be enjoying tomorrow’s match from a prison cell after being jailed for a year this week.
Northumbria Police Operations Commander Chief Superintendent Steve Neill will be in charge of the police operation for tomorrow’s game.
“We are happy to report that Bud is fit and available for selection,” he said.
“Our colleagues from West Yorkshire have said he will be coming up the road on Sunday and he will be back here at a derby, doing his best and working hard to ensure that everybody comes to the fixture and leaves safely. “It will be good to see him again.” Bud will just be one piece of a major policing operation for what is being classed as a high- risk game.
“The challenges are getting 47 or 48,000 people into the stadium and then home safely and also ensuring the tens of thousands of people watching the game across Tyne and Wear are safe,” said Chief Supt Neill. “I would urge Newcastle fans not to buy tickets for the Sunderland areas – it poses a potential risk for them and could lead to the kind of scenes we don’t want to see.”