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Crumpy Gunt

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If North Shields are eligible for promotion at the end of the season will they take it?

My stepdad who follows them doesn't seem to think they will as they don't want to be promoted after it a key factor in how they went bust.

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If North Shields are eligible for promotion at the end of the season will they take it?

My stepdad who follows them doesn't seem to think they will as they don't want to be promoted after it a key factor in how they went bust.

 

They won't take it. Haven't applied and their ground wouldn't be good enough anyway.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, it's the big one this Saturday. The South / North derby. 2nd v 1st in the league. Apparently upwards of 2k tickets have been sold.

Should be a lively affair both on and off the pitch.

 

2000 sold mate aye!

 

Shame it's the same time as our match!

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Well, it's the big one this Saturday. The South / North derby. 2nd v 1st in the league. Apparently upwards of 2k tickets have been sold.

Should be a lively affair both on and off the pitch.

 

Got tickets, looking forward to it.

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Morpeth 2-0 North Shields last night meaning South Shields are five points behind them with two games in hand!

 

Not that it really matters mind as North Shields aren't applying to go up!

 

Does anyone know if Morpeth or Shildon have  or are going to?

 

 

1 North Shields 22 52

2 South Shields 20 47

3 Morpeth Town 17 38

4 Shildon 16 34

 

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Morpeth 2-0 North Shields last night meaning South Shields are five points behind them with two games in hand!

 

Not that it really matters mind as North Shields aren't applying to go up!

 

Does anyone know if Morpeth or Shildon have  or are going to?

 

 

1 North Shields 22 52

2 South Shields 20 47

3 Morpeth Town 17 38

4 Shildon 16 34

 

 

Was there last night supporting the Mighty Peth with some Cod Heed (North Shields) pals, so was double sweet!!

 

Morpeth I don't think have any intention of going up and I hope they don't. Unless you have ambitions way beyond the Evostik league or the Northern Premier. South Shields have that ambition and the money behind them now, as Spennymoor did to a degree. But Newcastle Blue Star still serves as a warning.

 

Frankly in my view its far better to stay in the Northern League and play all local teams and that seems to be the view of most and is why we have players in the league of better standard than a league or two above us - and is why we always win the FA Vase.

 

As for Shildon, there was some chat about them preparing a bid to show that they could make the step up financially last year but for some reason that never came off.

 

 

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Morpeth I don't think have any intention of going up and I hope they don't. Unless you have ambitions way beyond the Evostik league or the Northern Premier. South Shields have that ambition and the money behind them now, as Spennymoor did to a degree. But Newcastle Blue Star still serves as a warning.

 

Blue Star is a warning not to go up when you have no fanbase. You can’t compare it to the established sides with historically decent pull- Shields (x2), Whitley, Bishops. The extra travelling expense means a few more are needed on the gate than more southerly counterparts, but any side getting 300-350 on a regular basis can make it work.

 

Frankly in my view its far better to stay in the Northern League and play all local teams and that seems to be the view of most and is why we have players in the league of better standard than a league or two above us - and is why we always win the FA Vase.

 

I’ve never understood why fans would be happy to play the same old teams, visit the same towns, never want to challenge themselves. The NL is the natural limit for some clubs, fair enough, but why would clubs with potential be so happy to forever be a big fish is a small pond? There are some great away trips to be had further up the pyramid.

 

Maybe the NL sides should be placed into the Trophy. Let's see how they get on then!

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Blue Star is a warning not to go up when you have no fanbase. You can’t compare it to the established sides with historically decent pull- Shields (x2), Whitley, Bishops. The extra travelling expense means a few more are needed on the gate than more southerly counterparts, but any side getting 300-350 on a regular basis can make it work.

 

Fair point, there was other factors behind Blue Star. An empty Kingston Park being one. But it still shows the risks involved!

 

Fr

I’ve never understood why fans would be happy to play the same old teams, visit the same towns, never want to challenge themselves. The NL is the natural limit for some clubs, fair enough, but why would clubs with potential be so happy to forever be a big fish is a small pond? There are some great away trips to be had further up the pyramid.

 

My knowledge of the Northern League only really transcends the last 4 years or so when I settled in Morpeth having come back 'home' from Leeds and subsequently being fed up with NUFC. But my take is most of the fans are NUFC/SAFC fans who enjoy watching local teams play each other and the 'mind-set', if you like, of preferring to stay in the Northern League ensures it is a better quality league overall that if teams took promotion at every opportunity. Even talking to the North Shields fans, who do have good gates (and brought a lot of fans up last night) mostly agreed with that sentiment. Is it perhaps that most fans see them as their second teams to NUFC/SAFC/MFC? I get that impression talking to other fans. Not to say they are not passionate about their NL club. In my opinion I'd rather watch Morpeth vs Whitley Bay, Ashington, North Shields etc etc than say Goole, Ilkeston, Stafford Rangers. Its good that you have the option of going to an away game most weekends as well and have a bit craic with opposing fans. You would lose that by taking promotion.

 

Maybe the NL sides should be placed into the Trophy. Let's see how they get on then!

 

If that was allowed I think they would do more than ok, don't you? Morpeth knocked Blyth out of the FA Cup this season at Blyth and North Shields beat them in the Northumberland Seniors final last year. Not saying they would win it but I think they would do well.

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I know clubs like North & South Shields and Whitley Bay get good crowds now, but would the same people go the higher up the league ladder they go, when prices would naturally have to go up?

The northern league is very likely a better and more competitive league than the league above. It'll be a few levels up again before prices increase drastically. Most NL teams couldn't absorb the costs of being in a national league. South coast on a Wednesday night when most the players would have day jobs etc. Hotels etc.

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Is it perhaps that most fans see them as their second teams to NUFC/SAFC/MFC? I get that impression talking to other fans. Not to say they are not passionate about their NL club.

 

I'm sure that's true, but it's no different to other parts of the country in that many non-league matchgoers will have a 'first love'. Once you go past the three main clubs which are so dominant in people's support, the NE is a backwater in terms of participation in the pyramid. It makes it harder for young players to move up and down the leagues, so many move to another part of the country and end up spending their better years in L1/ L2 and the upper-reaches of non-league, before maybe returning north once their legs have gone. Right now from teams in the NE (ie not Yorks or Cumbria) there's only Darlo and Gateshead between NUFC and Blyth in the pyramid and that's not a healthy balance.

 

In my opinion I'd rather watch Morpeth vs Whitley Bay, Ashington, North Shields etc etc than say Goole, Ilkeston, Stafford Rangers. Its good that you have the option of going to an away game most weekends as well and have a bit craic with opposing fans. You would lose that by taking promotion.

 

Stafford Rangers is a smashing day out.

 

Morpeth knocked Blyth out of the FA Cup this season at Blyth and North Shields beat them in the Northumberland Seniors final last year. Not saying they would win it but I think they would do well.

 

The Trophy covers everything up the National League- so a good number of full-time sides and plenty of 'semi-pro' where the players may be part-time but football is their main job.  If Blyth get to the QF this year that would be a fantastic acheivement (they've done it twice in 20-odd years). It's a world away from the Vase.

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Be hilarious if it kicks off at the UKIP Shields derby later on.

 

It really wouldn't be.

Northern league is typically about families, OAPs, kids, easy going atmospheres and rival fans and players all having a drink together post match.

It's sad when anyone wants to "kick off" at a football match anywhere, but incredibly sad to do it at a minor league game where women and kids will be unable to avoid it.

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Wonderful win for the real shields!

 

Arca had penalty saved (diving bastard) and the northerners popped in an 84th minute winner courtesy of Kevin Hughes.

 

Soaked, frozen but happy!

Was there a good crowd crumpy?

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Wonderful win for the real shields!

 

Arca had penalty saved (diving bastard) and the northerners popped in an 84th minute winner courtesy of Kevin Hughes.

 

Soaked, frozen but happy!

Was there a good crowd crumpy?

 

2651 in attendance. (2600 squeezed under the main stand out the rain) About 400 North Shields.

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