Newcastle fans reacted angrily yesterday after club bosses announced plans to rename St James’ Park in a drive to increase revenues at the high-flying Premier League club.

The Magpies are aiming to emulate other clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester City, who have both sold the naming rights to their respective stadiums in recent years to sponsors.

However, Newcastle owner Mike Ashley’s bid to rebrand one of the most famous grounds in English football, which has been the club’s home since 1886, triggered an outcry yesterday.

The Newcastle United Supporters Trust said news that St James’ was to become the Sports Direct Arena proved fans were right to be sceptical of Ashley’s stewardship of the club despite Newcastle’s current high position in the table.

“This latest news about renaming the stadium to the ‘Sports Direct Arena’ clearly demonstrates why they are sceptical,” a statement said.

England cricketer Steve Harmison, a prominent Newcastle fan, meanwhile described the move as an “insult” akin to changing the club’s colours to those of their arch-rivals Sunderland.

“St James’ Park means everything to me, it is a magical place,” Harmison wrote in The Daily Telegraph.

“It is a special place for every single Newcastle United fan. Players come and go, managers come and go but Newcastle United and St James’ Park stay the same.”