… only in a spot of fun offered by the Sunderland Echo, which produced this mock-up image to show how the Mags’ hero might look if he were prepared to wear the SAFC shirt.
He was asked to do it for charity – Sport Relief – and refused point blank. It is not that he’s an especially tight sod who’d never dream of digging into his pockets for a good cause; in fact, he even offered to shower Adrian Chiles, presenter of BBC’s One Show, with cash.
But he drew the line at the shirt. “I would rather give you a lot of money than put that on,” he said. “My life wouldn’t be worth living if I went back to Newcastle after putting that on.”
A good response, Alan, and we’d be delighted to record at Salut! Sunderland how much you ended up giving.
But not quite as good a response as a Sunderland fan gave after starring in a film that required him to wear the black and white stripes of Newcastle United.
As recounted in our old Celebrity Supporters series, young Sean Landless shared top billing with Billy Connolly a few years ago in Gabriel and Me, playing Jimmy Spud, the son of a dysfunctional Mag (there being other, we’re assured).
At the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Sean – just 14 when he got the part – revealed that having to wear a black and white top was the worst thing that had ever happened to him.
Surely not as bad as what they made him put on when the script had him trying to turn himself into an angel to save his cancer-stricken father?
Oh yes it was.
“I had to dress up in a sort of feathery dress,” he said. “But having to wear the Newcastle shirt was worse.”
* If you wish to help make Sport Relief a success, visit the site by clicking this link.
Many years ago, whilst in the RAF, my Mag supporting mate wore our “deckchair” home strip in the bar all evening with me donating a large slice of wedge. Towards the end of a beer strewn evening, I was asked to reciprocate and wear a black and white garment. I quite rightly refused point blank and had to part with another large slice of wedge. It’s the principal not the cash that counts!
On Look North last night, Chris Stewart went round the streets of Sunderland asking people if they would wear a black and white shirt for Sport Relief. The responses were brilliant, with all bar one saying “No” – but in many disparaging ways.
The one guy who did put it on was wearing a Sunderland shirt and he obviously did it to show that he could tackle anything – wrestling with bears, paragliding off mountains, spending time with Cheryl Cole – but his face was a picture. As he took off the offending garment, he said “Right, off for a shower now”.
I share this in the interests of harmony between Wear and Tyne