Family members of John Alder, 63, and Liam Sweeney, 28, were greeted with huge applause as they laid flowers in the centre circle of the stadium.
They were joined by Fabricio Coloccini, captain of Newcastle, and Vincent Kompany, captain of Manchester City, as well as Sunderland legend Jimmy Montgomery.
The silence was then perfectly observed by both sets of fans as they remembered the pair who had been travelling to New Zealand to watch their team play .
In his programme notes, Newcastle manager Alan Pardew described them as two of the club’s most loyal fans and said they would ensure their memory would live on.
He also paid tribute to Newcastle University students Aidan Brunger, 22, and Neil Dalton, 23, who were killed in Borneo.
“We lost two of our most loyal supporters in John Alder and Liam Sweeney last month, and I know everyone will join myself and all in our dressing room in endorsing the efforts the club have made and are continuing to make to ensure their memories will live on,” he said. “They will not be forgotten by any of us.
“The same goes for Newcastle University students Aidan Brunger and Neil Dalton, who lost their lives in a horrible incident in Borneo.
“Aidan spent some time at our training ground last season and a number of staff got to know him, so it was especially difficult news to digest. Our condolences go to the families of all four lost souls.”
The students were were followed by four men in a car after a bar row and knifed in the street .
Article source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/malaysia-airlines-mh17-plane-crash-4067084
