My Matchday Pics -110 Wheatsheaf Sports Ground

Blyth Spartans 1v2 Newcastle United Reserves
Northumberland Senior Cup Final
3rd May 2006
att.850-1000approx
(neutral venue-Wheatsheaf Sports Ground,home of Ncle Blue Star)

The Northumberland Senior Cup has been contested for from as way back as 1881,when Tyne FC were the winners for the first and only time.
The venue for the final is usually St James Park,but the NFA decided that this years final tie would be hosted at the Wheatsheaf Sports Ground the regular home of Newcastle Blue Star.
The Wheatsheaf lies just north of Newcastle in the sleepy suburb of Woolsington,Blue Star have been Senior Cup winners on seven occasions but their biggest feat was winning the FA Vase in 1978 beating Barton Rovers 2-1 at Wembley.
Formed in 1930 the club played in minor leagues and progressed to the Wearside League in 1973,where they became the most successful club in that period, winning the championship five out of twelve seasons,they became members of the Northern League in 1985/86 winning the 2nd Division at the first time of asking with a massive record breaking 109 points.
Newcastle Blue Star had a prosperous 2005/06,becoming Northern League Champions for the first time and they also won the League Cup to complete a memorable double.
There was a healthy attendance for this years final,amongst the crowd were a few senior Toon players along with Terry McDermott and Glen Roeder(who arrived at the ground eating an apple,he mustn’t have had time for his tea)and a big following down from Blyth,hoping to see their side win their third trophy in a week after winning the Unibond Chairmans Cup,and of course becoming Unibond Northern League Champions,hence booking a place into the Conference North for 2006/07 season.
Blyth Spartans are no strangers to winning this trophy having amassed twenty wins their last being in 1998,while Newcastle supporters welcome the Senior Cup because it’s a rare chance to see the Toon lift a pot,even though the Magpies haven’t won it since 2001.
The Wheatsheaf is a homely ground,which has open standing areas on three sides,you can tend to get distracted by the Metro which runs parallel with the pitch,in front of which is the team dug outs and a covered terrace,and there’s an added distraction of constant planes taking off from Newcastle International Airport,which is just along the road from the ground.
The game was an entertaining but tight affair with Newcastle lifting silverware again,when I say again I mean winning the Northumberland Senior Cup for the 27th time.

Match Report @ - http://www.nufc.com/2005-06html/2006-05-03blyth-res-n.html

Updates

May 2007 - After a season of will they or won’t they, Newcastle Blue Star took the ambitious step up into the newly formed Unibond League North, their decision was a controversial one with the club finishing 11th and the ANL not happy about the so called “cherry picking” of their clubs, but the previous season Blue Star were league champions, so basically I feel they’ve won promotion, be it a year later.
Their ambition was further strengthened by their decision to move from the Wheatshief along the road into Kingston Park, so they will now have the benefit of one of the best grounds and facilities in Non-League football.
The Wheatshief has been used by the ladies team from Newcastle United and there are plans to lay an all weather pitch.

The Northumberland Senior Cup Final returned to St. James’ Park for 2007, with Blyth Spartans again reaching the final but sadly once more they missed out on the trophy, losing 3-2 to Morpeth Town.