Gateshead F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Gateshead Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Tynesiders, The Heed | |||
| Founded | 1977 | |||
| Ground | Gateshead International Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 11,800 | |||
| Chairman | Neil Pinkerton | |||
| Manager | Carl Magnay | |||
| League | National League North | |||
| 2018–19 | National League, 17th of 24 (demoted) | |||
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Gateshead Football Club is a professional football team from Gateshead, England. They are often called "The Tynesiders" or "The Heed". The club plays its home games at the Gateshead International Stadium.
As of the 2024–25 season, Gateshead competes in the National League North. This is the fifth highest level of football in England.
The club started in 1977. This happened after an older team, Gateshead United, stopped playing. Before that, there was another team called Gateshead A.F.C. that played in the English Football League from 1930 to 1960.
Gateshead FC first played in the Northern Premier League. They won this league in 1982–83 and 1985–86. They moved up to the Football Conference but were sometimes moved back down.
In 2014, they almost got promoted to a higher league but lost in the play-off final. In 2019, they were moved down a league because of some financial issues. But they worked hard and won the National League North in 2021–22, moving back up.
Gateshead won their first ever FA Trophy in the 2023–24 season. This was a big achievement for the club! They had been runners-up in the same competition the year before.
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Club History and Achievements
The very first Gateshead football club began in 1899. It was first called South Shields Adelaide. This team joined the English Football League in 1919. In 1930, due to money problems, the club moved to Gateshead and changed its name.
However, this club was voted out of the Football League in 1960. It eventually stopped playing in 1973. Another club, Gateshead United, was formed to replace it. This team also moved to Gateshead in 1974. But it too was dissolved at the end of the 1976–77 season.
Starting Fresh in 1977
The current Gateshead Football Club was then started in 1977. It took over from Gateshead United in the Northern Premier League. For the first three seasons, the team finished in the lower half of the league.
In 1980–81, they finished eleventh. They also reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time. They lost 1–0 to Lincoln City. The next season, they finished fourth in the league.
Winning the Northern Premier League
The 1982–83 season was a great one for Gateshead. They won the Northern Premier League title. They set a record with 100 points and scored 114 goals! This win meant they were promoted to the Alliance Premier League.
In their first season in the new league, they finished sixteenth. But in 1984–85, they finished near the bottom. This meant they were moved back down to the Northern Premier League.
Quick Return to the Top League
The next season saw Gateshead win the Northern Premier League again. They also won the league's Challenge Shield. This earned them an immediate return to the Football Conference.
However, they only stayed for one season. They finished last and were moved down again.
Moving Up and Down the Leagues
When Gateshead returned to the Northern Premier League, it now had two divisions. Gateshead was in the Premier Division. They finished eighteenth in 1987–88. The next season, they were second-from-bottom. Luckily, they avoided being moved down because no team was relegated from the Conference that year.
After this, they finished second in 1989–90. They were promoted back to the Conference. This happened because the champions, Colne Dynamoes, could not be promoted. For the next seven seasons, they stayed in the middle of the table. But in 1997–98, they were in the relegation zone and moved back to the Northern Premier League.
Play-off Success and Promotion
After returning to the Northern Premier League, Gateshead had two good seasons. They finished in the top five. In 2000–01 and 2001–02, they finished in the middle of the table.
They were moved down to Division One at the end of the 2002–03 season. But in 2003–04, they finished sixth. This was enough to get them back to the Premier Division. This happened because new leagues, the Conference North and South, were created. Many clubs left the Premier Division for these new leagues.
In 2007–08, Gateshead finished third in the Premier Division. This meant they could play in the promotion play-offs. They beat Eastwood Town 4–0 in the semi-finals. Then, they beat Buxton 2–0 in the final. This win earned them promotion to the Conference North.
Reaching the National League
In the 2008–09 season, Gateshead finished second in the Conference North. In the play-offs, they beat Southport 2–1 overall. Then, they won 1–0 against AFC Telford United in the final. This victory promoted them to the Conference National, which is the top non-League division.
For the 2010–11 season, Gateshead had a full-time squad for the first time. This means players trained like professionals every day. In 2013–14, the club finished third in the league. This allowed them to play in the promotion play-offs again. They beat Grimsby Town 4–2 overall in the semi-finals. This set up a final at Wembley Stadium against Cambridge United. Gateshead lost the final 2–1.
FA Cup Run and Recent Challenges
In the next season, the club reached the third round of the FA Cup for the first time. They beat Norton United and Warrington Town. This led to a third-round match against Premier League team West Bromwich Albion. Gateshead lost that game 7–0.
In May 2019, the club faced problems and was suspended from the National League. The next month, they were moved down to the National League North because of financial issues.
The 2019–20 season was cut short. Gateshead finished seventh based on points-per-game. They qualified for the play-offs. They beat Brackley Town on penalties after a 1–1 draw. But they lost 5–3 to Boston United in the semi-finals.
In 2021–22, Gateshead became National League North champions. This earned them promotion back to the National League. The 2022–23 season saw them reach the final of the FA Trophy at Wembley Stadium. They lost 1–0 to FC Halifax Town.
In 2023–24, they finished sixth in the National League. However, they could not compete in the play-offs. This was because they did not meet a rule about having a long-term agreement for their stadium. They did reach a second straight FA Trophy final. This time, they beat Solihull Moors on penalties after a 2–2 draw. This win meant they lifted the FA Trophy!
Team Colours and Crest
When the club first started, they wore all red kits. Their shirts had a white and blue vertical stripe. Gateshead used different colour combinations until the mid-1980s.
Then, the club changed to the colours of the older Gateshead team. These colours are a white shirt, black shorts, and black socks. They have worn these colours ever since. Since 2011, Gateshead has also used their original claret and blue colours for their away kit.
The club's crest, or logo, includes a picture of the famous Angel of the North statue.
Home Stadium
The club has played at the Gateshead International Stadium since it was founded. The largest crowd ever at a Gateshead game there was 11,750 people. This was for a friendly match against Newcastle United in 1995.
On October 28, 2009, Gateshead announced plans for a new stadium. It would have held 8,000 people and been built in the town centre. This new stadium would have been a training base for teams playing at nearby St James' Park for the FIFA World Cup. However, England did not win the bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. So, the stadium plans were put on hold.
In 2014, the club chairman, Graham Wood, said he no longer thought a new stadium was essential. In December 2015, the new owner, Richard Bennett, said the club was looking for a new stadium location again. He still called the International Stadium "fabulous."
Recently, Gateshead qualified for the National League play-offs in 2023–24. But they were not allowed to play. This was because the Gateshead Council did not give the club a ten-year agreement for the stadium. This agreement is needed for teams that want to join the English Football League (EFL).
Current Players
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Players on Loan to Other Clubs
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Club Staff
| Coaching Staff | |
|---|---|
| Position | Name |
| Manager | Carl Magnay |
| Assistant Manager | Liam Bridcutt |
| First Team Coach | Ian Skinner |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Dale Walker |
| Under-19 Coach | Ian Skinner |
| Community Officer | Ben Clark |
| Physiotherapist | Frazer Bell |
| Kit Manager | Mark Walton |
| Other Club Staff | |
|---|---|
| Position | Name |
| Chairman | Neil Pinkerton |
| Vice-Chairman | Bernard McWilliams |
| Directors | Gareth Mordey, Laurence Dinning, Mark Nellist, Tony Carter |
| Media manager | Jack McGraghan |
Club Managers Through the Years
| 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 | |
| 2002–2004 | Derek Bell | |
| 2004 | Alan Bell | |
| 2004–2005 | Tom Wade | |
| 2005–2006 | Colin Richardson | |
| 2006–2007 | Tony Lee | |
| 2007–2012 | Ian Bogie | |
| 2012–2013 | Anth Smith | |
| 2013 | David Rush (caretaker) | |
| 2013–2015 | Gary Mills | |
| 2015 | Malcolm Crosby | |
| 2015 | Ben Clark, Micky Cummins (co-caretakers) | |
| 2015–2017 | Neil Aspin | |
| 2017 | Micky Cummins (caretaker) | |
| 2017–2019 | Steve Watson | |
| 2019 | Ben Clark | |
| 2019–2023 | Mike Williamson | |
| 2023–2024 | Rob Elliot | |
| 2024 | Ben Clark (caretaker) | |
| 2024– | Carl Magnay |
Club Honours and Trophies
- FA Trophy
- Winners 2023–24
- National League
- National League North champions 2021–22
- Northern Premier League
- Champions 1982–83, 1985–86
- Challenge Shield winners 1985–86
Club Records and Fun Facts
- Best FA Cup performance: Third round, 2014–15
- Best FA Trophy performance: Winners, 2023–24
- Record attendance: 11,750 vs Newcastle United, friendly match, 7 August 1995
- Biggest win: 8–0 vs Netherfield, Northern Premier League
- Heaviest defeat: 9–0 vs Sutton United, Football Conference, 22 September 1990
- Most appearances: James Curtis, 596 games (2003–2016)
- Most goals: Paul Thompson, 130 goals (1995–1997, 1999–2004, 2005–2008)
- Record transfer fee paid: £9,000 to Dagenham & Redbridge for Paul Cavell, 1994
- Record transfer fee received: £250,000 from Peterborough United for Marcus Maddison, 2014
See also
In Spanish: Gateshead Football Club para niños
- Gateshead F.C. players
- Gateshead F.C. managers
