THIS is a momentous week for North-East sport. On Saturday, a gloriously sunny day at Chester-le-Street was a fitting way to end the first Test match in County Durham.

England's innings victory against a poor Zimbabwe was a side issue. The political controversy bubbling beneath the surface was handled with dignity, the Riverside was a picture, and the North-East emerged as the real winner.

Days later, the country's footballers take centre-stage in the first England international on Teesside for a generation.

The fact that the match sold out in record time underlines the way the match against Slovakia has captured the imagination of local people starved of this kind of occasion.

For too long, England's home matches have been in the ownership of London. Now it is the North-East's turn.

Finally, the country is waking up to the fact that this region has everything needed to stage major sporting events - first-class facilities and fans par excellence.

It is an opportunity which must not be wasted by the tiny minority of thugs.

The Football Association has gone to unprecedented lengths to hammer home the message that England's future in Euro 2004 depends on the behaviour of fans.

From David Beckham's televised appeal to Sven-Goran Eriksson's warning in the North-East yesterday, everything possible has been done to underline the seriousness of the situation following the trouble which marred England's encounter with Turkey in Sunderland.

With more than 500 police officers on duty, no one could say that the threat of further violence has not been taken seriously.

Everyone going to the game tonight can play their part by being respectful and helping to defuse potential flashpoints: a little word here, a calming hand on the shoulder there.

England's players must also be acutely aware of their responsibilities.

Let the world only remember the North-East for the way it cheered the national football and cricket teams to two victories in less than a week.

And then let us look forward to more glorious days of world-class sport in the region