It’s not every day you see Newcastle United fans proudly wearing red and white — the colours of their fiercest rivals, Sunderland. But when Athletic Bilbao visit St James’ Park, the story behind that rare sight runs deep.

For supporters like Julen Izagirre, Wednesday night’s Champions League clash is a special kind of emotional conflict. The lifelong Athletic fan will wear his club’s colours but also drape a Newcastle scarf around his neck.

“It’s confusing,” he admitted. “I’ve always supported Newcastle when I’ve been to St James’ Park. This time I’ll be in the away end, supporting both teams I love. I think I’ll suffer more than enjoy it — I don’t want either to lose.”

This unlikely bond was born from a UEFA Cup encounter in 1994, when the two clubs met for the first and only time in a competitive fixture. Although Athletic advanced on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate draw, the friendship that grew between the sets of fans left a lasting mark on both cities.

Julen’s father, Mikel Izagirre, was there that night at San Mamés. After Athletic’s 1-0 win, home supporters poured onto the pitch to applaud the travelling Geordies — a spontaneous act of sportsmanship that still lives vividly in memory.

Forward Gontzal Suances, who scored in the first leg at St James’ Park, still recalls the occasion fondly. “It’s a joy that my dream of playing for Athletic is connected to such a beautiful story shared with Newcastle,” he said.

A Warm Welcome in Both Cities

The feeling was mutual. Newcastle fans who travelled to Bilbao in 1994 still describe it as one of their most memorable away trips.

“They wouldn’t let you spend a penny,” recalled supporter Tony Waters. “I came back with as much money as I left with. They just wouldn’t let you buy a drink — they treated us like family.”

The connection had already begun two weeks earlier on Tyneside, when Newcastle fans gave their Spanish visitors an enthusiastic welcome. “They bonded instantly,” Suances later said. “What happened in Bilbao was a way of repaying that warmth.”

It’s easy to see why the two groups connected. Both communities — the Basques and the Geordies — share a deep sense of local pride, identity, and loyalty to their football clubs.

“Bilbao feels very British,” said Mikel Izagirre. “You see it in the culture, in the pubs, and especially at San Mamés. There’s a real British influence throughout the city.”

A Night to Remember

For Newcastle, that UEFA Cup campaign was their first taste of European football since 1977 and their first after English clubs’ post-Heysel ban was lifted. Despite a heavy police presence, the atmosphere was one of respect and celebration.

Supporter Karl Pedley remembered entering the stadium escorted by riot police — but within minutes, the tension melted away. “Some of them even sat down, took off their helmets, and started watching the match,” he said.

When Athletic fans invaded the pitch after the final whistle, it wasn’t to taunt the visitors. Instead, they ran toward the away end to applaud them. Newcastle fans responded by chanting “Athletic! Athletic! Athletic!” — and the mutual respect only grew from there.

Outside the ground, fans mingled freely. “We were led down a staircase and saw this sea of red and white,” Pedley recalled. “We thought we were in trouble, but they just wanted to shake hands, buy us drinks, and take us to the bars. It was like they wanted to ‘adopt a Geordie.’”

Songs were exchanged — from “Walking in a Keegan Wonderland” to “Andy, Andy Cole” — and even shirts and scarves were swapped. For one night, Newcastle fans proudly wore red and white, not as rivals, but as friends.

One of those swapped Athletic shirts still hangs in Newcastle fan Philip Long’s wardrobe. “It’s there with a couple hundred of my Toon tops,” he said. “I’ll never let go of it.”

Three decades on, that spirit of friendship remains — a reminder that football, at its best, brings people together in ways that last far beyond the final whistle.