Newcastle United saw their away clash with Wimbledon called off due to flooding
AFC Wimbledon's pitch was left in a state of disrepair ahead of their game with Newcastle United(Image credit: Getty Images)
Newcastle United's Carabao Cup tie with AFC Wimbledon was called off after intense rainfall saw the Cherry Red Records Stadium suffer intense flooding, in turn ruining the playing surface.
Large patches of sand and dirt could be seen across the pitch as the water destroyed the turf, causing it to rise and tear under duress.
The match, which was initially set to be played on Tuesday, has now been rescheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 1st at St James' Park as the Wimbledon hierarchy looks to repair the damage.
Newcastle United offer incredible gesture following game postponement
The League One club have set up a fundraising page aiming to raise around £50,000 to help offset the financial strain the turf repair would put the club under.
With home games coming thick and fast in the league, fans across the country have found sympathy for the South London outfit, with donations beginning to pour in.
Eddie Howe's attentions turn to the weekend's Premier League action instead (Image credit: Getty Images)
The fundraising mission was given a huge boost over the last 24 hours after Newcastle United themselves contributed £15,000 towards the repair job, helping the fan-led project surpass their initial £50,000 target.
As per EFL rules, the Magpies will also donate 45% of proceedings from the rearranged home tie to the League One club in a week's time following the postponement.
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Graham Stacey, the man behind the fundraiser, revealed he was blown away by the support for the cause, labelling the football community's generosity 'flabbergasting'.
“It’s been incredible," he said. "Never more so than times like this you think football’s a real community when it comes together like this and it puts rivalries aside. It’s been delightful and flabbergasting in some ways because the messages are almost as rewarding as the donations.”
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A new fundraiser target of £100,000 has recently been added as donations continue to pile in, you can find the Just Giving page here.
Newcastle are no stranger to success in the Carabao Cup, having reached the final of the competition in 2023 before falling to defeat against Erik ten Hag's Manchester United.
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James Ridge is a freelance journalist based in the UK. He recently spent time with The United Stand as an online news editor and has covered the beautiful game from England’s eighth tier all the way to the Premier League.
