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It has been intriguing to watch the ongoing development of the North East Non-League season over the last decade.
Since the introduction of mandatory promotion into the Northern Premier League, there are a number of lessons that have been learnt on and off the pitch at clubs around the region.
Strengthening infrastructure, meeting ground grading criteria and attempting to increase attendances and interest from the local community are balanced with attempts to boost the quality of playing squads in order to compete at a higher level.
North East Domination
When the North East dominated the FA Vase, significant budgets and talented players not willing to move up the Non-League pyramid were cited as the reason for the stranglehold that remained in place from Whitley Bay‘s treble win between 2009 to 2011 up to Hebburn Town’s triumph in an all-Northern League final in 2020.
During that time, the region provided nine winners in 12 years, two finals were between Northern League rivals and two other clubs, West Auckland Town and Stockton Town, were beaten finalists.
Perhaps more significantly, barring Whitley Bay and West Auckland, the other eight clubs that have reached the final have secured promotion into the Northern Premier League in the years that followed and only North Shields have returned to the Northern League after falling foul of ground grading regulations after securing a top half finish in the 2022/23 season.
FA Trophy finalists Spennymoor Town, Darlington, South Shields, Morpeth Town, Hebburn Town and Stockton Town have gone on to take further steps up the pyramid since leaving the Northern League.
Bishop Auckland and Heaton Stannington were the latest two clubs to make the jump last season as they became Northern League champions and play-off winners respectively.
Bishop Auckland vs Heaton Stannington
So it felt fitting to visit the latter’s Grounsell Park last Friday night as the two sides met at a crucial part of the season.
Bishop Auckland have enjoyed a promising first season in step four and will head into the final four games of the season sat comfortably in the mid-table and plans to build on a solid performance are already in motion.
For The Stan, a step seven Northern Alliance club as recently as 2013, lessons have been learnt and a crash course in survival at a higher level has been played out on and off the pitch.
Work is ongoing to continue improving their Grounsell Park home and further plans are being put in place behind the scenes.
On the pitch, manager Dean Nicholson and assistant manager Andy McBride have made some difficult decisions as they have tinkered with their squad throughout the season to find the right formula.
The Stan’s Season
Despite some struggles, this season still has the potential to go down as one of the greatest in their history after Nicholson’s side have reached the final of the Northumberland Senior Cup for the first time since 1980 and have given themselves a fighting chance of preserving their NPL status with three wins in their last four games.
The latest positive in that upturn in form came with a 2-0 win against their former Northern League opponents as goals from Leighton Hopper and Alfie Marriott both got the goals that kept the Stan’s head above water.
Intriguingly, Nicholson’s side and North East rivals Consett and Ashington sit just above the relegation zone ahead of a nervy final fortnight of the season – but should they remain in step four, the division has the potential to become even more North East-centric next season.
Blyth Spartans’ relegation from the NPL’s Premier Division has already been confirmed and two more Northern League clubs will join the fold next season.
Obviously, from a North East point of view, we hope either Dunston UTS or Newton Aycliffe can put a successful end of impressive seasons by securing a first-ever promotion into step three via the play-offs.
However, should they fall short, the North East will have nine of the 22 clubs in the division – and that means it will be a must-watch for the region’s supporters.
More lessons will be learnt as the makeup of the North East Non-League scene continues to change over the coming years.
