Newcastle Blue Star 3-1 Chester-le-Street United, Tuesday 26th September 2023

Newcastle Blue Star 3-1 Chester-le-Street United, Northern League Division 2, Scotswood, att. 232

A famous old non-league name has returned to the Northern League this season: Newcastle Blue Star. Having reformed in 2018, the former FA Vase winners (1978) last season won the Northern Alliance and thereby gained promotion back to where they’ve mostly been. The original side went out of business in 2009 following an inability to pay off a loan intended to pay for improvements to former ground The Wheatsheaf, though the extra travelling costs associated with playing in the Northern Premier League can’t have helped. However, the current incarnation are thriving.

Having re-formed, Blue Star now have a fantastic home in Scotswood, one of the best grounds in the Northern League. Two stands of seating, actual terracing and a giant marquee housing a bar and outside picnic tables. One corner even offers balcony views with clever use of the containers parked underneath. No wonder they’re getting crowds in excess of 200 in the second division…and I can only see them increasing.

The branding also helps. It’s black and white stripes everywhere, as Scotswood is in the heart of the west end of Newcastle (not that my satnav found it very easily, re-routing me back onto the A1 and forcing me to double back, having come from the south). The club badge is reminiscent of The Magpies last great renaissance under Kevin Keegan’s playership, the black and white stripes forming the background to the iconic blue star, showing a silhouette of Newcastle, including the Tyne Bridge. Newcastle Blue Star (the team) have an identikit kit and there were shirts everywhere. There is no doubting their supporters’ true allegiance…over half the answers in the match programme alluded to Newcastle United. Still, I’ll not bear a grudge.

Tonight’s opponents, Chester-le-Street United, are also an interesting proposition, all students of the Park View Academy and thus all 19 years old or younger. They’re obviously well coached, with superb passing moves, but, as befits a young side, they lack the physicality and the nouse of old pros...and Blue Star maybe have half a dozen of those, including a centre half who knows exactly where to position himself to break down the youngster’s moves. Thus, a promising start (the visitors took the lead with a direct free kick, passionately celebrated) eneded with a 3-1 defeat as promotion chasing Blue Star took control in the second half.

Having missed kick-off (see earlier satnav issues) I parked up next to the ground. As you enter the through the turnstile, you’re met with a programme hut and refreshment kiosk. To the right is a massive marquee housing the bar. Again, there’s no doubt who the reak team around here is, as ‘UNITED’ is written in huge letters in front of the big screen. Tho hang on...who’s that on telly? It’s Man United, playing Crystal Palace in the league cup. Nobody is watching. I await my turn, some kids wanting sweets, and grab a San Miguel for the action.

I’ve missed no goals and take a pew under the balcony. How does one get up there? (I figure this out second half, as I pass a staircase). A la Hebburn...and South Shields...a great view. However, most of the crowd...and the buzz...is outside the marquee, as numerous picnic tables afford a view from the halfway line. I perch my beer on the safety barrier and watch and entertaining first half, United (!?) taking a surprise lead with that free kick.

At half time I start a leisurely stroll around the environs. After the picnic tables there are toilets…then a small stand of 2 or 3 rows of seating. Continuing stanchions along this side perhaps hint at extensions to come. Big plans! Behind the goal, there is no terracing and the perimeter fence is tight to the touchline. This continues around to the far side where The Alan Smith Stand dominates the halfway line, 6 rows or so of seating in a dark, atmospheric enclosure. The dugouts are either side of this stand, thus considerably into either half. The other side of this stand has a small (metal) terrace, very sparsely populated tonite, before I reached behind the goal...and more stanchions perhaps awaiting ground improvements, before reaching the balcony corner again. All in all, a really, really smart ground with the potential for further improvement. Behind the Alan Smith Stand meantime is another beautifully enclosed football pitch. All, in all, a really pleasurable place to see football...even if one doesn’t care much for Newcastle United.

And what did I see? A second direct free kick scored, kids having a kickabout right behind the net (is that allowed?) and the United keeper fumbling in the 3rd from a cross. Oh, and it was far easier going home...I ignored the satnav to find myself ‘gannin’ along the Scotswood Road’. Though sadly, there’s no Blaydon Races anymore.

The Damage:
£5 ent
£2 programme
£4 San Miguel (pint)
= £11

Chester-le-Street United 0-3 Easington Colliery, Wednesday 2nd August 2023

Chester-le-Street United 0-3 Easington Colliery, Northern League Division 2, Riverside Leisure Stadium, att. 116

It is the height of the British summer and after a July of rain…the beginning of August spells similar. It has rained all day here in my part of County Durham and 3 games in the Northern League have already succumbed. ‘Are you still going if it’s raining?’ I’m asked. ‘All the more reason!’ I bravely reply, though actually, there’s a lot to be said for standing on your own, outside, staring at the 10th tier of English football.

I’m keen tonite cos it’s a new ground. Indeed, history is due to be broken, as Chester-le-Street United, formed a mere 3 years ago, are due to play their first ever home game under floodlights at the home adjacent to Durham County’s cricket ground. It’s been a rapid rise, one season in the Wearside League and immediate promotion. Too rapid for their home, as due to not having floodlights, they played last season at the Ford Hub, home of Sunderland West End and my least favourite ground in the Northern League. I don’t know what any of this means to Northern League stalwarts Chester-le-Street Town, whose home is a mile or so out of town at Chester Moor. Have they been usurped? Will they survive? Is the town big enough for 2 clubs?

The Riverside Leisure Stadium is unlike any other in the Northern League. For a start, it has a running track around it. The Main ‘Stand’ as such is a pavilion, with some terracing underneath. However, the terracing is behind the running track and thus anyone wanting to stand crosses the track and leans against the barrier, which only goes around this side and the left hand goal. Consequently, fans aren’t allowed on 2 sides. The other side of the (left) far goal is one of the tinest stands I’ve ever seen. From this distance, I’d say it has 38 seats. It is virtually full, second half, as the the youth distance themselves from their elders. However, the pavilion dominates.

It is a grand structure, offering (upstairs) a large bar, as well as excellent views from the balcony (like at Darlington). However, a floodlight does impede the view slightly. I watch for half an hour from up here, go down to pitchside for 10 minutes…then scamper back when a deluge hits. I wasn’t the only one. I retreated back to where I’d been, standing next to what was obviously another groundhopper. This time though his mate was with him, and I enjoyed eavesdropping on their north-eastern non-league travels (north of the Tyne a speciality). Shildon was their Northern League ground of choice for atmosphere. I’d have gone Crook Town myself, or Seaham, or perhaps tonite’s visitors Easington Colliery.

I couldn’t decide if Easington were dapper dogs…or complete clarts this evening. What a strip. Pink and white stripes, with violet arms. Given the home side were playing in some shade of gold, I couldn’t work out how this clashed with Easington’s first choice strip of green and white stripes. Do they have one of those Premiership contracts insisting away shirts must be worn? At least they had enough players...the programme could only mention 10. Still, squads at this level are fluid to say the least.

The programme also stated Chester’s side could have a very different look to Saturday gone, most of their players having returned from a youth tournament* in Morocco. I bet it didn’t rain there. Given they arrived back 24 hours before tonite’s match, it would explain how they tired in the second half after a promising start in which they could have been 3 up, but definitely one, as the centre forward, clean through, crashed a shot against the keeper’s legs.

*Many of their players are part of the Park View Academy of Sport, basically studying ‘A’ levels or equivalent, while being coached in sports such as football, cricket, rugby, netball, athletics...I’d apply but I think my time playing football is up.

Second half, we are 25 minutes in and one of my groundhopper friends is speculating on the likelihood of a goalless draw and whether they’d thus have to come back. ‘No, I’m not that desperate’ says his mate. A minute later and Easington’s Callum Stanton curls one in with his left foot from 20 yards. Chester look spent and within 10 minutes it’s 3. A cross is deflected in (the goal being generously awarded to the crosser, Brad Forster) before Stanton absolutely belts in a 25 yarder for his second. Game over, United are shattered and Easington waste several breals to increase the scoreline. Then more groundhopper chat on the way out; a couple of old boys from Coventry have come up, a double-header including Newcastle Blue Star last nite. I’m not sure I’m at the level of driving to Coventry for a couple of games at the 10th tier of English football (yet).

The Damage:
£5 ent
free programme
= £5