Retire Tiote's Number 24 shirt – Newcastle fans urge club

Fans of English Premier League side, Newcastle United have urged the club to retire the Number 24 shirt worn by deceased Ivorian international, Cheick Tiote.

A section of the club’s fans have launched a petition addressed to the club and its current manager, Rafael Benitez to consider their appeal.

‘‘In the light of the legends death. The shirt number should be retired in honour of his life. A Newcastle legend taken too soon. Lets come together as a family and honour a fallen family member,’‘ the peition created by one Dan Brad read.

It has so far garnered over 2,600 signatories as at Thursday June 08. A threshold of 5,000 petitioners is required for further action to be taken.

Tiote spent 7 years with the club having transferred from Dutch top flight side, FC Twente in 2010. He left in February this year to join Chinese side, Beijing Enterprises after one goal in 139 games for the Magpies.

If approved, it will be in line with what Manchester City did for former Cameroonian international Marc-Vivien Foe. The club retired the number 23 shirt Foe won during his stay after the player died whiles representing the Indomitable Lions in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Two other French clubs Foe played for, Lens (1994 – 1999) and Lyon (2000 – 2003) also retired the number 17 shirt he wore. Cameroonian Jean Makoun, however, took the shirt when he joined Lyon later, explaining that it was in memory of Foe.

Change.org is an American petition website which has millions of users. It hosts sponsored campaigns for organizations. Groups often pay the site to host and promote their petitions. Its stated mission is to “empower people everywhere to create the change they want to see.”

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