Gateshead F.C.
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Gateshead F.C. are a football team based in Gateshead, England, who currently play in the Northern Premier League. The club was founded in 1977, although a separate club of the same name was a member of the Football League from 1930 to 1960.
Due to financial complications, the club has been unable to find a long-term chairman. Former player and manager Derek Bell assumed the position in the summer of 2004 and has since stabilised the club's finances and established many junior teams in a linkage with a local youth football club in a view to become an academy club over a period of time.
History
There have been at least three different Gateshead teams over the years. The original Gateshead A.F.C club came into being in 1930 when South Shields F.C., then in the Football League Third Division (North), moved to the town. They narrowly missed out on promotion on goal average in 1932, but otherwise stayed in the lower divisions until failing re-election in 1960.
The club played in various regional leagues including a brief spell in the Northern Premier League from 1968 to 1970, until they disbanded in 1973. History then repeated itself, when the reformed South Shields F.C., themselves members of the NPL, moved to Gateshead International Stadium and became Gateshead United F.C.. This only lasted three seasons before they themselves went out of business in 1977.
A new Gateshead F.C. was formed to take their place, and finally made progress, winning promotion to the Alliance Premier League in 1983. They have been promoted and relegated several times since, and spent the 2003-04 season in the Northern Premier League First Division. A 6th place finish was enough to win promotion to the Premier Division due to the restructuring of the National League System.
A third incarnation of South Shields F.C. currently plays in the Northern League.
Honours
Gateshead (1) (1930-73):
- Football League Third Division (North) runners up 1932, 1950
Gateshead (2) (1977-date):
- Northern Premier League champions 1983, 1986, runners up 1990
External links
- Official site (http://www.gateshead-fc.com/)