Match Preview proudly sponsored by Northumbria Print
Date: Wednesday 22nd January 2020
Venue: Craik Park, Morpeth Common, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2YX
Kick Off: 7.30pm
Competition: Techflow Marine Northumberland Senior Cup
Highlights: Highwaymen TV
The Highwaymen welcome Whitley Bay to Craik Park on Wednesday evening as they look to progress to the latter stages of the Northumberland Senior Cup.
History
The present Whitley Bay FC was formed in 1950 as Whitley Bay Athletic. From 1950 until 1955 Athletic were members of the Northern Alliance and during those five seasons they won the League Championship, the League Cup (twice) and in 1952/53 they became the first amateur team for sixty years to win the Northumberland Senior Cup.
In 1955 the Club decided to join the powerful North Eastern League which was composed wholly of professional sides and for three seasons Bay struggled at the foot of the league. In 1958 a limited company was formed, the Athletic dropped from the title and a successful application to the Northern League was made.
During the 1960’s Whitley Bay became one of the top amateur clubs in the country. They won the Northern League title in 1964/65 and 1965/66, as well as the League Cup in 1964/65. The Club won the Northumberland Senior Cup six times in ten years and they were runners up on another occasion. It was in the Amateur Cup that Bay rose to national prominence, reaching the semi-finals twice and the quarter finals four times. The quarter final against Hendon in 1965 set the ground record, when 7301 supporters packed into Hillheads Park only to see Hendon win 3-1.
Whitley’s all-time record goalscorer, centre forward Billy Wright, was one of the club’s leading players during this period. In a remarkable career he scored 307 goals for the club.
The early 1970’s saw Bay’s successes continue with the League Cup being won in 1970/71, and the County Cup 1970/71 and 1972/73. With the demise of amateur football the Club’s fortunes took a nosedive, culminating in them having to apply for re-election to the League in 1979/80. During the early `80’s the Club slowly pulled itself around and when the Board of Directors appointed former player, Bobby Graham, as team manager in 1986, the team’s performances took a huge turn for the better. During his first season in charge Bobby took Bay to their highest League position (5th), for fifteen years and the team enjoyed their best ever F.A. Trophy run, when they reached the last sixteen. To cap a great season the Northumberland Senior Cup once again came to Hillheads, when Bay beat highly rated Blue Star 2-1 in the final.
In Bay’s final season in the Northern League (1987/88), after looking likely League Champions for most of the season, only a bad run of injuries prevented the title coming to Hillheads. With the Club on the up and up, it was decided to apply to the H.F.S. Loans League, an application that proved successful.
In season 1989/90 Bay had their best ever run in the FA Cup, when they got to the Third Round proper, beating Scarborough and Preston North End, only to lose 1-0 at Rochdale.
In season 1990/91 Bay’s move to the H.F.S. Loans League was justified, as they won not only the First Division Cup for the second time (the first being in 1988/89), but also the Championship and promotion to the Premier Division. Bay finished in 11th spot in the 1993/94 season, their best position in the Premier Division. The 1994/95 season proved to be a disastrous one for the Bay. The side struggled in the League, and continuing poor results led to Bobby Graham’s resignation in February 1995. The new manager, Derek Bell, hampered by financial restrictions, was unable to stop the slide and Bay finished in 21st position, resulting in relegation to the First Division.
Bay made an excellent start to the 1995/96 campaign, but after a series of poor results Derek Bell shocked the Club by resigning. The Directors appointed his assistant, Kenny Parker, in a caretaker capacity, but soon upgraded him to permanent status in the February following a run of seven wins in his first nine games. The initial success was not sustained however, and Bay finally finished in 8th position, after some inconsistent form towards the end of the season. Worse was to follow in the 1996/97 season, when Bay failed to register a win in their first ten league games and also crashed out of the FA Cup 6-0 to Harrogate Town. However, Parker rallied his troops and by the end of October they were awarded the Unibond team of the month. The inconsistent form returned however, and after a semi-final defeat in the County Cup by Morpeth Town, Kenny Parker was relieved of his duties and his assistant Paddy Lowrey, took over till the end of the season. Paddy was appointed permanent manager for the beginning of the 1997/98 season, and consolidated the Club by winning Unibond team of the month for December.
Things didn’t progress and the Bay were confined to the bottom 3 places of the league for the whole of the 1998/99 campaign and only escaped relegation when Cristen Priest scored a dramatic 89th minute equaliser against Trafford on the final day of the season. Relegation was to follow a year later.
2008/09 was a season Bay fans will never forget. The FA Vase once again took centre stage with Manchester side Abbey Hey being Whitleys’ first opponents. The visitors went 2-0 up and only a late equaliser from Chris Moore took the game to extra time where Bay ran out 5-2 winners. Victories over Penrith, Bootle, Stratford and Biggleswade Town took Whitley into the semi-final where they were once again paired with Lowestoft. Bay had home advantage in the 1st leg and a crowd of 2,947 saw goals from Paul Chow and Lee Kerr give them a 2-1 lead. In the 2nd leg 2,250 fans saw Bay’s lead wiped out inside 3 minutes but an equaliser from Leon Ryan and a superb display from the whole team saw Whitley become the first North East side to reach the new Wembley where their opponents were Glossop North End from the North West Counties League. What an occasion it was! With 12,212 fans in the stadium, goals from Lee Kerr and Paul Chow brought the FA Vase back to Whitley Bay for the 2nd time in seven years.
once again Wembley beckoned when after victories over Alsager Town, Boldmere St Michaels, Poole Town, Chertsey Town and Shildon, an epic two legged semi final against Barwell saw Whitley come from 3-1 down with five minutes left in the first leg to draw 3-3. Then in the return leg, a near 3,000 crowd witnessed a sensational finish when Paul Robinson’s diving header in stoppage time won the game and the tie amid ecstatic scenes at Hillheads. And so Whitley Bay reached the FA Vase Final for the third time and for the second successive season.
This time Bay’s opponents were Wroxham from the Eastern Counties League. The thousands of fans who made the trip from the north east to Wembley were celebrating after only 21 seconds when Paul Chow took advantage of hesitation in the Wroxham defence to score the fastest goal ever seen in a Wembley Final, a record that remains to this day. Although Wroxham got an equaliser, Whitley’s lead was soon restored when a Richard Hodgson free kick was turned into his own net by a Wroxham defender. Lee Kerr’s spectacular effort after just 50 seconds of the second half ensured the Vase would be coming back to Whitley Bay for a record equalling third time. Further goals from Adam Johnston, Paul Robinson and Josh Gillies completed the 6-1 victory, the highest score in the history of the FA Vase Final. Paul Chow was also named Man of the Match.
Last Match
Town crashed to a heavy 4-1 defeat to Ashton United on Saturday. Jeff Henderson headed home on 4 minutes to open the scoring but that was the best it got as Ashton were level at the interval and took control of the game after the break.
The Bay lost 4-3 at Ryhope on Saturday. Former Whitley striker, Brad Hird scored a quick brace for the home side. Coleby Shepherd and Marcus Giles made sure Bay were level at the break but Ryhope scored another 2 quick goals and despite a stoppage time penalty from James Fairley, the hosts clung on.
Manager
Nathan Haslam: Appointed in March 2019. Formerly the head coach at Markse United and Bishop Auckland. Completed a league and cup double with Marske in 2013/14.
