My Matchday - Last match at Portland Park

Ashington 2v3 Seaham Red Star
Arngrove Northern League 1st Division
15th February 2008
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The final historic match at Portland Park, Ashington’s home for over 100 years, the game against Seaham Red Star was more of an occasion than another football match, I was honoured the be amongst the near 2,000 in attendance in a final farewell to this former league ground.
Ashington is 15 miles north of Newcastle, in the Wansbeck district of Northumberland, with it’s many collieries the towns main export was coal, known as the “world’s largest coal-mining village” but it’s became more nationally know for it’s production of footballers than coal, namely Wor Jackie, Big Jack and Bobby Charlton, if you wanted a good centre-forward, you just needed to shout down a coal mine in Ashington and one would appear.
Northumberland’s oldest club were formed in 1883, they joined the Northern Alliance in 1892, then on to the East Northumberland League until returning to the Alliance at the turn of the 20th century, winning the title just before World War One. After the war a spell in the North-Eastern League lead to the Colliers election to the Football League as founder members of the Third Division North in 1921.
Having played at the Recreation Ground for 25 years and then a year at Station Road, it was in 1907 the club moved to Portland Park, named after landowner the Duke of Portland, major development coincided with their Football League involvement, 2,000 shares were issued to help finance the upgrading of the Main Stand with concrete terracing added at a cost of £6,000.
The Football League years were brief, eight seasons with a highest placing of 8th in 1923-24 with frequent five figure attendances, the club became one of the first to miss out on re-election after finishing bottom in 1928-29, the Colliers returned to the North Eastern League, where they stayed until 1958, the ground recorded it’s highest attendance during this era, 13,199 for a 2nd Round FA Cup tie v Rochdale in December 1950, a narrow 2-1 defeat in front of a passionate crowd.
The club went through a itinerant phase, a name change to Ashington Wanderers would have been appropriate, as the club played in six different leagues culminating in becoming founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968. Life in the new league proved difficult and costly, the club ran up debts and were close to going out of business, so after only one season the club were relegated, finishing eighteenth of the twenty clubs and returned to the Northern Alliance.
As well as football, Portland Park has played host to Greyhound Racing, the ground was redeveloped during the 1940’s, adding an oval track to accommodate the dogs for over the next 20 years, speedway racing arrived briefly in the ‘70’s and stock car racing, it was at one of those meetings that the grandstand and dressing rooms were destroyed by fire after a crash in October 1971, the ground was redeveloped with new floodlights and the greyhounds returned in 1984.
When entering Portland Park, it’s evident there was once a surrounding track, as the ground still has an oval appearance, the terrace behind each goal is build up on top of a grass bank with the main standing area on the south side, a covered terrace with a corrugated iron roof giving shelter along one third of the pitch, the large clubhouse is behind this stand which houses an impressive array of Colliers memorabilia.
The Grandstand which was rebuilt in the 1980’s has a seating capacity of 300 made up of six large steps painted black and white, there’s a built up terrace in front with the changing rooms inside, the outskirt of the ground has a wooden fence which is on it’s last legs, splattered with a wide range of graffiti slogans.


The club have played in the Northern League since 1970, the only honours coming in 1999 and 2003 winning the Craven Cup during a spell in the Second Division, their first game at Portland Park as a Northern League club was a 2-0 win v Blyth Spartans, but hopes of signing off with a win wasn’t to be, as Red Star came intending to spoil the party.
After a quite start, the game came to live after 25 minutes a cross come shot rebounding off Hutchinson’s knee and into the net, Red Star levelled before half time, a clear cut penalty converted by Byrne. The home side restored the lead on 53 minutes, a scramble in the box ended with a stooped header from Bainbridge, but the visitors finished strongly, equalising on 68 minutes with Byrne getting his second, playing a one-two before hitting a cracking shot into the corner of the net, before the winner coming from a great cross and header from substitute Burns, a fine goal to take the honour as the last ever goal at Portland Park.
I cadged a lift to Ashington off squad no.76 El Queso Grande, we arrived early and after a walk around the empty stadium heading into the clubhouse, I was surprised to find squad no.69 and Matlock Pieman John Lawton there, taking advantage of work commitments in the area to visit another ground, he was in the company of a couple of ground hoppers from Norway, one a Scarborough fan, the other a follower of 'Dirty Leeds'
The evening was more of a get together of fans from the Northern League, with supporters from other clubs coming to pay there last respects to the old ground, I met some members of Non League Zone, finally able to but faces to names and by half-time the clubhouse bar was dry, with only bottled beverages left, so the bar staff cheekily took advantage of the ASDA across the road for more supplies.
As the bulldozers and ASDA move in, Ashington will play the remainder of their home fixtures this season at Bedlington’s Welfare Park and hopefully their new home at Hirst Welfare will be ready in the summer, so the dawn of a new era begins. The night was an enjoyable one, with a great atmosphere, top vocal support (and that bloody drum!) from the Ashington Barmy Army and a grand final match, and so a fitting end, a send off Portland Park deserves.

Links-
Match Report
Portland’s Last Stand – The Aftermath
Photo Gallery
Skif(squad#14) previous visit last month

Portland Park last game - Matchday Web Album(14 pictures, sorry about the quality)

My Matchday - 141 Meadow Park

Sunderland RCA 3v4 Seaham Red Star
Pre-Season friendly
28th July 2007
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Formed in 1961, when the original players of Ryhope Youth Club reached 18 they decided to stay on and form a senior side, initially they played all games away until finding a home at Colliery Welfare, changing their name to Ryhope Community, the club had immediate success playing in local leagues within the Seaham area, winning many titles and cup competitions.
Their first step on the football latter came in 1978 when they gained admission into the Northern Alliance League, though the club were desperate to find a ground after playing on a local school field, the clubs ambitions were finally granted thanks to backing from Tyne & Wear Council and the Sports Council to build Meadow Park on unused derelict land.
Founder members of the newly formed Northern League Second Division in 1982, the club finished runners-up the following season and enjoyed a brief spell in the top division until they were relegated in 1988; the club had a name change in 1999 with the amalgamation with Wearside League club Kennek Roker, thus becoming Kennek Ryhope Community Association, that was until last season when the club added the towns name, becoming Sunderland Ryhope Community Association F.C.
It looked likely that it was going to be another football free Saturday for myself, it was a busy day in the Smudger household and with the breadknife needing use of the car, I give up on the hope of getting a footie fix before I went on holiday, however after a review of the fixtures and a check on the bus times website, (even though it meant entering mackemland, I could just keep me gob shut!) I realised the possibility of getting to a game in just over an hour, so I caught an express bus to Sunderland and then a connection to Ryhope, thus meaning I could tick off Sunderland RCA off my Northern League list.
Being a stranger in a strange land I told the bus driver where I was going and asked him to let me know when it was my stop, this he thankfully done and then pointed me in the right direction but warned me it was “a canny walk” so after walking up a long and winding road and back again I eventually found the entrance, which is tucked inside a private housing estate and is less than a 2 minute walk away from the bus stop, so thanks unhelpful local bus driver, I knew I should have kept me gob shut. ;-)
The first impression of Meadow Park is that there’s no doubting which town you are in, as everything is decorated red and white, after entering the ground from behind the goal you notice the slope of the pitch running towards you from the top goal, where in the background is the graveyard from the local church, these two ends as well as the dugouts and car park side of the ground are open standing using a pathway and lawn areas.
The main stand is the rather neat looking ‘Baines Stand’ named after one of the clubs life presidents Ray, who has been involved with the club since the 1970s, this has five rows of red benches with white pin stripes, the back wall has red and white panels and red interior roof, neighbouring the stand is a half sheltered standing area (the other half of the roof is missing) and to the other side is the changing rooms, football bog and the clubhouse, which served a refreshing cool can of Stones Bitter which I was in need of after working up a thirst, after spending 20 minutes looking for the grounds entrance.
Ryhope CA like their visitors for the afternoon Seaham Red Star wear the Sunderland strip as the club colours, this was a proper Wearside derby with the two clubs only a mile and a half apart. Seaham wearing a changed strip of all blue showed the good form from where they left off last season, going in at half time with a comfy two goal lead with a header from Jennings and a good 20 yard strike from Lumsden and looked likely to build on their lead after the break, but the game swung in favour of the home side in a 7 minute spell midway through the second period, with a soft foul followed by an even clumsier one allowing Crew to score two penalties which he blasted past the keeper with confidence, minutes later he completed his hat trick latching on to low cross to put Ryhope 3-2 up. The game looked to be heading towards the proverbial game of two halves until two late strikes from Byrne and then a well taking effort from Newby put Star 4-3 ahead, their was just enough time for Crew to miss a sitter with literally the last kick of the game which would have giving the hosts a well deserved draw.
For a friendly match it was very competitive and thoroughly entertaining, Ryhope CA have struggled over the last few seasons, but there were one or two signs of maybe some progress ahead, while Seaham won’t have any trouble scoring goals this campaign but it’s conceding goals which may be their problem, although I do expect them to finish in the top six.
The bus trip was only £4.20 with a Super-saver-thingy, it was only £2 admission including programme team sheet and raffle, and the Stones went down great guns at £1.30, so not a bad day out for seven and a half quid, me thinks I won’t get a cheaper entertaining matchday in 2007-08.Ground no.141 Meadow Park – Matchday web album.

(18 pictures)

My Matchday - 137 St James Park

Alnwick Town 0v5 Seaham Red Star

Arngrove Northern League Division Two

28th April 2007

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Once said to be the best place in Britain to live,Alnwick is a picturesque market town in the heart of Northumberland,pronounced “Anick’ (not Alan Wick) the towns main aspect is the famous Alnwick Castle,the second largest inhabited castle in England,the home of the Percy family and the Earls and Dukes Of Northumberland since the fourteen century.The castle also doubles as the residence for a little specky wizard kid and his spellbinding pals in a series of films adapted from the books of JK Rowling,as well as appearing in the cunningly splendid comedy ‘Blackadder I’ and lest not forget the film ‘Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves’ where Kevin Costner played ‘An American Robin in Nottingham’
Alnwick lies 30 miles south of the border which makes Alnwick Town the most Northerly club to play in the FA Cup and Vase, the team have played at St James Park since 1900 on land leased to them by The Duke Of Northumberland,a famous football ground name if ever there was one,shared with a more famous club,as former league side Exeter City also play at a St.James Park.
Alnwick United Services were founded in 1879,with their first league action played in the North Northumberland League where they were champions in 1898/99,in 1923 they moved on to the East Northumberland League and during these early years the club were never settled on their name,changing it frequently between United and Town until retaining their present name from 1936 when they joined the Northern Alliance.
Their first title came in 1936/37,but it wasn’t until the 1960s and early 70s that the club enjoyed huge success winning the league eight times in ten seasons,together with many honours in various cup competitions.
The newly formed Northern League Division Two was set up in 1982 with Alnwick Town being one of the founder members,they had a brief spell in Division One when they won promotion in 1988/89 as runners up to Consett,after a promising eighth finish they suffered relegation the following year and they’ve struggled to make an impact ever since.
The club play in the classic black and white stripes just like the team that play at the real St.James Park (no not Exeter) on a pitch that has a great playing surface but with a slope that runs towards the corner flag at the clubhouse side of the ground.The clubhouse has a distinctive gable roof with a small standing section beside it,there’s a built up standing area at the entrance at the top of the ground behind the goal,which also has a players and officials car park.There’s a small covered seated area in between the dugouts which is basically eight rows of wooden planks divided into three rows of seats,behind the far goal in front of the neighbouring rugby ground is a ramshackle wooden framed covered area,which has one long bench made from nailing long planks of wood on top of one another,I noticed that no one sat on this bench and any arse over 14 stone would probably cause this seat to snap!
The game matched a Seaham side on a high after winning promotion,against a team low on confidence needing a point to hand the unwanted honour of the wooden spoon to Prudhoe.The class between the two sides was apparent with Red Star taking the lead when lofty striker Andy Jennings nodded in at the near post from a corner (see bottom picture)the home side battled to get back into the game before half time but they were let down by the final ball and it looked more likely that the visitors would build on their lead in the second half.
Seaham made a couple of changes at half time with one of those substitutes Warren Byrne scoring a brilliant individual goal on the hour mark,dribbiling through the Alnwick defence Ricky Villa style to make it 2-0,a spectator next to me then turned around and predicted “It’ll be 6-0” well he wasn’t far off,a goal a minute later from midfielder John Toft who smartly lobbed the keeper from the edge of the box before adding a spot-kick to make it four,a smashing second half performance from Red Star was complete when the long legs of Jennings stretched out to scissor kick the fifth and Seahams 99th league goal of the season.
Alnwick Town finished bottom of the league and if they are to be relegated they’ve applied for demotion into the Northern Alliance,but the word is they’ll be safe to play again in the Northern League next season,with no relegation due to the Unibond restructuring (as it was mentioned in the Prudhoe post)as for the current side it was obvious all there effort and good approach play was let down by their finishing,maybe a piece of wizard magic from local young resident Master Potter could do the trick.

LINKS -
Match report

Updates-

June 2007 -Alnwick Town took the decision to step down from the Northern League at their own request, as club officials felt they were unable to hold on to their Northern League status.
Due to a lack of funds and manpower at St James Park, the club couldn’t meet the required ground criteria and with the possibility of the club moving to a new sports complex being built within the town in the next 2-3 years, the clubs committee felt it was best to take a step back before moving forward again.
The club will play in the Northern Alliance from 2007/08 season and hopefully we’ll see them return to the Northern League in their new venue.

My Matchday 134 - Seaham Town Park

Seaham Red Star 3v1 Guisborough Town

Arngrove Northern League Division Two

14th April 2007

att.81 A trip to the seaside but without bucket and spade or egg and tomato sandwiches,instead it’s pen and note paper,camera and a ‘scabby eye’ at half time,it’s a Saturday afternoon,which of course means football,so with seaside weather I headed towards the coast to Seaham as Red Star go in search of three points to clinch second spot and promotion to ANL Division One.
The Red Star pub formed a football team in 1973, playing on Sunday mornings,the following season they changed to the traditional Saturday’s playing in the Northern Football Alliance League,by 1979 they were plying their trade in the Wearside League under the handle of Seaham Colliery Welfare Red Star and in 1982 they won a league and cup double and took the step up into Northern League Division Two.
In 1984 they changed to their present shorterened name,winning promotion after finishing runners-up to Stockton in 1987-88,this was followed by four good seasons in Division One including a runners-up spot in 2000 before they were relegated in the 2001-02 season.
Seaham is 6 miles South of sunderland via the A19, they also play in red and white striped shirts like their illustrious neighbours,the ground is easy to find as Seaham Town Park is found on arriving into Seaham with the Red Star pub located on the main road.
The pub now acts as the club house and is near the entrance to the park,the football ground is at the top of the park up a slight hill,past the kids playground and the war memorial.The entrance is in the corner of the ground and when arriving the sight of the building next to the stand is pleasing on the eye,this is the club changing rooms,refreshment area and toilets,it has white walls with red trimmings and a salient blue roof,the main stand next to it has only three rows of seats,cheekily divined by being marked rows A,B and C. The other three sides of the ground are grass standing areas with three large floodlight pylons on each side of the pitch,the team dugouts are in front of the red,white and blue building and look like roller shutters but made with blue congregated iron.
Many of the grounds at this level in the football pyramid don’t have a public address system, but this ground has,they make use of it by blasting out a couple of tunes as the teams enter the pitch,firstly there’s a slight blast of Carmina Burana followed by Telstar by the Tornadoes,both tracks come to a sudden abrupt end,as if they’re playing a vinyl record and somebody knocked the needle.
Before the match there was a one minute silence observed prior to kick off in honour of Jimmy Cahill,who was a former committee man and a great supporter of the club who sadly died on Good Friday,he did an excellent job in raising funds which went a long way towards the building of the main stand,that eventually assured there application into the Northern League.
The match itself was a lot closer than the final score suggests,Red Star took a two goal lead but failed to put Guisborough to the sword,who then pulled a goal back just before half time.During the game there was a woman sat not far from where I stood,she was giving the home team plenty of encouragement,she shouted “C’mon Lads,Ha’way Seaham”..5 second pause..”C’mon Lads,Ha’way Seaham"…5 second pause…C’Mon Lads,Ha’way Seaham "(I could go on) The second half was more nervy on Seahams part. ”C’mon Lads,Ha’way Seaham” the game could have gone either way but was finally settled in the last minute “C’mon Lads,Ha’way Seaham” with Lanky centre forward Andy Jennings getting his second notch of the afternoon,and so clinching the three points ”C’Mon Lads,Ha’way Seaham”…5 second pause…”C’mon Lads,Ha’way Seaham” so now promotion is guaranteed for Red Star. I had walked away from the nice lady by the end of the game,but I guess her match summary would have been "Good job Lads,Well played Seaham"
LINKS-
Red Star Match Report