Gateshead F.C.

History

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. 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. 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.

The 1982–83 season saw Gateshead win the Northern Premier League with a record points tally (100), scoring 114 goals in the process. The following season saw the club win the Northern Premier League title and the league's Challenge Shield, 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.

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, 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.

After two top-five finishes following their return, Gateshead finished in mid-table in 2000–01 and 2001–02.

In the 2008–09 season, Gateshead were Conference North runners-up. 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. 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. and were demoted to the National League North the following month.

The curtailed 2019–20 season saw Gateshead finish seventh (with the league table calculated on points-per-game), qualifying for the play-offs. In 2021–22 Gateshead were National League North champions, earning promotion back to the National League. 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. After finishing sixth in the National League in 2023–24, the club were barred from competing in the play-offs after failing to meet the entry criteria for the Football League due to not obtaining a "10-year security of tenure" for their stadium. They also reached a second successive FA Trophy final, this time defeating Solihull Moors on penalties following a 2–2 draw to win the competition.

Colours and crest

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.

The club's crest incorporates an image of the statue the Angel of the North.

Stadium

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.

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. 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". 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". Despite Gateshead qualifying for the National League play-offs in 2023–24, they were excluded due to Gateshead Council failing to grant the club a ten-year security of tenure for the International Stadium, which is required for all teams that apply for EFL membership from the National League.

Current squad

Out on loan

Non-playing staff

Honours

• 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

Records

• 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 (2003–2016)
• Most goals: Paul Thompson, 130 (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

References

References

1. "Our History".
2. As a result, the club were promoted to the [[National League (English football). Alliance Premier League]]. After a sixteenth-place finish in their [[1983–84 Alliance Premier League. first season]] in the league, they finished second-from-bottom in [[1984–85 Alliance Premier League
3. "Club information and contacts". Gateshead Fc.
4. "2007–08 Northern Premier League".
5. Joe Townsend. (4 May 2014). "Gateshead 3–1 Grimsby Town (agg 4–2)".
6. (18 May 2014). "Cambridge United 2–1 Gateshead".
7. (8 June 2019). "Gateshead relegated to National League North after financial breaches".
8. (17 June 2020). "Barrow promoted back to English Football League after National League vote". BBC Sport.
9. Jeff Bowron. (2 May 2022). "Gateshead clinch promotion to National League as Chorley draw seals title".
10. Luke De Costa. (21 May 2023). "FA Trophy final: FC Halifax Town 1–0 Gateshead".
11. (21 April 2024). "Gateshead barred from National League play-offs over ground lease".
12. (11 May 2024). "FA Trophy final: Gateshead 2–2 Solihull Moors (5–4 on pens)".
13. [https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/gallery/passionate-people-passionate-places-angel-19358128 Passionate People, Passionate Places: Our Angel of the North] Chronicle Live, 6 December 2020
14. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100217172752/http://www.gateshead-fc.com/2475/gateshead-fc-unveil-new-stadium-site Gateshead FC unveil new stadium site] Gateshead F.C., 28 October 2009
15. [http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/book-reveals-gateshead-fc-might-7514072 Book reveals Gateshead might ditch new stadium plans] Chronicle Live, 27 July 2014
16. (13 December 2015). "Gateshead have restarted the search for a new home, says Tynesiders owner Richard Bennett".
17. (21 April 2024). "Gateshead barred from National League play-offs over ground lease". [[BBC Sport]].
18. "First Team Squad – Gateshead FC". Gateshead FC.
19. "Club Information & Contacts".
20. Chronicle, Evening. (2002-02-08). "Gary Vows To Get Gateshead Back On Track".
21. (2016-07-01). "Tony Lee gets Gateshead job".
22. Bowron, Jeff. (28 April 2010). "Gateshead confirm Ian Bogie as full time manager". Gateshead Football Club.
23. (2014-03-28). "Gateshead appoint from within".
24. (2013-08-18). "Smith Resignation Accepted".
25. "Gateshead appoint Mills as manager". BBC Sport.
26. "Gateshead appoint Crosby new manager". BBC Sport.
27. "Aspin appointed Gateshead manager". BBC Sport.
28. "Gateshead 1-2 Bromley". BBC Sport.
29. "Watson named new Gateshead manager". BBC Sport.
30. "Clark named permanent Gateshead boss". BBC Sport.
31. "Gateshead appoint Williamson player-boss". BBC Sport.
32. (17 October 2023). "Mike Williamson: MK Dons appoint Gateshead manager as head coach". BBC Sport.
33. "Gateshead name caretaker Elliot as permanent boss". BBC Sport.
34. (1 October 2024). "Crawley announce Gateshead boss Elliot as manager". [[BBC Sport]].
35. (15 October 2024). "Gateshead name ex-defender Magnay as new manager". [[BBC Sport]].
36. (16 June 2025). "Gateshead FC Appoint Alun Armstrong As First-Team Manager".
37. Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2016) ''Non-League Club Directory 2017'', Tony Williams Publications, p32 {{ISBN. 978-1869833695
38. "Gateshead release defender Curtis". BBC Sport.
39. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28967944 Marcus Maddison sale can help Gateshead thrive – Gary Mills] BBC Sport, 28 August 2014
40. [https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gateshead-receive-another-cash-windfall-8610887 Gateshead receive another cash windfall after Marcus Maddison plays his 20th game for Peterborough] Chronicle Live, 10 February 2015