James Trafford sparked backlash from Newcastle fans after an embarrassing Sunderland-themed Instagram gaffe
Newcastle United fans were left amused after Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford made a social media slip that saw him accidentally adopt Sunderland slang, much to the frustration of Magpies supporters.
Trafford, who famously saved a stoppage-time penalty in the 2023 UEFA U21 European Championship final to help England beat Spain, was in a celebratory mood over the weekend. He reshared a video of his heroics from that summer and also took to the comments on a post from Elliot Anderson, who played a part in the same campaign.
Anderson, who joined Nottingham Forest from Newcastle for £35million exactly a year ago, posted a photo of himself with the trophy alongside the caption: “EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS.” Trafford replied with a simple: “Ha’way.” The problem? He used the Wearside spelling of the word, not the Tyneside one.
While likely meant as a show of support for Tyneside-born Anderson, Trafford’s use of “ha’way” rather than the Geordie “ho’way” sparked backlash in the comments. Anderson himself quickly corrected him, replying with the correct spelling, and several Newcastle fans piled in to point out the mix-up.
Trafford later deleted the comment, seemingly realising the error and the irony of using Sunderland’s version of the term when addressing a former Newcastle midfielder. It wasn’t Trafford’s only brush with Instagram drama that weekend.
The Burnley goalkeeper also posted a clip of his penalty save against Spain, which prompted Newcastle keeper Nick Pope to respond in the comments with: “See you soon s-------,” hinting at an incoming transfer. That comment has also since been removed, as has the post itself.
Trafford, who saved two Wilson Isidor penalties against Sunderland for Burnley last season, has been heavily linked with a move to St James’ Park, with Newcastle looking to bring in competition – and eventually a long-term replacement – for Pope, who has a year left on his current deal and has struggled with injuries in recent seasons. Whether Trafford joins the Magpies or not, one thing is certain: if he wants to keep the fans onside, spelling lessons might be the first order of business.
What Sunderland transfer news is there?
Sunderland have agreed a deal to sign Reinildo Mandava on a free transfer from Atlético Madrid, with the 31-year-old set to become the club’s latest summer signing.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed the move on Sunday, stating: “Reinildo to Sunderland, here we go! Two year deal done for the left back set to join from Atlético Madrid.” The experienced defender joins following the expiry of his contract with the La Liga side, where he made 74 appearances across all competitions after arriving from Lille in 2022.
Reinildo featured at the Club World Cup earlier this year but fell down the pecking order in Madrid and will now bring valuable experience to a Sunderland squad being rebuilt for Premier League football. Romano also noted that after investing heavily in 21-year-old midfielder Habib Diarra, who has reportedly joined in a club-record £30million deal, Sunderland are now looking to strike the right balance between youth and experience.
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Described as part of an “ambitious project,” the arrival of Reinildo signals another decisive move under owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, head coach Régis Le Bris, and incoming director of football Florent Ghisolfi. Sunderland are expected to continue their recruitment drive, with Armand Laurienté and Marcin Bulka among the players currently being monitored.
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