Infographic showing globalization processes of North East Football. Made for Geographies of Global Change module in BA Geography course at Northumbria University.

1. Mirandinha becomes
first Brazilian player
to play in England
after joining
Newcastle in 1987
Chilean Jorge Robledo
scores winning goal
for Newcastle in
1951 FA Cup final
Lee Dong Gook
joins Middlesbrough
to become the
first Asian player
to play for a North
East club
A Middlesbrough side captained
by Englishman Gareth Southgate
wins the club's first ever trophy
in the Carling Cup
7 different nations are represented
in Middlesbrough's starting XI,
including goalscorer and man of
the match - Boudewijn Zenden
St James’Park hosts 6 games as part of
the 2012 London Olympic football tournament
Middlesbrough form official parnership
with Brazilian club Ituano
which allowed Brazilians
Marcos Rhoden and Rafael Peireira
to join the club on loan
Later in the year the club also
formed an official partnership
with Spanish club Atletico Madrid
Middlesbrough become
first North East team to
be involved in a televised
Premier League game
- losing 5-1 to Aston Villa
They were shown once
more that season before
being relegated
St James’Park
hosts 3 games at
Euro 96 involving
France,Romania
and Bulgaria
Newcastle sign French
international David Ginola
from PSG for £2.5 million.
He is to be the first of over 50
French players to come to the
North East’s big 3,the most from
any nation outside of the British Isles
Lomana Lua Lua becomes
first African player to play
for a North East club joining
Newcastle from Colchester
Ghanaian
Asamoah Gyan
becomes
Sunderland’s
record signing for a
fee of £13 million
Brazilian
Afonso Alves
becomes
Middlesbrough’s
record signing for a
fee of £12 million
Newcastle play in
lucrative continental
tournament the
Champions League
for the first time
beating Barcelona 3-2.
Jean Marc Bosman wins case in the
European Court of Justice concerning
freedom of movement for workers.
The ruling brings in the‘bosman rule’
allowing players to leave EU clubs
upon expiration of their contract.
The ruling also prevented football
leagues in EU member
states,and also UEFA,
from imposing quotas on EU nationals.
Newcastle name an
all foreign XI in their
first home game of
the season against
West Ham - drawing
the game 0-0
St James’Park hosts first England
international since 1938.
England beat Albania 2-0 in
a World Cup Qualifier in front
of a packed St James’Park on
their road to qualifying for
Japan and South Korea 2002.
Sunderland appoint first
foreign manager
in Paolo Di Canio
Middlesbrough appoint first
foreign manager
in Aitor Karanka
Globalizing Squads
An English decline
In partnership with American
broadcasting giant Comcast
Middlesbrough become first
club in the world
to set up their
own dedicated
television channel
Sources
Player data: transfermarkt.com
Squads: footballsquads.co.uk
England caps: englandstats.com
TV data: sportingintelligence.com
Facebook stats: socialbakers.com @Sewellyy
Designed by
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
ForeignPlayersinNE
20131992
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
NorthEastEnglandCaps
3 Lions production line
Decline and recovery
A global fanbase
Social media statistics
78% of Newcastle fans
located outside of the UK
71% of Sunderland fans
located outside of the UK
40% of Middlesbrough fans
located outside of the UK
Middlesbrough and Sunderland
shirts produced by Adidas
while Newcastle’s by Puma
Both are German
based companies
Sunderland’s shirt is
sponsored by Bidvest
a South Africa-based distribution
services and trading business
A global kit
Disecting a football shirt
The Adidas shirts are produced in Thailand,
while Newcastle’s Puma shirts are made in Georgia
American tycoon Ellis Short
completes takeover of
Sunderland AFC
becoming the first
person from outside
of the British Isles to own a
North East club
A global audience
PL TV revenue by region
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
South America
North America and Carribbean
Middle East and North Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Rest of Europe
Asia
UK
Millions (£)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Sunderland
Newcastle
12/1311/1210/11
Millions(£)
TV revenue by club
Globalization
North East Football 1992-2014
6 continents
59 nations
288 players
1950
Middlesbrough sign deal in 1977 for
their kits to be produced by German
sportswear giants Adidas.
They are the first of the big 3 to
turn to a foreign provider.
Newcastle take part
in inaugral Asia Trophy
in Kualar Lumpar against
Birmingham,Chelsea and
a Malaysian XI
This is their first pre-season
tour on the continent
A week before playing
in the UEFA Cup final,
Middlesbrough field an
all-English matchday
squad with 15 of
those 16 born
within 25 miles of
the Riverside stadium
51 81621 15 1313 910 8
Top 10
Returning the favour?
16 North East-born players play abroad
4 Sweden
3 USA
3 Iceland
2 Australia
1 Germany
1 Belgium
1 Romania
1992
2014
2003
46%
32%
32%
22%
56%
61%
76%
Middle
sbrough
78%
New
castle
Sund
erland
82%
In 1992 the Premier League was born - the top 22 clubs in England separated from the Football League and were free to
go in search of their own commercial revenue away from the Football League. It marked a tipping point that accelerated
the process of globalization in English football. Since then the Premier League has become the most watched league in
the world and a number of global inter-connections have been forged, none more than the significant number of foreign
players to have entered what was a previously a largely homogenous division. The big 3 North East clubs have found themselves
at the centre of this explosion having played primarily in the top division during this time period and the make up of these
clubs has been fundamentally transformed.
Sunderland’s Kevin Phillips
scores 30 goals in a season
to becomes first English
player to win the European
Golden Shoe - a continental
award for top goalscorer.