Fan Wears Half-Newcastle United, Half-Sunderland Shirt in Derby for Good Cause

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A fan spotted wearing a half-and-half Newcastle United and Sunderland shirt became a talking point during the Tyne-Wear derby, but it seems there was a good reason for his choice of kit.

Ordinarily, a shirt supporting both those teams would be unimaginable, but the man's jersey actually appears to be a tribute to John Alder and Liam Sweeney, two Newcastle fans who died following the team on their summer tour when they were on the MH17 flight that crashed in Ukraine.

The middle of the shirt reads seems to read "United in grief," which would be acknowledgment of a Sunderland fan tribute in which allegiances were put aside and £33,000 raised to help the families of those affected.

"

Newcastle fans applaud in the 33rd minute in respect of the £33,000 raised by Sunderland fans after flight MH17. pic.twitter.com/aEddiej3ys

— BPL Zone (@BPLZone) December 21, 2014"

A good justification for an otherwise inexplicable jersey.