Hours after the St James' Park sign was removed, Michael Atkinson, of Newbiggin Hall, said he had decided to go to the ground to paint the name back on.
Michael Atkinson: "I was having a laugh with me mates on Facebook and decided to paint St James' on the wall.
"I had just done the St James and was just about to do the apostrophe when I saw the blue lights flashing so obviously I had to quit.
"The police were OK when they arrested me but obviously they cannot condone it.
"The ground has always been St James' Park and should always be St James'.
"I don't understand why he [Mike Ashley] has just pulled the sign off now when he changed the name in November.
"He seems to just like winding the fans up - every time we are doing well he seems to do something to wind us up."