Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear wants Newcastle fans to get behind the team and not target owner Mike Ashley at Sunday's Tyne-Wear derby. Kinnear told The Sun: "This is a game where the fans have to be a 12th man and get behind the team, irrespective of what they think of me, or Mike or anyone else.

"Mike has never been disillusioned, badly hurt and upset, but he is desperate to come back."

Despite the mass protests, Kinnear believes it is only a minority of the crowd who are against Ashley.

He said: "It is only a small section of the crowd.

"He's not daft enough not to know what will happen if we lose against Sunderland.

"I think they realise what he has done. He bought the club when it was in the s***. He has paid all the debts and paid out a fortune.

"Mike has put his money in and is entitled to be given a chance. He writes out the cheques every week to pay the wages."

He added: "But he is in a no-win situation. He doesn't buy players, he doesn't do this, doesn't do that, he is going to come in for stick.

"That's the way football is. Mike knows the situation we are in here because of what is hitting his own business."