Mark Carruthers: How Hebburn Town went from brink of collapse to Northern Premier League contenders

The warning signs were clear and obvious as attendances dropped into double digits and interest appeared to be waining – Hebburn Town were on the brink and there were no signs of hope for their long-term future.

A chat with then-manager Scott Oliver left me fully aware that the precipice was close and action was required from the local community and the North East Non-League scene as a whole.

After 105 years in existence, Hebburn were going out of business.

A moment of respite and a reason for hope arrived just days later when desperate pleas for support were answered as a crowd of 452 were on hand to witness a 4-1 win against Tow Law Town and sew the seeds for a more positive future.

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Long-lasting impact

Neighbours Newcastle United and Sunderland did their part as Under-21s sides faced the Hornets in friendlies that also attracted strong attendances – but the most long-lasting impact came with a group of local businessmen stepping in to trigger a remarkable upturn in fortunes. 

Since that chilly afternoon in early March 2017, the Hornets have transformed beyond recognition on and off the pitch and could now be considered to be one of the most ambitious clubs in the North East Non-League game.

For the record, their on-field achievements consist of two promotions, one league title, an FA Vase final win at Wembley, a Durham Challenge Cup final win at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light and a first ever appearance in the FA Trophy first round.

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Off the pitch

Off the field, their Hebburn Sports Ground home, now known as the Trustmark Group Stadium after a sponsor deal was agreed recently, has also been subjected to remarkable improvements, and the biggest upgrade is yet to come.

The Hornets are awaiting the green light for major redevelopments that will consist of a FIFA Pro-certified artificial pitch, a second training pitch with state-of-the-art 3G pitches, new floodlights and the construction of a new South Stand.

The stand will consist of new changing rooms, offices, a gym, a club shop, and a function room, which can be used for conference facilities and classrooms.

The current entrance to their home ground will be converted into a community hub, there will be new parking facilities, new access points and their impressive ‘Sportsy’ bar and clubhouse will receive a further extension.

The Hornets have also acquired the local ‘Clock playing fields’ and that will be largely utilised by a junior setup now consisting of over 1,000 players across 83 teams.

The club also hosts 200 adult players across ten teams and 200 youngsters take part in community sessions.

On the pitch

On the pitch, a new look Hebburn side has moved on from the departure of some key players and an underwhelming second half of last season to quietly move to the top of the Northern Premier League Premier Division table.

After claiming six points from home games against Ashton United and Whitby Town over the last week, Daniel Moore’s men are sitting at the summit ahead of Saturday’s trip to Hednesford Town and the former Shildon boss and his coaching staff deserve great credit for the job they have done this season, no matter what happens between now and late April.

Neighbours South Shields have received a lot of headlines for their meteoric rise from the second tier of the Northern League to the National League North and quite rightly so.

But the Hornets have bounced, or should that be buzzed, along nicely over the last eight years and are now genuine contenders for a first ever promotion into the National League North.

Bigger picture

However, there is a bigger picture to all of this.

Should they fall short over the coming months, this season and this period can not be considered to be anything approaching a failure.

Success for Hebburn has already been achieved multiple times by staving off the threat of going out of business, for thriving in adversity and for their relentless pursuit of being better on and off the pitch throughout that time.

Their ambitious plans across the club are putting solid foundations in place that will ensure the dark and deeply concerning days of having to appeal for support are firmly a thing of the past.

READ MORE: Mark Carruthers: Why Macclesfield’s FA Cup shock was about more than Crystal Palace’s failure