The non-league season has just passed the halfway point. So how are Heaton Stannington and other North East non-league teams doing this season?
Considering Heaton Stannington, it has been another very encouraging season.in the league, only spoilt really by disappointingly early exits in the two main cup competitions.
In the Northern Premier League East, the Stan have continued their upward trajectory from recent seasons and at the time of writing lie sixth in the league, just outside the promotion play-off places. It is useful to remember that four years ago they were still in Northern League Division 2. Now here they are in serious contention for promotion to the Northern Premier League.
The season did begin in an inconsistent manner for Heaton Stannington. and included a 5-1 defeat at home to North East rivals Consett on August Bank Holiday Monday.
However, by early October, Stan had got into a groove and developed a great run of form, including a remarkable victory away at Blyth Spartans. In this game on a mild early October evening, Heaton Stannington went 3-0 before half-time and added a fourth early in the second half.
A Blyth defender contested the decision a little too strongly and was sent-off; so early in the second half Stan were 4-0 up and had an extra player. What could possibly go wrong!
Well at the end Heaton were hanging on at 4-3 as Spartans hit the woodwork in injury time. Driving home, I kept having to remind myself that Heaton had actually won!
By this time, the Stan were out of both the FA Cup and FA Trophy. They were knocked out of the FA Cup on a wet late August Saturday afternoon at Newcastle Blue Star, paying the price for not taking their chances. The cup upset clearly meant a lot to the fast-rising Blue Star, who celebrated with a lavish display of fireworks…
Stan was knocked out of the FA Trophy by Bradford Park Avenue in a narrow 2-1 defeat in West Yorkshire on 3 October, and so the Wembley dreams were over for another year. However, their excellent league form – they have won four and drawn one of the last five games at the time of writing – means that the season still promises much to the large and vibrant Stan army of supporters.
Elsewhere in Northern non-league football
The North East team of the year in Northern Premier League East was Redcar Athletic, who have led the table for months. Having been promoted from Northern League Division One, Athletic benefited from a serious cash injection from a local businessman and have made the most of it.
It has been a very good season for Cleveland, with Redcar Town top of Northern League Division Two and Guisborough going well at the top along with Whitley Bay and perennial challengers for promotion, Shildon. It remains to be seen how Whitley Bay will manage without star striker Leyton Campbell, who has signed for Middlesbrough.
Meanwhile, in the Northern Premier League, Hebburn Town are having a great season and at the time of writing sit second in the league, having won their last five games. They also have bold plans for the future.
Great value for money
As ever, non-league football is great value for money with good, honest football and clubs run to provide football and support for their communities and no other reasons.
If you love football and have a non-League club near you, why not get along to watch them? You could do a lot worse.
For details of Heaton Stannington’s fixtures, please see here.
For information about the Northern league see here and for the Northern Premier League and Northern Premier League East see here.
