30/11/2025

ON SUNDAY November 30, 2025 theSunday Special VIII

Not everyone is a supporter of the “glamorous” EPL clubs

BY ASHRF WAHAB

O N any given Premier League weekend in Malaysia, you’ll ¿QG FDIpV mamaks and pubs ILOOHG ZLWK IDQV ZHDULQJ WKH UHG RI 0DQFKHVWHU 8QLWHG WKH EOXH RI &KHOVHD RU WKH PRUH UHFHQW VN\ EOXH RI 0DQFKHVWHU &LW\ A ORQJ ZLWK /LYHUSRRO DQG $UVHQDO WKH\ DUH UHFRJQLVHG DV ³ELJ ILYH´ FOXEV WKDW GRPLQDWH QRW MXVW WKH OHDJXH WDEOH EXW DOVR WKH IDQ FXOWXUH KHUH

Toon Army Malaysia regularly hosts match viewings.

Rise of the underdog: What is it like as a Newcastle United supporter in Malaysia

Building a community :KDW PDNHV 7RRQ $UP\ 0DOD\VLD VWDQG RXW LV KRZ DFWLYH WKH JURXS LV GHVSLWH QRW EHLQJ WKH ODUJHVW VXSSRUWHUV¶ FOXE LQ WKH FRXQWU\ 7KH\ GRQ¶W MXVW JDWKHU IRU WKH RFFDVLRQDO PDWFK YLHZLQJ ± WKH\ OLYH DQG EUHDWKH WKH FOXE 7KH JURXS KDV LWV RZQ IRRWEDOO WHDP WKDW SOD\V ZHHNO\ IULHQGOLHV DQG SULYDWH OHDJXH JDPHV 7KH\ KRVW PDWFK YLHZLQJV IRU QHDUO\ HYHU\ JDPH UHJDUGOHVV RI NLFNR̆ WLPH ³(YHQ WKH DP DQG DP JDPHV ZH¶OO EH WKHUH ´ 'RP ODXJKHG ³)RU WKH &DUDEDR &XS ¿QDO ZH ERRNHG DQ HYHQW VSDFH JRW FDWHULQJ DQG KDG PHPEHUV ZDWFKLQJ WRJHWKHU 7KH DWPRVSKHUH ZDV LQFUHGLEOH ´ 7KH\¶YH HYHQ KRVWHG PHHW DQG JUHHW HYHQWV ZLWK IRUPHU SOD\HUV DQG SXQGLWV ZLWK H[ JRDONHHSHU 6KD\ *LYHQ EHLQJ RQH RI WKH UHFHQW KLJKOLJKWV 7KHLU GHGLFD WLRQ SDLG RII ZKHQ 1HZFDVWOH RIILFLDOO\ UHFRJQLVHG 7RRQ $UP\ 0DOD\VLD DV DQ Ṙ FLDO VXSSRUWHUV¶ FOXE ± D EDGJH RI SULGH IRU WKH FRPPXQLW\

Plenty of emotion goes into supporting Newcastle.”

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Former goalkeeper Shay Given (middle of the group, wearing a black shirt) was among the former Newcastle players hosted in Malaysia.