Will England v Italy be biggest St James Park crowd of the season?

There were 50,157 paying fans inside St James Park on Friday night.

The game finishing England 37 Italy 0.

The World Cup starting in a couple of weeks time in Japan and England taking this final warm up game to the provinces.

I find a lot of irony in the fact that we could well see the biggest St James Park crowd this  season for a Rugby Union match and…

Mexican waves at St James Park…

England V Italy Rugby International

I’d imagine never to be seen again until the first home game post Mike Ashley !! pic.twitter.com/0U0l0zllUG

— Graeme Forster (@GraemeForster) September 7, 2019

…without a Sports Direct advert in sight.

Great to see the rugby posts back up at St James’ Park! Huge night for the city. pic.twitter.com/kjchrcMG0N

— Newcastle Falcons (@FalconsRugby) September 6, 2019

Two questions.

Will Newcastle United attract a crowd in excess of that 50,1057 that turned up for a rugby match?

Will any NUFC game be sold out this season?

Since St James Park expanded in time for the 2000/01 season, Newcastle have never spent a whole season with no crowd beating 50,157 and indeed no full campaign without a sellout.

Could this be yet another Mike Ashley record?

This season the official attendances have been:

47,635 v Arsenal

22,727 v Leicester (League Cup)

44,157 v Watford

The League Cup crowd was some five thousand down on the last one against Forest two seasons ago.

Whilst with around 10,000 season tickets unsold, the Premier League home attendances face a struggle unless there is some positivity found from somewhere.

Of course Mike Ashley selling up would instantly fill St James Park but failing that, it is down to Steve Bruce and the players – the jury well and truly out on that one.

Unless the results and entertainment factors radically improve, I can’t see any chance of filling St James Park or even getting 50,000 in. Even Wor Flags have gone on strike in protest against Mike Ashley.

The best/only chance of a full house will ironically be the very final home game of the season, once again Newcastle v Liverpool.

That though will all rest on what has happened in the previous 37 Premier League matches.