1901: Newcastle vs Sunderland Riot Due to Overcrowding

The highly anticipated league title clash on April 5, 1901, was marred by chaos when St. James' Park became too small for the thousands of fans. Following the match's postponement due to overcrowding, angry Newcastle supporters engaged in a riotous disturbance that forced police to intervene.

The riotous conduct resulted in a baton charge and left eleven people injured. With Sunderland holding the league lead, the match held significant prestige, but the sheer volume of supporters overwhelmed the venue, creating one of the earliest examples of crowd control issues in top-flight football.