Durham Challenge Cup Final – 3rd April

200px-Gateshead_FC.svg

** Dean Street Bar will be open from 8:00 am in the morning
** The Supporters bus will leave Dean Street at 9:45am (Pre-Booked seats only)

** Dean Street Bar will also be open on the return from the game

Venue

The Hetton Centre
Welfare Road
Hetton-le-Hole
DH5 9NE

Match Day

3rd April
Kick Off: 10:45 am

Admission Prices
Adult – £ 5.00
Concession – £ 2.00

How Gateshead got to the Final

1st Round
Gateshead 4 Sunderland West End 0

2nd Round
8th January 2015
Gateshead 2 Consett 0

Quarter Final
11th February 2015
Gateshead 4 Jarrow Roofing BCA1

Semi Final
4th March 2015
Gateshead 7 Easington 2

 

The History of Gateshead Football Club taken from www.gateshead-fc.com

The original Gateshead AFC was formed in 1930 when neighbours South Shields, members of the Football League’s old Third Division North, moved to Gateshead because of financial difficulties.

The newly formed ‘Tynesiders’ almost capitalised immediately on their good fortune when only Lincoln City’s superior goal average denied them promotion to the second division in just their second season of League football.

However, it was to be the FA Cup that was to provide the club with its finest hour when cup fever gripped the Tyneside town in 1953.

After accounting for Liverpool in the third round, Gateshead progressed to the quarter-final only for their Wembley aspirations to be denied by a single Nat Lofthouse goal for eventual finalists Bolton Wanderers.

A sell-out Redheugh Park crowd of 17,692 had witnessed the spectacle, but within five years the North Easterners were founder members of the newly formed Fourth Division after they missed the cut for the Third Division by just one point.

Despite an average placing of 9th in 21 Third Division North campaigns, interrupted by the second world war, two years after the introduction of the Fourth Division came Gateshead’s shock dismissal from the Football League.

The club had applied for re-election only once before in a relatively successful 30-year period, but were unceremoniously cast aside in favour of the more geographically favourable Peterborough United in 1960.

Gateshead had finished third bottom with both Oldham Athletic and Hartlepools United below them, but polled only 18 votes and were unjustly voted out of the League.

An unsuccessful bid to join the Scottish Football League was followed by a brief spell in the Northern Counties League and then six years in North Regional League.

In 1968 Gateshead became founder members of the Northern Premier League, but their stay in the new competition lasted only two years.

Their place was, ironically, taken by another demoted Football League outfit, Bradford Park Avenue, and Gateshead were forced to replace their own reserve side in the Wearside League.

Finishing as runners-up the Tynesiders then had two seasons in the Midland League until in 1973, seven leagues and 43 years after its inception, Gateshead AFC ceased to exist.

A new club called Gateshead Town played the following season in the local Northern Combination League but, astonishingly, history was soon to repeat itself.

South Shields, then members of the Northern Premier League, sold their Simonside headquarters and moved to a new home at Gateshead Stadium.

Renamed Gateshead United the club soon became a force in the Northern Premier League while accounting for Football League clubs Grimsby Town and Crewe Alexandra in the FA Cup.

However, in 1977, after only three years of operation, came the shock announcement that United were to disband – the third body blow to hit Gateshead supporters inside two decades.

It looked like the end of senior football in the town until another phoenix, this time in the form of the currentGateshead FC, rose from the ashes in 1977.

Replacing Gateshead United in the Northern Premier League for the 1977-78 season the new club won the Championship in 1983 with a record 100 points and 114 goals.

After two years in the Conference, the Tynesiders returned to the Northern Premier League and lifted the title for the second time in 1986.

Their second spell in the Conference lasted just one season, though they were quick to bounce back, and reclaimed their place at the top table of non-league football in 1990.

The accustomed role of top flight strugglers was transformed with 7th and 5th place finishes in successive campaigns, 1994/95 and 1995/96, as well as three quarter-final appearances in the FA Trophy in four seasons.

A productive period ended in 1998 when the club was relegated back to the Northern Premier League after eight consecutive seasons of Conference football.

The Heed’s very existence was then threatened early in the new millennium when long-time sponsors Cameron Hall Developments pulled out.

Relegation to the Northern Premier League 1st division followed but, after one season, Gateshead were back in the NPL top tier following the introduction of a geographically split 1st division.

The future for a club with a proud, if somewhat chequered, past took a turn for the better when wealthy Gateshead-born businessman, Graham Wood, took over in 2006.

Gateshead finished third in the UniBond Premier division, NPL, in 2007-8 when they were joint-top goalscorers in the top ten divisions of senior English football, including the Premiership and Football League.

Gateshead struck 93 league goals and beat Buxton 2-0 in the play-off final in front of a four figure crowd at the International Stadium

Back-to-back promotions were achieved when the rejuvenated Tynesiders claimed runners-up spot in the Conference North, where they finished joint-top scorers with 81 goals.

Gateshead beat AFC Telford United 1-0 in the Conference North play-off final in front of a 4,000 plus crowd on Tyneside to reach the Conference Premier.

The first campaign back in non-league’s elite division, 2009/10, proved to be a difficult one with top flight status only retained on the final day of the season on goal difference.

Gateshead then marked the 50th anniversary of their harsh expulsion from the Football League by again becoming a full-time professional club in 2010.

The following season brought a 14th place finish and a place in the semi-final of the FA Trophy for the first time, the Heed then finishing 8th in 2011/12 while reaching the last eight of the Trophy.

The next campaign, however, saw chronic pitch problems at the International Stadium, which resulted in half of their home games being staged at seven different grounds – and 17th place in the table.

Last season, however, Gateshead recorded their highest placing in English Football since their Football League days and reached Wembley for the first time in their 84-year history.

The Heed finished third and attracted their biggest crowd for a competitive game at the International Stadium, 8,202, for the play-off semi-final second-leg win over Grimsby.

They had reached the Conference Premier play-offs for the first time, but hopes of reclaiming League status after more then five decades ended at Wembley in front of a near 20,000 crowd in May.

Gateshead lost the Conference Premier Promotion Final 2-1 against Cambridge United – and will now look to go one better in 2014/15.

 

By Jeff Bowron

ENL1 – Dunston UTS Result

Match Report To Follow

Team

1) Kyle Hayes
2) Marc Ellison
3) Adam Rundle
4) Lee Scroggins
5) Daniel Moore
6) Darren Craddock
7) Mark Hudson (C)
8) Sam Hodgson
9) Paul Connor
10) Ben Wood
11) Billy Greulich-Smith

Subs

12) Jason Blackburn
14) Carl Jones
15) Liam Atkin
16) Mark Doninger
17) Lee Chapman

Booking

Ellison

Man-of-The-Match

ENL1 – Penrith Result

Shildon Grind Out a Win

In blustery conditions Shildon ground out a 2 – 1 home win against Penrith on Saturday 28th March 2015.

Kicking with the wind behind them a John Brackstone free kick was punched away in the 1st minute.

Shildon could have been three goals down within the first 9 minutes. On the 4th minute Penrith’s Martyn Coleman was pulled back inside the area by Darren Craddock for a clear penalty, but the referee said play on.

Minutes later Sam Bells great left foot shot was punched over by Shildon’s keeper Kyle Hayes.

On 9 minutes a Sam Bell header was goal bound but it hit a Penrith player near the goal line and bounced out.

Against the run of play Shildon took the lead on 14 minutes when Mark Doninger was fouled and Lee Scroggins scored from the free kick.

It was 2 – 0 shortly after when Billy Greulich-Smith fired a right foot shot into the bottom corner.

On 34 minutes Shildon should have also been awarded a penalty when Billy Greulich-Smith was pushed over in the box, but once again the ref. said play on.

Half Time:  Shildon AFC  2  Penrith  0

Before the hour a Billy Greulich-Smith header was dropped by keeper Richardson, but the ball was scrambled away.

Taking advantage of the wind behind them, Penrith looked a far better team and on 66 minutes a great right wing corner was headed home by Will Paul for 2 – 1.

Thereafter Penrith took control of the game with Shildon defending corner after corner.

In time added on a long free kick from Sam Bell assisted by the wind was goal bound but once again Shildon’s class keeper Kyle Hayes punched the ball over the bar.

The Railwaymen were relieved to hear the final whistle.

Final Score:  Shildon AFC  2  Penrith  1

Goalscorers:  Scroggins 14, Greulich-Smith 19.

Subs:  Jones for Doninger 83.

Team

1) Kyle Hayes
2) Jamie Harwood
3) John Brackstone
4) Lee Scroggins
5) Daniel Moore
6) Darren Craddock
7) Mark Hudson
8) Sam Hodgson
9) Mark Doninger
10) Ben Wood
11) Billy Greulich-Smith

Subs

12) Marc Ellison
14) Adam Rundle
15) Lee Chapman
16) Carl Jones on for Doninger
17) Jack Taylor

Goals

Lee Scroggins
Billy Greulich-Smith

 

Man-of-The-Match

ENL1 – Penrith Preview

penrith

Venue

Dean Street
Shildon
DL4 1EZ

Match Day

28th March
Kick Off: 15:00

Admission Prices
Adult – £ 6.00
Concession – £ 4.00
Under 12’s free with Paying Adult

Current League Position –  16th ENL2
P 33  W 11  D 10  L 12  F 57  A 61  Pts 43

Last Match Played
25th March 2015
Penrith 1 Sunderland RCA 1

Last Time We Met
2nd December 2014
Penrith 0 Shildon 1

Facts

Founded: 1894
Nickname: Blues
Record Attendance: 2,100 V Chester (1981) at Southend Road
Joined Northern League: 1999-2000
Home Colours: Blue shirt, white shorts and blue socks
Away Colours: 
Website: http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/penrithafc/Home
Twitter: https://twitter.com/penrithfc
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penrith-Afc/153999891327741

 

ENL1 – West Allotment Result

Shildon Move Up To 3rd

Shildon AFC are now 3rd in the league with games in hand after a 2 – 0 home win against West Allotment Celtic on Wednesday 25th March 2015.

The game was won within the first few minutes with the Railwaymen scoring twice. The first came on 5 minutes when John Brackstone headed in a right wing cross.

On 9 minutes Paul Connor cleverly wrong-footed three defenders and then the keeper Ryan Beal, to score a great individual goal for 2 – 0.

Although to was all Shildon, near the break Celtic’s Marc Walton fired wide from the edge of the box.

Half Time:  Shildon AFC  2  West Allotment Celtic  0

The 2nd half was a dull affair with very few scoring chances from either side.

On the hour Celtic’s Liam Anderson was through but miss kicked. Then Celtic’s Marc Walton headed over before they were down to 10 men on 78 minutes when Marc Dummett was red carded for a bad tackle on Sam Hodgson.

Near the end Shildon’s Mark Doninger hit the post.

Final Score:  Shildon AFC  2  West Allotment Celtic  0

Goalscorers:  Brackstone 5, Connor 9.

Subs:  Chapman for Greulich-Smith 65, Taylor for Hudson 75.

A poor game to watch, but a win is a win, and we move on to the next match which is at home to Penrith on Saturday 28th March 2015.

Team

1) Kyle Hayes
2) Jamie Harwood
3) Marc Ellison
4) Lee Scroggins
5) John Brackstone
6) Daniel Moore
7) Mark Hudson (C)
8) Sam Hodgson
9) Paul Connor
10) Mark Doninger
11) Billy Greulich-Smith

Subs

12) Jack Taylor on for Hudson
14) Lee Chapman on for Greulich-Smith
15) Carl Jones
16) Lewis Graham

Man-of-The-Match

ENL1 – West Allotment Preview

West-Allotment-Celtic-FC

 

 

Venue

Dean Street
Shildon
DL4 1EZ

Match Day

25th March
Kick Off: 15:00

Admission Prices
Adult – £ 6.00
Concession – £ 4.00
Under 12’s free with Paying Adult

Current League Position –  18th ENL2
P 37  W 11  D 3  L 23  F 51  A 88  Pts 36

Last Match Played
21st March 2015
West Allotment Celtic 0 Shildon 3

Facts

Founded: 1928
Nickname:
Record Attendance: 510 V Cray Wanderers (FA Vase 2004)
Joined Northern League: 2004-05
Home Colours: Green/white hoop shirt, green shorts and socks
Away Colours: 
Website: http://www.westallotmentcelticfc.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/wacfc
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Allotment-Celtic-FC/236825069759405

History taken from www.westallotmentcelticfc.com

History

From creation to contenders

West Allotment Celtic were formed in 1928, the culmination of a merger between West Allotment Primitive Methodists and West Allotment Juniors. After moving to the newly-created Tynemouth & District League in 1935, the club began to grow in stature. The club had to face Whitley Bay & Monkseaton Reserves in a play-off for the title, but unfortunately, the decider went the way of the seasiders. Remarkably, Allotment also finished in a play-off position in the following two seasons – and, in both cases, had to settle for a runner-up spot.

Changing leagues, sheds and times

In 1938, the club joined the Second Division of the Northern Amateur League. Now playing at the aptly-named Farm Ground, fans helped to dismantle a cowshed in Heaton and move it, piece by piece, to West Allotment, where it was reassembled at the ground. The shed was not for spectators – it served as the players’ changing facilities! The club earned instant promotion (after a play-off, such is club tradition), but World War II put a stop to any further progress.

A succession of successes…

The club recommenced operations in 1946/47 and enjoyed an unprecedented run of success from the mid-fifties onwards. Allotment won the championship for four consecutive seasons between 1956 and 1960, along with the NFA Amateur Cup in 1957 and the NFA Minor Cup in 1958.

…and the decade of decline

The sixties started promisingly enough, as Allotment looked to build on their previous successes. The club finished as runners-up in the Northern Amateur League in 1960, and were consecutive Minor Cup finalists in 1960 and 1961. However, whilst Celtic remained loyal to the Northern Amateur League, the bulk of the team moved on, and Allotment entered a period of decline as a result. The club stagnated badly during the sixties in an uncompetitive league, and closure become a distinctly worrying possibility.

The threat of dissolution was eventually staved off by the introduction of new blood into the club towards the end of the decade, as Allotment finally began to build towards a more positive future on and off the pitch. Celtic also moved to Backworth Welfare in 1968, consigning the ponds and mud of the Farm Ground to memory.

Champions at long last

A rejuvenated West Allotment won the NFA Amateur Cup again in 1975, largely thanks to the goalscoring exploits of Benny Williams, who averaged almost one goal a game in his 400 appearances for the club. Williams was ably supported by a talented and hungry squad, and, with strength in depth, Allotment were always considered title contenders. However, the championship remained tantalisingly out of reach until yet another play-off tie in 1982. Allotment finally won the coveted title, defeating Annitsford Welfare by the odd goal in seven.

When Celtic retained the title with relative ease the following season, the decision was taken to move up a tier for the first time since 1938.

The colossus of the alliance

In 1983, Allotment made its debut in both the Northern Alliance and the FA Vase. The first honour of the period arrived just one season later, as Allotment dispatched Ponteland United in the Alliance Challenge Cup Final. This success was followed up two seasons later by the first of Celtic’s eight Alliance titles.

In 1987, West Allotment emerged victorious from two nail-biting play-off games against Gosforth St. Nicholas, ushering in a wave of success not enjoyed at the club since the fifties. Throughout this period, Celtic won seven further Northern
Alliance titles, never finishing lower than sixth. Terry Mitchell and Brian Latty built upon Ken Scott and Billy Hays’ consecutive Alliance league titles, leading Allotment into the Northern League.

The modern day

Having acted as tenants at Hillheads in Whitley Bay since 1995, the club set out to find a new home, and found it in Benton. In 2001, the club moved to Whitley Park, also known as the Blue Flames Sports Ground. The ground is well-known as one of the best kept pitches in the Northern League, and also serves as the headquarters of the Northumberland FA.

The club earned promotion from Division Two as champions, losing just twice throughout the entire 2004/05 season. After six seasons of holding their own against the Northern League’s top tier, Allotment slipped back down a league. The current crop have gone some way to restoring success at Allotment, winning the Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup last May, and will be aiming for those promotion places this season.