Non-league football

THE JOURNEYMAN

North East’s non-League boom shows no sign of slowing

Gregor Robertson visits North Shields

Gregor Robertson

April 10 2017, 12:01am, The Times

 

The derby clash attracted a sellout crowd of 1,500 on SaturdayCRAIG CONNOR/NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES

 

‘The Morgue” is filling up nicely before the Ebac Northern League Division One top-of-the-table clash on Saturday, anticipation gently simmering in a part of the country where fervour and football go hand in hand. “I feel like a kid waiting for Santa,” Sean Redford, the North Shields club secretary, says. He is a burly man with tattoos and cropped hair, hawking cans of beer from an ice bucket under a gazebo.

South Shields are in town, rivals from the other side of the tunnel at the mouth of the River Tyne, and the undercurrent of both clubs’ association with the two behemoths of northeast football — Newcastle United to the north, Sunderland to the south — is never far away. “I haven’t slept a wink,” Redford says. Welcome to “El Working Clasico”.

In all likelihood, like me, you had never heard of this game, played at tier nine of the English football pyramid. Yet it is a game with a rich heritage stretching back more than a century. In the middle decades of the 20th century the derby regularly drew crowds of more than 10,000. Supporters of a certain age remember “packed ferries” crossing the river in the days before the Tyne tunnel was built.

South Shields spent the 1920s as high as the Second Division of the Football League. In 1960, North Shields finished three points behind Peterborough United at the top of the Midland Counties League and Peterborough were elected to the Fourth Division. As chairman Alan Matthews, 68, proudly told me, North Shields are the only club to have won the FA Amateur Cup, the FA Vase and the European Amateur Cup.

Mike Taylor, the North Shields treasurer, tells me how he hurried his newlywed back from their honeymoon in Jersey to see that FA Amateur Cup final, in 1969. “We got the shuttle bus straight to Wembley from Heathrow,” he says. “I didn’t mention it till the day before we got married. But I’d already bought the tickets.” More recently, however, both have endured periods exiled from their homes, there have been financial troubles and they have flirted with extinction. “Both clubs have found themselves down and out, but we’ve fought back,” Matthews says.

The depression that has enveloped football in the northeast for much of the past decade, punctuated by the occasional season filled with the hope that comes with promotion, has, it seems, been to the benefit of the non-League scene. A growing disconnect between supporters and elite clubs, and the cost of supporting them, is also contributing to greater numbers passing through the gates further down the pyramid.

“It costs you something in the region of £100 to go and see Newcastle,” Paul Jackson, North Shields’ groundsman, says. “North Shields, for example, is £6 to get in, a pint is £2 in the clubhouse, and a Bovril’s 80p.”

South Shields recently became the tenth FA Vase finalist in the past nine years to have come from this part of the country, but their recent revival is down to local businessman Geoff Thompson — the “Abramovich of the Northern League,” Jackson says. Two years ago, South Shields were playing their home games 20 miles south in Peterlee, watched by 40 or 50 supporters, as they were unable to pay the lease on their ground at Filtrona Park.

In 2015, Thompson bought the club and ground, which he renamed Mariners Park, and has invested a seven-figure sum with the aim of one day reaching the National League.

His star signing was Julio Arca, now 36, who of course played more than 300 league games for Sunderland and Middlesbrough. He was forced to retire through injury in 2013, but 18 months later, he began playing Sunday league football, with a friend, for Willow Pond FC.

A call from South Shields outlined their ambitions and piqued Arca’s interest. When the Argentinian signed in 2015, gates of about 300 instantly doubled. This season their attendances have averaged 1,250; last month, when South Shields sealed their forthcoming trip to Wembley in the FA Vase, almost 3,500 fans flocked to Mariners Park.

“I didn’t know much about the Northern League, to be honest,” Arca says, “but we have some great players who have played at different levels, some abroad.

“The crowds have been rising and it’s great to see the passion of the fans; to see so many people come to watch football at this level.”

 

Foley, left, struck the only goal of the game to send South Shields top of the tableCRAIG CONNOR/NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES

As the sun streams down on the Daren Persson Stadium (the funeral director’s sponsorship led to the ground’s moniker), the slightly bemusing North Shields “Ultras” stand on the grassy bank they label the “Curva Nord”, with their St George’s flags tied to the fencing, enjoying the freedom of being allowed to knock back a few cans of beer while watching the game. Their songs would not be to everyone’s taste, I’m sure, and I would not have fancied being the referee or linesman, but the atmosphere among the 1,500 capacity crowd was largely good-natured throughout.

South Shields’ 1-0 win seals a second consecutive promotion and is their 31st consecutive victory, breaking the unofficial world record set by East Kilbride of the Lowland League, which joint-manager, Graham Fenton, saw as a “distraction”.

The Mariners’ financial muscle was evident most in a dangerous front three that included David Foley, 29, whose swerving, dipping 25-yard strike midway through the first half settled this game. North Shields rallied when Arca was shown a second yellow card, but South Shields stood firm to go above their rivals on goal difference with two games in hand. Without the funds to meet the additional travel costs in the Evo-Stik League, North Shields did not apply to be promoted, and their title challenge was left in tatters.

Fenton controversially crossed from North to South Shields last summer, but he is also remembered in these parts for scoring twice for Blackburn Rovers against his boyhood club, Newcastle United, as a substitute in a 2-1 win at Ewood Park in 1996. Those goals effectively ended Newcastle’s Premier League title bid and his win against his former club on Saturday came exactly 21 years later.

He feels that the Premier League he once played in has now “lost touch with reality”.

“I think a lot of people around the area have fallen out of love with the Premier League,” Fenton tells me on the pitch after the game. “I get disheartened when I see things like players driving into the stadium without signing autographs for the people who’re paying their wages. I think it’s a huge mistake. I understand they’re blown up to be superstars now, there’s the TV money and what have you, but you should have that relationship with the fans.”

For Matthews, this game is just one thread in the rich fabric of non-League football. “At grassroots level, every club has their own group of supporters and committee men, who don’t take any money, who do everything for nothing, simply for the benefit of the club; we’re just one of many hundreds throughout the country,” he says. “It’s wonderful.”

 

In a nutshell

Nickname The Robins

Club crest The three crowns represent three ancient kings buried at Tynemouth Priory and the ship, pitman and seaman represent the area’s industries, hence the motto “Messis ab altis”: harvest of the deep

Ground/Capacity Daren Persson Stadium, or “The Morgue”, 1,500 (100 seated). Ticket prices: Adults: £6; Concessions: £3

Price of a programme Robins, 38 pages, £1.50

Price of a pie £1

Price of a pint £2 a can

Weirdest thing in the club shop No shop, but hats, badges, strips and scarves for sale

One for the future Curtis Coppen, 22, a defender or midfielder, has trial at Jamie Vardy’s V9 Academy at Etihad Stadium this summer

Record signing Paid £3,000 on several occasions in the past

Highest league finish Midland League runners-up, 1959/60

Moment in history Defeated Sutton United 2-1 in front of 47,000 fans at Wembley to lift the

FA Amateur Cup in 1969

Greatest player Frank Brennan, former Scotland and Newcastle defender, played in late Fifties and early Sixties, before managing the club

Greatest manager In 1968/69, Brennan led them to a quadruple of Northern League and Cup, FA Amateur Cup and Anglo-Italian Cup

Celebrity fan Ray Laidlaw, drummer for folk rock band Lindisfarne, had a spell as press officer in the Nineties

 

South Shields made it 32 in a row with a 4-0 win over Marske tonight - hat-trick for Finnigan!

2nd vs 3rd at the Morgue tonight as the Mighty Peth travel to North Shields. Morpeth doing their usual end of season 4 games a week catch up due to amount of games postponed and North Shields having an end of season collapse. After playing Saturday and Monday, Morpeth might be physically knackered but NS seem to be mentally knackered so intriguing. Still an outside shot for whomever wins to win the title but will require Morpeth to beat South Shields at the weekend, which seems unlikely.

2nd vs 3rd at the Morgue tonight as the Mighty Peth travel to North Shields. Morpeth doing their usual end of season 4 games a week catch up due to amount of games postponed and North Shields having an end of season collapse. After playing Saturday and Monday, Morpeth might be physically knackered but NS seem to be mentally knackered so intriguing. Still an outside shot for whomever wins to win the title but will require Morpeth to beat South Shields at the weekend, which seems unlikely.

 

Comfy 1-2 win for Morpeth. Shields dominated the first 44 minutes and 45 seconds them Morpeth scored with their only effort in the first half.

Morpeth dominated the 2nd half scoring again before Shields had a mini revival scoring a canny goal - too little too late.

 

Shields have definitely hit a wall the last few weeks. Too many mid season departures leaving the squad mentally fragile. They've looked weary.

Still a great season though.

I think I'll pop over for South Shields vs Morpeth! It should be a good match and I expect there to be a few tackles flying in!

2nd vs 3rd at the Morgue tonight as the Mighty Peth travel to North Shields. Morpeth doing their usual end of season 4 games a week catch up due to amount of games postponed and North Shields having an end of season collapse. After playing Saturday and Monday, Morpeth might be physically knackered but NS seem to be mentally knackered so intriguing. Still an outside shot for whomever wins to win the title but will require Morpeth to beat South Shields at the weekend, which seems unlikely.

 

Comfy 1-2 win for Morpeth. Shields dominated the first 44 minutes and 45 seconds them Morpeth scored with their only effort in the first half.

Morpeth dominated the 2nd half scoring again before Shields had a mini revival scoring a canny goal - too little too late.

 

Shields have definitely hit a wall the last few weeks. Too many mid season departures leaving the squad mentally fragile. They've looked weary.

Still a great season though.

 

Didn't feel that comfortable in the first half, we could (should) have been 3 down and the goal was massively against the run of play. Thought our legs were gone having played on Monday but the lads must have had some Red Bull at half time because they were superb in the second half. You could tell that goal against the run of play was a massive psychological blow to Shields and they were making so many mistakes.

 

Good win for us, outside chance of the league if we beat South Shields but realistically we are chasing down 2nd spot.

Jarra vs Sunderland Ashbrooke Belford House in the Cup Final at the Hetton Centre 11am today - win this and they'll be a tadpole's pube from doing the double!

Tremendous!

 

Jarra FC promoted to the Northern League - great set of lads and setup so well done to all!

Spennymoor need just a point on Saturday in their final match to finish 2nd and secure home advantage in the playoffs.

Last West Allotment match tomorrow.

Used to watch them, at times, when I lived in Heaton. Sad.

It's a real shame seeing a local club fold, especially with a lot of others doing really well. Is there really no way back for them?

It's a real shame seeing a local club fold, especially with a lot of others doing really well. Is there really no way back for them?

 

Relying on a hero I think but don't think anything is in the pipeline.

It's a real shame seeing a local club fold, especially with a lot of others doing really well. Is there really no way back for them?

 

Relying on a hero I think but don't think anything is in the pipeline.

 

,NUFC could easily coverALL the costs. Perhaps it's NUFCs wish to have exclusive use of the pitch without the hassle of having WAC play their games there.

It's a real shame seeing a local club fold, especially with a lot of others doing really well. Is there really no way back for them?

 

Relying on a hero I think but don't think anything is in the pipeline.

 

,NUFC could easily coverALL the costs. Perhaps it's NUFCs wish to have exclusive use of the pitch without the hassle of having WAC play their games there.

Nothing to do with NUFC. NUFC's training centre is next to it, it's not the same pitch they use. Also with first team training, academy training, and non 1st team matches all played at our training complex then it would make it logistically impossible for NUFC to allow West Allotment, or any other team play there.

NUFC under 23s play almost all home games there (Whitley Park).

 

 

I really don't see what it has to do with NUFC at all. If they help West Allotment, what happens if North Shields come crawling etc etc. It could cause a shit storm in theory.

@ Greg/Stifler

I really don't see what it has to do with NUFC at all. If they help West Allotment, what happens if North Shields come crawling etc etc. It could cause a s*** storm in theory.

 

Agreed. Sets a dangerous precedent.

 

 

I really don't see what it has to do with NUFC at all. If they help West Allotment, what happens if North Shields come crawling etc etc. It could cause a shit storm in theory.

 

I'm suggesting there is no need to be charging WAC more than they already pay (£4500) per season. Another 3k has killed them stone dead.

That's got nothing to do with NUFC.

Definitely nowt to do with NUFC and I agree it would be a bad precedent if they got involved.

 

There now, got me last programme and raffle ticket.

Spennymoor won 2-0 today

Meaning they finish 2nd in the league. Guaranteed home in the playoffs (inc final if they get there)

They play against Nantwich on Tuesday