Newcastle bids to be host World Cup city in 2018
Stadium: St James' Park (52,000 capacity) with potential for expansion to 60,000 or 70,000.
Selling point: Toon army's support for football and Newcastle United, size of St James' Park, geographical coverage of the north east.
Events held there: Matches in the 1996 European Championships, Great North Run (the world's largest half marathon), to be used for football in the 2012 Olympics, international athletics meets at Gateshead.
Random fact: Daniel Defoe wrote "Robinson Crusoe" in Gateshead in 1720.
Attractions: Angel of the north, coastline, two World Heritage sites, Hadrian's wall, the Tyne bridge, BALTIC contemporary art gallery, the Biscuit Factory.
Transport links: Metro system within the city, Newcastle Central train station is on the east coast main line, Newcastle International Airport is only eight miles from the city centre, North Shields International Ferry terminal links the city with Sandinavia and Northern Europe, A1(M) provides north/south links to Edinburgh and London.
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