Newcastle fan arrested for urinating on statue of Sunderland legend Bob Stokoe

A Newcastle fan has been arrested for urinating on a statue of Sunderland legend Bob Stokoe.

The statue of Stokoe sits outside the Stadium of Light in memory of Sunderland's former manager, recreating the pose he struck while dancing across the turf following the club's FA Cup final win over Leeds in 1973.

A man was seen desecrating the memorial while wearing a Newcastle shirt in footage that has been circulating on social media, and a full investigation is now underway.

A spokesman for Sunderland said in a statement on Monday: "This matter has been referred to the police and we will not be making any further comment at this moment in time."

Meanwhile, Northumbria Police has confirmed that a man is now in custody in relation to the incident.

“We are aware of a video circulating on social media which appears to show a man urinating on a memorial outside the Stadium of Light in Sunderland," a spokesman for Northumbria Police said.

“This type of behaviour is totally unacceptable and a full investigation has been launched into the incident.

“A 21-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct and remains in police custody at this time.

“We recognise that incidents of this nature can cause anger and frustration within our communities.

"We would ask everyone to please respect the ongoing investigation and refrain from anything that could jeopardise these live enquiries.”

Stokoe began his career at Newcastle in 1950 and spent 10 years with the club, making 261 appearances in total as a defender while also picking up an FA Cup winners' medal.

He saw out the remaining years of his playing days at Bury between 1960 and 1964 before moving into management, eventually taking over at Sunderland in the Second