Non League Football

I always keep an eye on the local sides, especially those operating in wider region leagues. All our representatives are doing well with all 4 currently sitting in the top half of their respective league tables and in playoff or automatic promotion contention. Hopefully South Shields will also be involved at a higher level in the pyramid next season, but they must finish in the top 3 to gain promotion.


National League


Gateshead continued their good recent run at the weekend with a 2-1 victory at Chester in front of the BT camera's.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/national-league/table

They are 4 points adrift having played more than a lot of their rivals but do play teams around them so they do have an outside chance.


National League North

Darlington's home match with bottom of the table Altrincham was postponed over the weekend but they have slipped out of the playoff places with a poor run over the last 2 months picking up on 11 points (and 2 wins) from their last 12 league games

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/national-league-north/table


Northern Premier League (Premier Division)

Blyth Spartans are going very well again after a bit of a blip and are currently 12 points clear at the top. Stourbridge can cut their lead to 10 points if they win their game in hand. These two face each other on Saturday at Stourbridge and an away win would all but seal the title.

Spennymoor Town are still in playoff contention but have been pretty average since their brave 3-2 defeat to MK Dons in November, winning 6 and losing 5 of their 14 games since. They've also only played once since Jan 21st so will have a backlog of games to catch up on.

Reasonably local sides (compared to the rest of the league), Whitby and Workington are also in playoff contention.

http://www.evostikleague.co.uk/match-info/tables


Northern League Division 1


South Shields were the only one of the 'big four' to play this weekend and seemingly got a routine 3-0 win over bottom of the table Chester-Le-Street.

Still all to play for as far as the title is concerned and S Shields will still need to make sure they don't finish bottom of that four to ensure promotion to the NPL Division One North league next season. They are 8 adrift of N Shields but have 2 games in hand. Morpeth are next best placed and are 12 behind S Shields but they have 4 games in hand. Shildon are 10 behind S Shields, but have 2 games in hand. You'd certainly rather have points on the board at this stage than 2 or 3 games a week.

http://www.northernleague.org/view_div1_tables.php

With no SAFC game this weekend, South Shields vs Newport Pagnell Town in the FA Vase QF looks the pick of the bunch or North Shields vs Bishop Auckland in the league.

Anyone have a particular non league team they look out for (other than South Shields)?
 


Is Martin Gray still in charge at Darlo?

Aye, don't know how much pressure he will be under though as they are newly promoted and he has overseen a few promotions in his time there. They'd probably expect to be in the top half of the table which is where they are but their run is a bit concerning and the playoffs do look unlikely.

Mind, there are some very big clubs in that league and some of them are far bigger than some in the league above.
 
Prefer to ground hop but like to go when Shildon are the visitors. Watch Shields as well cos of my lad. Will be at Mariners Park this weekend with my lad and grandaughter in the Vase and we'll also be there next weekend at the Shildon game.

Some big games coming up in that league involving the top 4:

Shildon vs Morpeth on Weds 22nd
S Shields vs Shildon on Sat 25th as you say
North Shields vs Morpeth on Sat 4th Mar
 
I see that Blyth Town have been coming up the rankings in recent years - They have drawn Blyth Spartans in the Northumberland Senior Cup Semis.

Don't know too much about them but i think i remember them being held back from getting out of the Alliance a couple of years ago due to their ground and winning an appeal or something last year to gain promotion. They're given their first season at Northern League level a good go but will probably fall short this season.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/blyth-town-football-club-finally-9190352

Stockton Town came up from the Wearside League last year and they look on course for back-to-back promotions and into division one next year.
 
Don't know too much about them but i think i remember them being held back from getting out of the Alliance a couple of years ago due to their ground and winning an appeal or something last year to gain promotion. They're given their first season at Northern League level a good go but will probably fall short this season.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/blyth-town-football-club-finally-9190352

Stockton Town came up from the Wearside League last year and they look on course for back-to-back promotions and into division one next year.

Northern League - 2nd oldest in the world apparently!
 
Aye, don't know how much pressure he will be under though as they are newly promoted and he has overseen a few promotions in his time there. They'd probably expect to be in the top half of the table which is where they are but their run is a bit concerning and the playoffs do look unlikely.

Mind, there are some very big clubs in that league and some of them are far bigger than some in the league above.

Not under any pressure at all, would have been surprising and really impressive if they sustained that start to the season. Defence is pretty poor and their keeper is not very good at all, finally got dropped after he chucked four into the net over the space of a few games at Christmas.

Don't like the new ground though. Been a few times and not a fan so far.
 
Not under any pressure at all, would have been surprising and really impressive if they sustained that start to the season. Defence is pretty poor and their keeper is not very good at all, finally got dropped after he chucked four into the net over the space of a few games at Christmas.

Don't like the new ground though. Been a few times and not a fan so far.

It's a shame they were unable to maintain their early season form. There's obviously some big / backed clubs like full time Fylde as well as Stockport, Salford, Halifax, Boston etc but they've been losing to some probably lesser sides like Nuneaton and Curzon at home and lowly Telford.

They've not had many games at the new stadium so do you get to a lot of Darlo games?
 
Morpeth'll not win the league, far too shaky at the back and still have the other 3 title rivals to play away from home.
Great midfield , good forward line and a keeper who is as good as any in that lge on his day but the defence is not great I agree. Still think they could do it though if they can get a result down shildon next week. N shields and shildon still have each other to play twice as well
 
Things not looking too rosy for Hebburn Town

https://www.facebook.com/HebburnTownFC/posts/1457891114263678

SAVE HEBBURN

Hebburn Town FC is the Town’s senior football club. For over 100 years it has presented a positive sporting image for Hebburn across the region.

Currently playing in Northern League Division Two, Hebburn Town have had some great days, recently getting to the final preliminary round of the FA Cup only a few years ago, when we were the lowest ranked team left in the competition. Victory against local rivals Gateshead could have seen the club draw Sheffield Wednesday amongst others in the next round.

In a football mad area its committee are drawn from local people who support their local club as well as Newcastle, Sunderland or Darlington. People who want to watch football live, not on a TV.

Non-league football clubs across the region are finding it tough however. Norton & Stockton Ancients went pop earlier in the season and others are facing the same fate. Falling gates and revenues, lack of sponsors and increasing costs are forcing many clubs at this level to look at themselves.

The notable exception to this downward spiral is South Shields who have performed fantastically well of late. We genuinely wish them well and cast envious eyes to their remarkable turnaround. When we played them but 3 years ago at Peterlee, their home at the time, we won 1-0 and there were almost as many Hebburn fans in the crowd as South Shields.

Times change.

Their committee are just as passionate and committed as we are and fully deserve what they are currently enjoying.

Hebburn are currently playing to falling gates and have barely enough money to survive.

This is a message to the people of Hebburn. If you want to help us keep the club alive now is the time to act. If you want to keep Northern League football in the time help us. Once it is lost we will never get it back. Other clubs would gladly take our place and take their chances. Once it’s gone it’s gone.

Where will the youngsters from the magnificent Hebburn Town Juniors play in the future if the senior side goes down? We would all love to see a team full of local lads doing well in the league. We want to still be there to provide the highest possible platform for the youngsters of Hebburn for generations to come.

We recently hosted some great games of Junior football when Sunderland AFC u15’s played in the floodlight cup, and against our very own Hebburn Town Juniors. A match between Hebburn Town and a Sunderland 11 is on the cards for later in the year

If it wasn’t for the steadfast, unbelievable and generous support from sponsors like Premier Scaffolding Services Limited & Phoenix Steel we would already be gone, McArdle Care and A&P Tyne have also made regular and very welcome donations amongst others. All support, however small, is welcome and greatly appreciated.

If it wasn’t for the help we receive from pubs and clubs like the Wardley and The Iona Club there would already be no Hebburn Town.

A special mention goes to our loyal band of followers, especially the “Hebburn Hecklers” who come to every game.

We are also encouraged by the tremendous response from the current squad of players who have come together to try and help the club by foregoing expenses and doing what they can to get their own friends, family and employers involved.

Please help us to continue fighting and punching above our weight in what is genuinely considered to be one of the the best non-league divisions in the Country - proven by how many Northern League teams have recently competed in, and won, the FA Vase.

Hebburn is a fantastic town with a wonderful, unique, identity. We’re all proud to come from the town and equally proud to represent its football team through our roles on the committee. That’s why we do what we do. It’s a love of football and a love of our hometown. Locals always agree that they are proud to come from Hebburn. Heres a way that people can show it.

How can you help? It’s easy.

1) Come to the games. We have 6 games left at home. Please come to as many as you can. It only costs £5 full price with concessions (£3) and kids (only £1).

The games left are as follows:

Sat 18th Feb 3pm – Team Northumbria
Sat 4th March 3pm - Tow Law Tow.
Sat 18th March 3pm – Willington
Sat 1st April 3pm – Crook Town
Sat 15th April 3pm –Ryton & Crawcrook Albion
Sat 22nd April 3pm – Blyth Town

If you fancy coming to an away game and need a lift, please contact a member of the committee.

2) Local companies can Sponsor a game or join the number of organisations that have advertising boards around the ground. Our second strip is looking for a sponsor. There are many opportunities, to accommodate all budgets and we would love to discuss these with you.

3) Come to our next “Sportsmans Dinner” which is being arranged - full details to follow, though we are looking at 24th March at the Hebburn Buffs club.

4) Come to the “Let’s All laugh at Hebburn” comedy night with none other than Hebburn Life President Jason Cook on Monday 18th September at the Stand in Newcastle. Tickets available soon.

More than anything else, please come to one or more of our remaining home games and show your support for Hebburn Town. We genuinely believe that Hebburn will respond to this request. Get in at the start of something great.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Hebburn Town thanks you for your support.

HTFC Committee
 
It's a shame they were unable to maintain their early season form. There's obviously some big / backed clubs like full time Fylde as well as Stockport, Salford, Halifax, Boston etc but they've been losing to some probably lesser sides like Nuneaton and Curzon at home and lowly Telford.

They've not had many games at the new stadium so do you get to a lot of Darlo games?

Curzon are a weird team, beat Fylde the week before they beat Darlo. 3-0 up against Wimbledon in the FA Cup as well and collapsed in the last twenty minutes and lost.

Been to six games so far this season, they play twice at home in the space of three days in a couple of weeks time so I'll probably head along to at least one.
 
Curzon are a weird team, beat Fylde the week before they beat Darlo. 3-0 up against Wimbledon in the FA Cup as well and collapsed in the last twenty minutes and lost.

Been to six games so far this season, they play twice at home in the space of three days in a couple of weeks time so I'll probably head along to at least one.

I was just reading one of their forums earlier mentioning how Spennymoor often take a lot of the players they should be looking at like Chandler, Curtis etc as they can offer more money. South Shields seemingly inevitable promotion might narrow the talent pool further with 4 clubs looking at the same players.
 
Great midfield , good forward line and a keeper who is as good as any in that lge on his day but the defence is not great I agree. Still think they could do it though if they can get a result down shildon next week. N shields and shildon still have each other to play twice as well

Dryden's a funny one, he can be brilliant but he's definitely prone to a howler as well. As long as Ben Sayer is fit they'll have half a chance of winning the league but if he picks up an injury that'll be it.
 

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