Play-off disappointment won’t quell Newcastle Blue Star’s pride

Paul Brayson has expressed his pride over Newcastle Blue Star’s performances during the second half of the season – despite watching his side miss out on a Northern League Division One play-off place on the final weekend of the campaign.

The former Newcastle United and Cardiff City striker took charge of Blue Star in November last year after the Tyneside club had parted company with former management team Marc Nash and Anthony Woodhouse.

Brayson inherited a youthful-looking squad after several players departed prior to his arrival and moved to add experienced heads such as his former Newcastle Benfield midfielder, Richie Slaughter, and former Dunston UTS defender Craig Scott to his ranks.

With the dismal weather conditions that hit the North East throughout the winter period hampering efforts to build momentum, Brayson had to show his patient side as he looked to coax an improvement out of his new-look squad.

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Rewards

His rewards came during the final two months of the campaign as Blue Star won eight of their last ten league games to force themselves into the play-off picture as another season of change approached its conclusion.

However, Boro Rangers maintained their grip on the fourth and final play-off place with a narrow home win against Newcastle Benfield on the final day of the season, and that left Brayson and his squad to focus on their Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup run.

Blue Star bounced back from their play-off disappointment in style by reaching the semi-final of the competition with a 3-1 win at Newcastle University in midweek, and they will face Birtley Town in the last four on Saturday.

Reflecting on another eventful season at the KD Stadium, Brayson preferred to focus on the positives shown by his side and stressed that planning for his first full season in charge is already well underway.

Good team

He told The NLP: “From where we were to where we are now, you would have snapped hands off for that, but no matter what happens, we have the League Cup to play for.

“When we first came in, the squad was a very young one and a lot of players had left the club. 

“We never had a run of games because games were off, but we had a chance to make a few signings, had a run of games and we could show we were a good team.”

Unbelievable

He added: “The lads have been unbelievable. You’ve got to plan for next season; every team will be doing that now, no matter what they are doing in leagues or cups.

“We are no different and we are planning for next season too, so we will see what happens.”

The winner of Saturday’s Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup semi-final between Blue Star and Birtley will face North Shields in the final.

The Northern League have confirmed that it will take place on Thursday, 30 April at Hillheads, home of Whitley Bay.

READ MORE: Cup progress can aid Whitley Bay’s promotion bid ahead of play-off showdown