Six Of The Best - Mariners Sail Through, Dunston Fed Up......

And so to The 1st Cloud Arena aka the Mariners Arena in Jarrow for an FA Trophy Second Round tie, and local derby, between South Shields FC and Dunston FC.

A few references have been found to the origins of a town football club playing in the 1870s, but the first recorded public appearance of a named South Shields AFC was in 1888. Several other local clubs flickered but it was the South Shields Adelaide Athletic club, set up in 1899, that went on to be elected to the Second Division of the Football League in 1919 as South Shields FC.

 

Lack of public support that meant only the sale of its best players and FA Cup runs kept Shields in business. Inevitably, without money to bail the club out of impending bankruptcy, the only possible viable alternative to closure was to move. In 1930 the club left the town, resettling and welcomed at Gateshead, where it adopted the name of their new home.

 

A new club was established in 1936, nicknamed 'The Babes', before becoming 'The Mariners' in 1950 on its move from Horsley Hill to Simonside Hall. Shields played in several leagues until joining the Northern Premier League in 1968.

 

However 'insufficient match attendances' prompted the directors to sell Simonside Hall in 1974 with a view to returning to Horsley Hill. In a controversial and quite disastrous land fiasco both sites were transformed into housing estates. The club was penniless and homeless - and history repeated itself as the team went to Gateshead again, re-emerging as Gateshead United FC, taking Shields' place in the NPL.

 

A new club, South Shields Mariners FC, was formed immediately, based at the council's Jack Clark Park, and began a 17 year crusade for a home of its own. The club progressed through the Northern Alliance and Wearside League to the Northern League.

 

In 1992 the redundant and vandalised sports club and ground of Filtrona FC in Jarrow became available. It was purchased by club chairman John Rundle and the Mariners had a new home - Filtrona Park. Rundle was a volatile character, twice publicly threatening the club with closure, and (in)famously locking the gates at Filtrona Park ahead of a home match in 2006.

 

At the end of the 2012/13 season South Shields was relegated from Northern League Division One, and the club was forced to move to Eden Park in Peterlee after their lease expired. Two seasons with average attendances of 69 and 70 meant the club faced a huge challenge to survive.

 

After being taken over by new chairman Geoff Thompson in the summer of 2015 he subsequently bought Filtrona Park, renamed it Mariners Park, now The 1st Cloud Arena, and the club moved back. Under the captaincy of ex Sunderland and Middlesbrough midfielder Julio Arca the Mariners won Northern League Division Two title in 2015/16.

 

The 2016/17 season saw a famous quadruple - the Northern League Division One title, after a 32 game winning streak, the Durham Challenge Cup, the Northern League Challenge Cup and a 4-0 victory in the FA Vase at Wembley against Cleethorpes Town. Average attendances increased to 1,226 - a bit different to 69 or 70...

The Mariners achieved promotion from the Northern Premier League Division One North at the first attempt as champions with 103 points. Two failed play off attempts, after finishing both times as runners up, and Covid, meant Shields only reached the National League North, finally, as champions, in 2023. A 7th first place season boded well but last term was a major disappointment with a 17th place finish: this time the Mariners are second behind Fylde, after Tuesday's 3-1 defeat at (Dial M For) Merthyr.

The away side, Dunston, was established as a works team by John Thompson and other HMSO employees in 1975 as Whickham Sports FC, playing at Longbenton. Sports started in the Newcastle City Amateur League, before moving up to the Northern Amateur League.

A league and cup double was won in 1978 and, on the strength of this early success, the team moved to their current home at Wellington Road. Shortly after, in 1980, the side joined the Northern Combination and was then renamed Dunston Mechanics FC in 1982.

1986/87 saw the club win another league and cup double, with a further name change to Dunston Federation Brewery as part of a sponsorship deal, and a move up to the Wearside League. Back to back titles in 1989 and 1990 preceded a move to the Northern League in 1991.

League and cup doubles were achieved again in 2003/04 and 2004/05, and in 2007 the club name changed once more to Dunston Federation FC after the brewery was bought by Scottish & Newcastle and sponsorship ceased. A new sponsorship deal in 2009 with UTS (Utility Technology Services), with the club rechristened as Dunston UTS, saw UTS crowned as FA Vase winners in 2011/12, beating West Auckland Town 2-0 at Wembley.

In 2019 Dunston won the Northern League Division One champions, finishing 17 points clear. The Fed were thus promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One North West, now East, but forced to remove UTS from the club name, due to league rules prohibiting advertising in the team name. 

Third in 2024 and second last term saw play off heartbreak both times; this season The Fed are seventh, after a 4-1 away demolition of Consett on Tuesday, with games in hand.

To Manchester with its new Santa, Christmas Markets and Schola Mancuniensis 1870. Numberplates en route are P1RK U, MAY 0D and T1CKS.

Then past the Etihad and Coop Live before reaching Seel Park at Mossley. On through a revamped Huddersfield Station to Versa Leeds Studios and the National Railway Museum at York.

And next Darlington, celebrating the 200th anniversary of rail travel, before Durham and its Cathedral. Thereafter Chester-le-Street, home of Durham CCC, and The Angel of The North brings me to the Tyne Bridge and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

And Newcastle, home of The Lazy Bear, Victoria Comet, Gunner Tavern, and naturally, The Magpie, doesn't disappoint. The Biscuit Factory, Ouseburn Farm and Seven Stories takes me back to the Tyne Bridge. Then Baltic Square and Quayside towards the Millennium Bridge, the Northern Design Centre and the Glasshouse, formerly known as Sage.

That brings me to Greys Monument, the Castle and Grainger & Bigg Markets. Further on I chance on the Cathedral, Life Science Centre and the Discovery Museum.

The whistle stop tour sees me arrive at St James Park and the Stephenson Monument. And the finish ends up at the Great North Museum plus the Laing Art Gallery.

Matchday arrives and via Nexus through Gateshead and its Stadium, Felling, Pelaw and Hebburn (is a place on earth). I stop off at Hebburn Town FC, established in 1912 and FA Vase winners in 1920. 

I walk round the Trustmark Group Stadium with its Hungry Hornet Cafe and Bob Tatum Stand, one of the original Hebburn Hecklers. Then with potential 86 minute tram delays I arrive at Jarrow, renowned for the 1936 March, and to Bede, famous for St Bede or the Venerable Bede, and also Barbour headquarters.

Inside the 1st Cloud there is the main Wolf Competitions Stand, and opposite is the Durata Stand, flanked by the Clock Stand (more a balcony), clubhouse and marquee. There is covered terracing at both ends, with today's segregation starting at Sima Shed at the far end. An artificial pitch lies behind the 200ish Dunston fans in the away area and entry is £10 to stand - the crowd today is 1,203.

Shields are in claret, blue and white, whilst the Fed wear a psychedelic blue and white strip. The Mariners start on top and Danny Ward clips the bar after 6 minutes.

But for all their slick interpassing and dominance it's UTS who take the lead on 19. Home keeper Tom Watson fluffs his lines, hesitating then charging off his line and clattering onrushing Dunston forward Dan Nelson. The result is a yellow card and a penalty kick which Nelson duly despatches.

The Fed's goal is leading a charmed life as 9 minutes on Shields hit the woodwork again - this time the post for what would have been an unfortunate own goal. However seconds later David Carson plays in Lennon Wheeldon who shoots through the legs of away custodian Dan Lowson to tie matters up.

That precedes three further home goals before the break. The first sees Paul Blackett outmuscling his defender and shooting high into the net (31), Wheeldon scores his second from Ward's cutback (38) and Blackett gets his double in similar circumstances to his first; 4-1 to the Mariners at half time.

The second period is all about damage limitation for Dunston. They survive until the hour when Todd Alcock pinches the ball just outside the box and lays off to captain Will Jenkins who fires into the opposite corner across Lowson.

Surprisingly the Fed pull one back with 11 to play. Daniel Dodds' error is punished sumptuously by Josh Richardson for 5-2, and Dunston hit the post with a minute left; the rebound is wastefully blazed over when it should have been buried 🥴

But fittingly the final word goes to Shields. A long ball beyond the final defender and Cedwyn Scott, from his own half, showing electric speed, runs on, outpacing the last man, and then beautifully dummying Lowson before putting the ball into an empty net; the 6-2 annihilation is complete 😊

Mariners All At Sea Then Net A Point - Unicorns Soon To Be Extinct

And so to Queen's Terrace, although I prefer its more commonly known name Dimple Wells, to a stadium and a club that effectively cease to exist in 3 weeks' time. It's the home of Ossett Albion AFC, 7 games unbeaten, and the visitors today are South Shields, 5 wins on the bounce, in the Evostik Northern Premier Division One North.

The home club was set up in 1944 during the Second World War for local Grammar School students. The Unicorns rose through the West Riding County Amateur League and West Yorkshire League before joining the Yorkshire League in 1957, where they were Division One champions in 1975.

In 1982 the Yorkshire League joined up with the Midland League to form the Northern Counties East League. Albion were Premier League champions in 1999 but were denied promotion to the Northern Premier League because one of their dressing rooms was too small !!

Two years later the Unicorns finished as runners up to Brigg Town but were promoted instead of the Zebras. That first season in the Northern Premier saw Albion finish bottom and relegation back to the Northern Counties East - but two seasons later the club were promoted as champions on a dramatic final day, pipping Eastwood Town by virtue of goals scored with both teams locked on the same number of points and goal difference.

Fourteen seasons later Albion remain in the same division, but this will be their last. In February it was announced that Ossett Albion will merge with near neighbours Ossett Town this summer to become Ossett United, with the new club playing at Town's Ingfield base under the stewardship of Albion's Andy Welsh.

A few references have been found to the origins of a town football club playing in the 1870s, but the first recorded public appearance of a named South Shields AFC was in 1888. Several other local clubs flickered but it was the South Shields Adelaide Athletic club, set up in 1899, that went on to be elected to the Second Division of the Football League in 1919 as South Shields FC.

Lack of public support meant only the sale of its best players and FA Cup runs kept Shields in business. Inevitably, without money to bail the club out of impending bankruptcy, the only possible viable alternative to closure was to move. In 1930 the club left the town and moved to Gateshead, where it was welcomed. 

A new club was established in 1936, nicknamed 'The Babes', before becoming 'The Mariners' in 1950 on its move from Horsley Hill to Simonside Hall. Shields played in several leagues until joining the Northern Premier League in 1968.

However 'insufficient' match attendances prompted the directors to sell Simonside Hall in 1974 with a view to returning to Horsley Hill. In a controversial and quite disastrous land fiasco both sites were transformed into housing sites. The club was penniless and homeless - and history repeated itself as the team went to Gateshead again, re-emerging as Gateshead United FC and taking Shields' place in the NPL.

A new club, South Shields Mariners FC, was formed immediately, based at the council's Jack Clark Park, and began a 17 year crusade for a home of its own. The club progressed through the Northern Alliance and Wearside League to the Northern League.

In 1992 the redundant and vandalised sports club and ground of Filtrona FC in Jarrow became available. It was purchased by club chairman John Rundle and the Mariners had a new home - Filtrona Park. Rundle was a volatile man, twice publicly threatening the club with closure, and (in)famously locking the gates at Filtrona Park ahead of a home match in 2006.

At the end of the 2012/13 season South Shields were relegated from Northern League Division One, and forced to move to Eden Park, Peterlee after their lease expired. Two seasons with average attendances of 69 and 70 meant the club faced a huge challenge to survive.

After being taken over by new chairman Geoff Thompson in the summer of 2015 he subsequently bought Filtrona Park, now renamed Mariners Park, and the club moved back. Under the captaincy of ex Sunderland and Middlesbrough midfielder Julio Arca the Mariners won Northern League Division Two title in 2015/16.

Last season saw a famous quadruple - the Northern League Division One title, after a 32 game winning streak, the Durham Challenge Cup, the Northern League Challenge Cup and a 4-0 victory in the FA Vase at Wembley against Cleethorpes Town. Average attendances increased to 1,226.

This season Shields are top of the NPL Division One North, three points clear with two games in hand. Darlington and York City, two steps higher, were both knocked out of the FA Cup.

So on a very wet afternoon it's onto the desperately potholed Washway Road with standing pools of water. Past the new Bake My Day and the old, execrable T & T Pound Plus 'TOILETORIES. ELCTRICAL' - open 7 days but now permanently shuttered, and to the M60.

From there through to the M62, and Saddleworth Moor, Rakehead Viaduct and Windy Hill - the M62 Summit, 'Highest motorway in England 372m (1221 feet)'. Then Scammonden Reservoir, Rainbow Bridge and Stott Hall Farm, the latter parked between both carriageways.

Beyond Hartshead Moor then off at Tingley, ignoring Woodkirk Valley Country Club and Bake 'n' Bites, past Dewsbury Rams stadium to the outskirts of Ossett - a town named after 'A fold of a man named Osla' or 'A fold frequented by blackbirds' depending on your fancy !

The Warehouse Systems Stadium is located through a small residential estate off Queen's Road, flanked on one side by the Ebenezer Particular Baptist Chapel and on the other by Dimple Well Lodge, where a wedding is in progress. A narrow entrance between the houses, one car width only, brings me to some crown green bowling, an AstroTurf pitch where several boys' football matches are coming to an end, the cricket club and then the football club.

£7 admission and inside Dimple Wells is a glorious old fashioned, slightly decaying non-league ground. Immediately to my right is the Tea Bar, rubbing shoulders with the cricket scoreboard and then an incredibly shallow two step terrace, the scene of much congestion during the afternoon. It's worth it for the picturesque views of the distant countryside as the sun beats down - for half an hour at least as the visiting Geordies remove layer after layer of clothing.

At the Orchard End is a small covered terrace behind the goal and across the way the main Barracuda Fisheries stand, with access via a narrow, bepuddled tunnel. Next to this is the Boardroom which resembles a mobile classroom.....

The near end supports more covered terracing, the clubhouse and Peter Eaton Bar, named after club stalwart Peter Eaton who played over 800 games for the Unicorns, plus the dressing rooms and press box. All four sides are taken over by magnificent and vocal away support.

The Unicorns are in gold and black and the Mariners in change white and claret on a pitch with a significant slope from side to side. After a tentative start Albion draw first blood on 13 minutes. A ball inside Shields' left back Darren Lough sees him hesitate, as does keeper Liam Connell, and centre forward Tom Corner nips in to score - although the ball should have been cleared off the line.

Thirty seconds later Mariners' Jon Shaw has a clearance charged down and the ball is played to Gibraltar international Adam Priestley who scores with a glorious finish in the top corner for 2-0. 'That's the game gone, man' is the pessimistic viewpoint from next to me.

As Shields toil, the Unicorns are clearly up for the fight and the game relies less on craft and guile, but rather more on graft and bile. The simmering undercurrent boils over seven minutes before half time. Arca is fouled for the umpteenth time, reacts and an ugly melee ensues, resulting in four bookings. Robert Briggs' scuffed shot wide in injury time is the Mariners' only real opportunity of the half.

The second half sees a rejuvenated Shields side, helped by a goal within the first two minutes. Louis Storey's shot into the ground is glanced home by Michael Richardson, and with Arca now running the midfield further chances follow. Lee Mason is denied by a wonderful fingertip save from Neil Bennett, Dillon Morse has an effort clawed off the line with substitute Graeme Armstrong heading the rebound over, and Storey fires wide.

Inevitably the Mariners equalise at the midpoint - Shaw atoning by heading home Arca's inswinging corner. Albion then soak up the pressure and, in a rare foray forward, Marcus Day shoots straight down Connell's throat. The final opportunity falls to Armstrong who heads wide in stoppage time when he should have done better.....

2-2 at the death then, and a bumper crowd of 502, two thirds from Shields at least, departs.....eventually as the housing estate cannot cope with the parking and traffic, and three supporters' buses clogging up the main road. The local residents probably can't wait for three weeks' time......

McDonald Is Rangers' Massiah - Mariners Sunk

And so to the FA Trophy Second Round Qualifying and a visit to Marston Road for the tie between Stafford Rangers and South Shields.

No one is able to prove conclusively when Rangers (Boro is their other nickname strangely) were actually formed, as early minute books were destroyed in the First World War. The club's formation year is recognised as 1876 because of an enquiry to the local Staffordshire Advertiser. The reply, published the following week, suggested the club was already up and running.

Initially playing friendlies and FA Cup ties, Rangers flitted between the Shropshire, Birmingham and North Staffordshire Leagues, moving to Marston Road in 1896 and winning the Birmingham Combination in 1913. The first 'Golden Era' came in the late 1920s, producing a Birmingham League title, twice runners up and two third place finishes.

The good times came to an abrupt end as the 1930s proved to be a constant battle for survival on and off the pitch. A shortage of players forced secretary RP Brown to play in one match - scoring the goal that earned Rangers their first away point of the season. Only a successful appeal for £100 to pay creditors enabled the club to continue.

Rangers resumed in the Birmingham Combination after World War II and then controversially moved to the Cheshire League in 1952. The 1960s were a struggle but the 1970s heralded the second 'Golden Era'.

The club was promoted to the Northern Premier League, and under Roy Chapman won the treble of the NPL, the FA Trophy - 3-0 against Barnet - and the Staffordshire Senior Cup in 1972. The FA Cup 4th Round was reached in 1975 and another FA Trophy final the following year, this time losing 3-2 after extra time to Scarborough. The returning Chapman secured a second FA Trophy success in 1979, beating Kettering Town 2-0.

Rangers were founder members of the Alliance Premier League, but after 4 seasons of toil were relegated back to the NPL in 1983. The club bounced back to win the NPL two years on but life was largely a fight against relegation, despite the six figure sum received for the transfer of Stan Collymore to Crystal Palace in December 1990.

Rangers were relegated from the Conference in 1995, and a second consecutive relegation followed, after only 2 points were gleaned from the first 19 games in the Southern Premier League. 2000 saw the team win the Dr Martens League Western Division.

Rangers qualified for the newly formed Conference North in 2004 and were promoted back to the first tier in 2006 after a penalties play off win against Droylsden. Life at the top only lasted two seasons before a return to the Conference North, and, despite appointing high profile managers Steve Bull, Tim Flowers and Matt Elliott, fortunes failed to improve.

Further relegations in 2011 and 2014 saw Rangers slip to the fourth tier of non league football. The Northern Premier League First Division South was captured at the end of the 2015/16 campaign, where they currently sit one division above this afternoon's visitors.

A few references have been found to the origins of a town football club playing in the 1870s, but the first recorded public appearance of a named South Shields AFC was in 1888. Several other local clubs flickered but it was the South Shields Adelaide Athletic club, set up in 1899, that went on to be elected to the Second Division of the Football League in 1919 as South Shields FC.

Lack of public support meant only the sale of its best players and FA Cup runs kept Shields in business. Inevitably, without money to bail the club out of impending bankruptcy, the only possible viable alternative to closure was to move. In 1930 the club left the town and moved to Gateshead, where it was welcomed.

A new club was established in 1936, nicknamed 'The Babes', before becoming 'The Mariners' in 1950 on its move from Horsley Hill to Simonside Hall. Shields played in several leagues until joining the Northern Premier League in 1968.

However 'insufficient' match attendances prompted the directors to sell Simonside Hall in 1974 with a view to returning to Horsley Hill. In a controversial and quite disastrous land fiasco both sites were transformed into housing sites. The club was penniless and homeless - and history repeated itself as the team went to Gateshead again, re-emerging as Gateshead United FC and taking Shields' place in the NPL.

A new club, South Shields Mariners FC, was formed immediately, based at the council's Jack Clark Park, and beginning a 17 year crusade for a home of its own. The club progressed through the Northern Alliance and Wearside League to the Northern League.

In 1992 the redundant and vandalised sports club and ground of Filtrona FC in Jarrow became available. It was purchased by club chairman John Rundle and the Mariners had a new home - Filtrona Park. Rundle was a volatile man, twice publicly threatening the club with closure, and (in)famously locking the gates at Filtrona Park ahead of a home match in 2006.

At the end of the 2012/13 season South Shields were relegated from Northern League Division One, and forced to move to Eden Park, Peterlee after their lease expired. Two seasons with average attendances of 69 and 70 meant the club faced a huge challenge to survive.

After being taken over by new chairman Geoff Thompson in the summer of 2015 he subsequently bought Filtrona Park, now renamed Mariners Park, and the club moved back. Under the captaincy of ex Sunderland and Middlesbrough midfielder Julio Arca the Mariners won Northern League Division Two title in 2015/16.

Last season saw a famous quadruple - the Northern League Division One title, after a 32 game winning streak, the Durham Challenge Cup, the Northern League Challenge Cup and a 4-0 victory in the FA Vase at Wembley against Cleethorpes Town. Average attendances increased to 1,226.

This season Shields are joint top of the NPL Division One North, with eleven wins and one defeat, and three games in hand. Darlington and York City, two steps higher, were both knocked out of the FA Cup.

And so on a bright, chilly morning it's the Metrolink into the city centre. After yesterday's 'tram kiss', a minor two tram crash that naturally caused major disruption across the network - and was initially blamed on signalling issues and an RTA - today's journey is less eventful and about an hour and a quarter shorter..... Just the swans at Watch House Cruising Club and a lone heron at Pomona Wharf before arrival at Piccadilly.

Then a Cross Country train and the Hat Museum at Stockport, the iconic Arighi Bianchi at Stockport and the famous Hand with Chronos at Stoke on Trent station. Into Stafford, through Victoria Gardens by the River Sow and onto Tenterbanks, past the Broad Eye Windmill and up to Gaol Road, home of HMP Stafford.

Then up Marston Road beyond Saladmaster, 'We Change Life', and the entrance to the stadium is actually on Astonfields Road. Inside is the impressive all seater Stan Robinson Stand - for £2 extra. Across the way covered terracing and to the left the Social End, which houses the Social Club. Bizarrely there is no access from inside so the gates have to be flung open for you to leave the ground to enjoy that half time pint......

Beyond the Social Club is the Astonfields Industrial Park and the Bake 'n' Butty Cafe. Up top is the Shed End, and it's a Shed End with no roof !! Instead it is festooned in South Shields flags and banners, as the Mariners are roared on by a tremendous support of over half the crowd of 955, notwithstanding the near 400 mile round trip.

Rangers are in black and white, Shields in claret and blue, and black armbands, and for the second week running there is a badger mascot..... Before we start there is an impeccably observed minute's silence in honour of Armistice Day and 10 year old Mariners’ season ticket holder Jak Fada who tragically died in the week. The tenth minute is a minute of applause from all four sides of the ground.

By that time we have had a riproaring start to the game. Gavin Cogdon, Shields’ combative centre forward bursts through and shoots just over, and then two goals. On 6 minutes Shields’ Robert Briggs gets goalside of his man and dinks an exquisite lob into the opposite corner beyond Rangers keeper Brad Caswell. Two minute later an incisive move down the left ends with Josh Craddock's cutback and Massiah McDonald swivels to fire home the equaliser.

Strike partner Dan Westwood goes close for Rangers, and McDonald has another chance he will prefer to forget. But it's the Mariners, attractive on the eye with some wonderful passing and movement, who begin to take hold of the game - all orchestrated by Arca and his sublime left foot.

Rangers survive but have three mighty scares in the five minutes to half time. Michael Richardson tricks the full back by the corner flag, cuts in and shoots. Caswell saves at the near post, the ball goes back to Richardson who lays it off for Barrie Smith and his strike is turned aside at the far post by a recovering Caswell. Briggs' gorgeous volley from Carl Finnigan's wonderfully cushioned pass is just too high and Cogdon is marginally adrift for the Mariners.

The second half picks up where the first left off. McDonald puts a free header wide, and Finnigan picks off a back pass that sold Caswell short, the keeper then slipping, but his chip fails to hit the target. There is then a temporary lull before Rangers build up a head of steam.

Sub Richard Gregory sees his header denied by a magnificent point blank one handed save from the Mariners’ Liam Connell. From the subsequent corner Rangers have two shots kicked off the line. Gregory then has another effort diverted wide, and Alex Fletcher just clears the bar with his twenty yarder.

Eleven minutes to go and McDonald receives the ball near the corner of the penalty area, shielded by two Mariners defenders. Skilfully he moves inside and fires across Connell into the far corner and Rangers lead. Arca responds, ghosting past three men and unleashing a left foot strike destined for the top corner, but Caswell saves well.

Shortly after the Mariners ship another goal. Fine wing play on the left and the ball delivered on a plate for McDonald to stroke home the third and his hat trick. Still time for Finnigan to have two chances cleared off the line but it finishes 3-1 to Rangers, in The Coming of The Massiah !!