Newcastle To Play Europa League At Sunderland's Stadium of Light?

Newcastle United's first European match since 2007 might have to be played at Sunderland's Stadium of Light, it has emerged today. Thanks to Everton's failure to win at Old Trafford yesterday, The Magpies are now guaranteed a place in Europe next season and whilst the Geordies are still hopeful of a top four Champions League finish, they know they will at least have a Europa League spot. Something which may leave the club temporarily needing a new home. St. James' Park is one of the major football venues for this summer's Olympic games with the ground set to host the Woman's Quarter Finals on August 3rd and the Men's Quarter Finals on August 4th. This means that if Newcastle were to finish sixth in the Premier League come the end of the season and Liverpool were to defeat Chelsea in the FA Cup final, then Newcastle would have to enter the Europa League via the Third Qualifying Round First Leg on August 2nd. Liverpool, by virtue of winning the cup and not finishing in the top five, would go straight into the Group stages but Newcastle would have to win a two-legged fixture to qualify. This possible scenario has left Newcastle's hierarchy scrambling around as their 52,000+ home has already been booked out for the Olympics. They are mulling over a request to bitter rivals Sunderland for permission to play an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime fixture at the 49,000 Stadium of Light where Newcastle would be the home team against European opponents. Sunderland's ground is the only realistic venue within 30 miles that could hold anywhere near the amount of fans that Newcastle's first match in Europe would require and other, less controversial alternatives such as Gateshead's stadium only holds 11,800 and would be way too small. There is a possibility Newcastle would ask Darlington FC to allow The Magpies to play at The Darlington Arena which does hold 25,000, a figure that despite being half the size of St. James' Park would be deemed acceptable. Though the infamous pitch invasion of last summer's pre-season friendly which saw several fights break and embarrassed the club could mean that alternative is off the menu. Nothing is particularly clear when trying to work out UEFA's decision making but presumably there is the possibility that special dispensation will be granted to Newcastle to play the away leg first as to not clash with the Olympics, or they will be allowed to play the game at an earlier/later date. But the reports are that Newcastle aren't so sure and the prospect of the Toon playing a home fixture at Stadium of Light remains if Newcastle were to end up sixth this season.