Gateshead F.C.
Gateshead Football Club is a professional association football club based in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. The club competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system, as of the 2023–24 season. The team play their home matches at the Gateshead International Stadium.
| Full name | Gateshead Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Tynesiders, The Heed |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Ground | Gateshead International Stadium |
| Capacity | 11,800 |
| Chairman | Neil Pinkerton |
| Manager | Rob Elliot (interim) |
| League | National League |
| 2022–23 | National League, 14th of 24 |
| Website | Club website |
Established in 1977 after Gateshead United folded, the club are known as the "Tynesiders" or the "Heed". There had been a Gateshead A.F.C. in the Football League from 1930 to 1960, which had folded before Gateshead United had been established. The current incarnation of the club began life in the Northern Premier League, winning Premier Division titles in the 1982–83 and 1985–86 seasons. However they were relegated from the Football Conference in 1984 and 1987. They secured promotion back to the Conference at the end of the 1989–90 season, though would remain there until another relegation in 1998. The club were further relegated from the Northern Premier League Premier Division in 2003. They won the First Division play-offs in 2004 and the Premier Division play-offs in 2008, before winning promotion from the Conference North with a second-placed finish in 2008–09. Gateshead spent the next decade in the top-flight of English football's non-League system, losing a play-off final in 2014, before they were demoted into the National League North in 2019 due to financial irregularities. They returned to the National League after winning the National League North in 2021–22.
History edit
The original Gateshead club was formed in 1899 as South Shields Adelaide and became members of the Football League in 1919. In 1930 financial problems saw the club moved to Gateshead, where they adopted the name of their new town.[1] However, the club was voted out of the Football League in 1960 and folded in 1973. History repeated itself as the South Shields club formed to replace the original one was also moved to Gateshead, becoming Gateshead United in 1974. However, they were dissolved at the end of the 1976–77 season. A new club was established, taking over from United in the Northern Premier League.[1] After three seasons in the bottom half of the table, they finished eleventh in 1980–81, also reaching the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 1–0 at Lincoln City. The club finished fourth in the league the following season.[2]
The 1982–83 season saw Gateshead win the Northern Premier League with a record points tally (100), scoring 114 goals in the process.[1] As a result, the club were promoted to the Alliance Premier League. After a sixteenth-place finish in their first season in the league, they finished second-from-bottom in 1984–85 and were relegated back to the Northern Premier League.[2] The following season saw the club win the Northern Premier League title and the league's Challenge Shield,[3] earning an immediate return to the (now renamed) Football Conference. However, they lasted only one season in the Conference, and were relegated back to the Northern Premier League after finishing bottom of the table.[2]
With the Northern Premier League having gained a second division, Gateshead became members of its Premier Division upon their return to the league. They finished eighteenth in 1987–88 and second-from-bottom the following season, but avoided relegation to Division One as no team was relegated to the league from the Conference. After this reprieve, the club were runners-up in 1989–90 and were promoted back to the Conference,[2] as champions Colne Dynamoes were ineligible for promotion. The following seven seasons saw them in mid-table every season, but after finishing in the relegation zone in 1997–98, they returned to the Northern Premier League.[2]
After two top-five finishes following their return, Gateshead finished in mid-table in 2000–01 and 2001–02.[2] Although they were relegated to Division One at the end of the 2002–03 season,[2] a sixth-place finish in 2003–04 was sufficient to secure a return to the Premier Division due to the creation of the Conference North and South leading to many clubs leaving the Premier Division. A third-place finish in the Premier Division in 2007–08 saw the club qualify for the promotion play-offs, and after defeating Eastwood Town 4–0 in the semi-finals, they beat Buxton 2–0 in the final to earn promotion to the Conference North.[4]
In the 2008–09 season, Gateshead were Conference North runners-up.[2] In the subsequent play-offs, they beat Southport 2–1 on aggregate in the semi-finals, before a 1–0 win over AFC Telford United in the final saw them promoted to the Conference National.[2] The club adopted a full-time squad for the first time for the 2010–11 season.[5] In 2013–14, the club finished third in the league, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. They beat Grimsby Town 4–2 on aggregate in the semi-finals, setting up a Wembley final against Cambridge United, which they lost 2–1.[6][7] In the following season the club reached the third round of the FA Cup for the first time; wins over Norton United in the first round and Warrington Town in the second led to a third-round tie with Premier League side West Bromwich Albion, with Gateshead losing 7–0.[2] The club were suspended from the National League in May 2019 due to financial irregularities,[8] and were demoted to the National League North the following month.[9]
The curtailed 2019–20 season saw Gateshead finish seventh (with the league table calculated on points-per-game), qualifying for the play-offs.[10][2] However, after beating Brackley Town on penalties after a 1–1 draw in the first round, they lost 5–3 to Boston United in the semi-finals.[11] In 2021–22 Gateshead were National League North champions, earning promotion back to the National League.[12] The 2022–23 season saw them reach the final of the FA Trophy at Wembley Stadium, where they lost 1–0 to FC Halifax Town.[13]
Colours and crest edit
The club initially played in all red strip with a white and blue vertical slash on the shirt. Gateshead continued to play in odd-coloured variations until the mid-1980s, when the club changed to the colours of the previous Gateshead incarnation – white shirt, black shorts and socks – and have played in these same colours ever since. Since 2011, Gateshead has adopted their original colours of claret and blue as the club's away strip.[citation needed]
The club's crest incorporates an image of the statue the Angel of the North.[14]
Stadium edit
The club have played at the Gateshead International Stadium since their establishment. The record attendance of 11,750 was set in a 1995 friendly match with Newcastle United.[15]
On 28 October 2009, Gateshead unveiled plans for a new 8,000 capacity stadium to be built in the town centre, opposite the Gateshead Civic Centre, formerly the home of North Durham Cricket & Rugby Club.[16] However, after the failure of England's bids to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022, the stadium, which would have acted as a training base for teams playing at nearby St James' Park, was put on hold indefinitely. In 2014, it was reported that chairman Graham Wood "no longer considers a new purpose-built football ground vital to the future of Gateshead Football Club".[17] In December 2015, the club's new owner, Richard Bennett, announced that the club had restarted the search for a new stadium location, although he described the International Stadium as "fabulous".[18]
Current squad edit
- As of 10 October 2023[19]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan edit
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Non-playing staff edit
- As of 7 August 2023[25]
| Coaching staff | |
|---|---|
| Position | Name |
| Manager | Rob Elliot (interim) |
| Assistant Manager | Louis Storey (interim) |
| First Team Coach | Carl Magnay |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Dale Walker [26] |
| Under-19 Coach | Ian Skinner |
| Community Officer | Ben Clark |
| Kit Manager | Mark Walton |
- As of 12 February 2023[25]
| Non-playing staff | |
|---|---|
| Position | Name |
| Chairman | Neil Pinkerton |
| Media manager | Jack McGraghan |
Managerial history edit
This section needs additional citations for verification. (June 2023) |
| Years | Manager | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 1977–1986 | Ray Wilkie | |
| 1986 | Terry Hibbitt | |
| 1986–1987 | George Smith | |
| 1987–1988 | Dave Parnaby | |
| 1988 | Billy Bell | |
| 1988 | John Carver (caretaker) | |
| 1988–1990 | Dave Parnaby | |
| 1990 | Jim Pearson (caretaker) | |
| 1990–1991 | Tony Lee | |
| 1991–1993 | Tommy Cassidy | |
| 1993–1997 | Colin Richardson | |
| 1997 | Jim Platt | |
| 1997–1998 | John Carroll | |
| 1998 | Alan Shoulder, Gary Robson (co-caretakers) | |
| 1998–2001 | Matt Pearson | |
| 2001–2002 | Paul Proudlock | |
| 2002 | Gary Gill | [27] |
| 2002–2004 | Derek Bell | |
| 2004 | Alan Bell | |
| 2004–2005 | Tom Wade | |
| 2005–2006 | Colin Richardson | |
| 2006–2007 | Tony Lee | [28] |
| 2007–2012 | Ian Bogie | [29] |
| 2012–2013 | Anth Smith | [30] |
| 2013 | David Rush (caretaker) | [31] |
| 2013–2015 | Gary Mills | [32] |
| 2015 | Malcolm Crosby | [33] |
| 2015 | Ben Clark, Micky Cummins (co-caretakers) | |
| 2015–2017 | Neil Aspin | [34] |
| 2017 | Micky Cummins (caretaker) | [35] |
| 2017–2019 | Steve Watson | [36] |
| 2019 | Ben Clark | [37] |
| 2019–2023 | Mike Williamson | [38][39] |
| 2023– | Rob Elliot (caretaker) |
Honours edit
Records edit
- Best FA Cup performance: Third round, 2014–15[2]
- Best FA Trophy performance: Finalists, 2022–23[2]
- Record attendance: 11,750 vs Newcastle United, friendly match, 7 August 1995[15]
- Biggest win: 8–0 vs Netherfield, Northern Premier League[15]
- Heaviest defeat: 9–0 vs Sutton United, Football Conference, 22 September 1990[15]
- Most appearances: James Curtis, 596 (2003–2016)[15][40]
- Most goals: Paul Thompson, 130[15] (1995–1997, 1999–2004, 2005–2008)
- Record transfer fee paid: £9,000 to Dagenham & Redbridge for Paul Cavell, 1994[15]
- Record transfer fee received: £250,000 from Peterborough United for Marcus Maddison, 2014[41][42]
References edit
- ^ a b c "Our History". Gateshead F.C. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Gateshead at the Football Club History Database
- ^ a b "Club information and contacts". Gateshead F.C.
- ^ "2007–08 Northern Premier League". Football Club History Database.
- ^ Bowron, Jeff (28 April 2010). . Gateshead F.C. Archived from the original on 26 August 2012.
- ^ Joe Townsend (4 May 2014). "Gateshead 3–1 Grimsby Town (agg 4–2)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ "Cambridge United 2–1 Gateshead". BBC Sport. 18 May 2014.
- ^ "Gateshead: Club suspended from National League after 'multiple breaches' of financial rules". BBC Sport. 24 May 2019.
- ^ "Gateshead relegated to National League North after financial breaches". BBC Sport. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
- ^ "Barrow promoted back to English Football League after National League vote". BBC Sport. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ Craig Singleton (25 July 2020). "Match Report: Boston United 5–3 Gateshead". Boston United F.C. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ Jeff Bowron (2 May 2022). "Gateshead clinch promotion to National League as Chorley draw seals title". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ Luke De Costa (21 May 2023). "FA Trophy final: FC Halifax Town 1–0 Gateshead". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
- ^ Passionate People, Passionate Places: Our Angel of the North Chronicle Live, 6 December 2020
- ^ a b c d e f g Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2016) Non-League Club Directory 2017, Tony Williams Publications, p32 ISBN 978-1869833695
- ^ Gateshead F.C., 28 October 2009
- ^ Book reveals Gateshead might ditch new stadium plans Chronicle Live, 27 July 2014
- ^ Brown, Steve (13 December 2015). "Gateshead have restarted the search for a new home, says Tynesiders owner Richard Bennett". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ "First Team Squad - Gateshead FC". Gateshead FC. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ https://gateshead-fc.com/harrison-bond-joins-whitley-bay-on-loan
- ^ https://gateshead-fc.com/elliot-forbes-joins-blyth-spartans-on-loan/
- ^ https://gateshead-fc.com/aaron-martin-lirak-hasani-join-south-shields/
- ^ https://gateshead-fc.com/lewis-knight-joins-blyth-spartans-on-loan/
- ^ https://gateshead-fc.com/oli-thompson-joins-ashington-on-loan/
- ^ a b "Club Information & Contacts". Gateshead F.C. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ https://gateshead-fc.com/dale-walker-joins-as-goalkeeping-coach/
- ^ https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gary-vows-gateshead-back-track-1675449
- ^
- ^
- ^
- ^
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23946879
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33023113
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34943308
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41450869
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41567241
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46868437
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48589231
- ^ "Mike Williamson: MK Dons appoint Gateshead manager as head coach". BBC Sport. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ Gateshead FC: James Curtis one of nine players released by National League side BBC Sport, 3 May 2016
- ^ Marcus Maddison sale can help Gateshead thrive – Gary Mills BBC Sport, 28 August 2014
- ^ Gateshead receive another cash windfall after Marcus Maddison plays his 20th game for Peterborough Chronicle Live, 10 February 2015
External links edit
- Official website
- Gateshead F.C. on BBC Sport: Club news – Recent results and fixtures