Non League in the North East

A business trip to the Newcastle area gave me the opportunity to go and sample the hotbed that is the Northern League for the first time,the initial plan was to visit Ashington and the opportunity to visit the North East's version of my home town of Dudley but due to the encouragement of Non League guru David Bauckham I ended up at Belle Vue park home of Consett FC for the match with West Auckland

Belle Vue will be demolished at the end of the season some 50 years after it was build by the local steel workers for Consett is a town that used to revolve around its now sadly gone steelworks,although some areas of the ground show that it is nearing the end of its days it was good to see the entrance area and turnstiles sporting what looked like a very fresh coat of paint,there is pride in the old place to the end.

As is typical of so many Non League grounds the welcome once I introduced myself as this Midlands nutter braving a cold night to watch no league football was as warm as the night was cold and I do hope that this carries on to the new ground and that a space is found for the lovely people who run the Corner Flag Snack bar.

It was also a very pleasant surprise to be asked into boardroom at half time for refreshments by the gateman whose name I am ashamed to admit I have forgotten ,as an side I think West Auckland were rather taking the mick as it appeared most of their travelling support crammed in for refreshments rather than just the officers of the club as is normal practice

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And so to the match ,well West Auckland as befits former World cup winners started much the brighter (Yes World Cup Winners and if you want the full story look here)
http://www.onthisfootballday.com/football-history/april-12-west-auckland-fc-world-cup-winners.php

So yes West Auckland started the brighter went 1-0 up early on hd a 2 goal lead by half time and mid way through the second half lead 4-0,so game over lets watch the clock run down and go home

However Consett had other ideas and throwing caution to the wind threw everything at their opponents,0-4 became 1-4,2-4 and amazingly 3-4 and West Auckland were hanging on by their fingernails,sadly time ran out but what had looked like an embarrassing rout for the home side had turned into a defeat with dignity

So we all trooped of home ,or in my case back to the hotel, thoroughly entertained and I was really pleased I had paid a visit to Belle Vue park before goes the way of so many traditional grounds

As a non football related aside the North East was one of the areas seriously affected by the policies of Margaret Thatcher who had died the day before, the steelworks that was the heartbeat of the town went in the 80's. Thatcherism hadn't affected me a great deal in this way but talking to those who had seen the heart ripped out of their communities by the political dogma of Margaret Thatcher made you realised why so many if not partying over her death at least will at least shed no tears.

Maybe Jack Wheelan and John Madejski should talk to the people of County Durham, Yorkshire and the Welsh Valleys before they  go on about a minutes silence before matches this weekend