By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Viagogo, Europe's leading online ticket marketplace, has announced a new partnership with Newcastle United to become its official ticket exchange partner for the 2012/13 season and beyond.

The new service will provide fans with a safe, convenient and regulated place to buy and sell tickets to the sporting events, concerts and shows - and offers Magpies season ticket holders a legal way to re-sell match tickets they cannot use to like-minded fans and recoup some of the cost back for matches they cannot attend.

An online fan-to-fan ticket exchange will offer a particular benefit to Newcastle season ticket holders by allowing them to sell their seasonal seat for any game they are unable to attend.

Fans can soon sign up via www.viagogo.co.uk/nufc, with individual match tickets issued to the purchaser and the season ticket holders' card then de-activated for the selected game.

Through the partnership, fans will have more opportunities to see their team play at the Sports Direct Arena - ensuring more fans are in the stadium at kick-off to provide the famous Geordie atmosphere for all Barclays Premier League games.

Dale Aitchison, Partnerships Manager at Newcastle United, said: "Our loyal fanbase deserve a place to sell tickets they can no longer use to other Newcastle supporters. By working with viagogo, we are able to extend and improve our service offering to season ticket holders.

"Demand for tickets and Memberships over the last couple of seasons has gone through the roof, and as the Newcastle United brand continues to grow, it makes absolute sense to offer this sort of scheme and to work with viagogo, the world's largest ticket exchange.

"This partnership is great news for both supporters who are occasionally unable to use their season cards, and fans struggling to get a ticket to must-see games."

United legend Peter Beardsley added: "There's nothing better than a packed house here, and this scheme means that can happen more often, while making sure fans don't miss out if there's a match they can't get to."

viagogo has long-standing partnerships with Champions League holders Chelsea, Aston Villa and Bayern Munic, as well as many other world class sports properties, including Roland-Garros and The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Edward Parkinson, from viagogo, said: "The Toon Army are possibly the most passionate supporters in the country, so we are delighted to be offering season ticket holders a legal solution for reselling match day tickets they are unable to use."