Sunderland have officially put to bed the myth they could ground-share with arch-rivals Newcastle United if the Magpies need a temporary home upon expanding St James' Park.

The bold speculation emerged in the Guardian earlier this month, with reports suggesting the two foes could share the Wearside venue, like the two Milan clubs at the San Siro, with discussions taking place as to whether St James' Park will be redeveloped or ditched for a new stadium elsewhere. Newcastle United sources laughed off those plans when asked by Chronicle Live at the time but Sunderland supporters are seemingly still concerned at the prospect of sharing their home in the future.

So much so, the question was put to the Black Cats' business officer David Bruce at a recent Sunderland Supporter Collective Meeting, with the boardroom chief insisting the idea 'had not been discussed and would not be entertained' in a firm response to worried fans.

A decision on Newcastle's stadium future is expected in the coming months with the club's Chief Operating Officer, Brad Miller, tasked with overseeing the monumental process. Speaking before Christmas at a fan event, the former transport chief floated the idea of moving to a new, custom-built city centre venue as opposed to renovating - and expanding - St James' Park.

That scenario certainly seems more appetising to fans than it once did - and could potentially solve the problem of Newcastle having to look for temporary accommodation if St James' Park was not under construction.

Other than the Stadium of Light, venues such as Kingston Park, the Darlington Arena, the Gateshead International Stadium and even Murrayfield have been touted as potential options for the Magpies in the short-term. Each would likely come with their own, unique sticking points regarding travel, distance, capacity, security and more.

While the stadium conundrum remains an intriguing talking point, speculation is also rife that Newcastle will be moving training grounds. A report by the Daily Mail this week suggested the north east outfit have sought the expertise of 'Populous', the architects behind stunning developments at Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid, to design a new 'best in class' facility for Eddie Howe's side.

Chronicle Live understands Newcastle initially assessed a wealth of potential locations, including on land around the city's airport, with the Reuben family-owned Newcastle Racecourse now looking like one of main contenders to house the new, state-of-the-art facility.

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