With the news that the Vikings are returning to Newcastle for the 2016 Magic Weekend, our North East fanbase have been joining the Stronghold in numbers.
Almost 4% of the club’s registered database have a North East postcode, and one of those people is 37-year-old James Kidd.
James lives in Wallsend, three miles outside of Newcastle and has joined the Viking Stronghold for 2016 after attending his first ever rugby league game at last year’s Magic Weekend.
He said: “I’ve followed Newcastle United all my life and had a season ticket for 22 years until two years ago. I still attend a handful of games every season but my interest in football, and especially the Premier League, isn’t what it used to be.
“I had never planned on attending the Magic Weekend. I’d never even been to a rugby league game before.
“Then I read in our local newspaper what Widnes Vikings were doing for it, with the black and white Sir Bobby Robson Foundation shirt, which is obviously a massively popular charity here and very close to people’s hearts, so that decided it for me.
“I rounded up a couple of friends and we bought tickets to go along to cheer the Vikings on. I wasn’t really sure what to expect but I absolutely loved every minute of it, the speed of the game, the intensity but just as importantly, the honesty and commitment of all the players and the lack of gamesmanship which was so refreshing.
“I have followed the Vikings fortunes closely since then.
“I’m hoping to get my wife and three-year-old son involved as well. She’s already said she fancies coming to the 2016 Magic Weekend and my son already has the 2015 Magic Weekend kit which he loves wearing!”
As a 2016 Viking Stronghold Member, James is entitled to a FREE Magic Weekend ticket.
The 2016 Magic Weekend once again takes place at St James’ Park in Newcastle, with the Vikings taking on Salford Red Devils on Saturday May 21 (2.30pm kick-off)
Full Membership includes entry to all home Super League and Super 8s fixtures, as well (list at end of story) as a raft of benefits such as a free Magic Weekend ticket, discount on Ladbrokes Challenge Cup fixtures, Priority ticket purchase and 10% discount in the Vikings Superstore.
A General Membership (priced at £50) is a great way of making savings even for people you know who are not regular visitors to the Select Security Stadium, with discounts for a huge range of food, home, motor, gardening and fitness outlets alongside day to day service providers throughout the local borough.
For more information about the Viking Stronghold Membership and how to sign up, click here.
