My Matchday Pics -118 Nissan Sports Complex

Nissan Sunderland 1v2 Dunston Federation Brewery
Arngrove Northern League First Division
11th November 2006



This was the second time in a week that I've seen Nissan in action,following the disapointment of seeing them knock Gateshead out of the Durham Challenge Cup, at the International Stadium on Monday night,I ventured into the outskirts of Makemland to check out one of the most progressive clubs in the ANL.

Nissan Motor Manufacturers UK formed their own football club in 1988 and played their first season in the newly formed Wearside League 2nd Division as Nissan FC.They made there first of two name changes in 1994 adding Washington to their title and won promotion into the Northern League 2nd Division in 2000/01, they then progressed with 6th,5th and then a 2nd place finish and promotion into the 1st Division.

At the beginning of last season came yet another name change,this time adding sunderland to the team name,This was the first time that the town of sunderland's name been used in the last 99 years of the Northern League,so they became Sunderland Nissan or is it Nissan Sunderland? On the cover of the matchday programme it announces "A Warm Welcome to Nissan Sunderland Football Club",but thumbing through the pages they are mentioned as Sunderland Nissan(7 times)Nissan Sunderland(5 times) and Nissan FC(5 times)so what is it? I think I'll just nickname them "Makem Japs" or should that be "Jap Makems"!!! The club nickname is naturally 'The Motormen' so that will have to do.

When I visit a new grounds for these games,I usually spectate it as a neutral and hope to see an entertaining game and of course get some good matchday pics,but this afternoon is different.If you tied me down and tortured me by sticking matches under my fingernails and blasting out a James Blunt CD in my ears I would then confess that my Northern League allegence lies with Dunston Federaton Breweries FC.This is because the club is based in Gateshead and therefore is my local ANL club,as the crow flies about 2-3 miles away from my fortress in Sheriff Hill.

The Nissan Sports Complex has one main stand,with two sides of the ground exposed to the elements with the Sports Complex and changing rooms behind the goal.The best thing about the ground is the Penshaw Lounge,which stays open during matchdays which means on a cold Autumn day like today there's the luxury of staying in the upstairs bar and watching the game from the window,with beer on tap and Sky Sports Soccer Saturday on in the background,i'd describe it as a communal executive box,not bad for £4. So after standing around in the cold for the 1st half I made the wise move of watching the 2nd half with the 'Fed Lads' in the luxury and warmth(my view of the game is the bottom pic on left)

The game was a typical ANL game which involves 'taking no prisoners tackles' and constant abuse towards the referee coming from both tug-outs and both sets of fans.The match seemed to have swung towards the Motormens favour after the dismissal of Leon Scott for a profesional foul around the hour mark,Nissan took advantage of the extra man with a goal from Stephen Halliday and looked to have secured the 3 points.But a late rally from 10 man Fed produced a goal from Graeme Armstrong capitalising on a football howler from the Nissan keeper(which wouldn't look out of place on one of those football funny DVDs which usually come out at Xmas)and an injury time winner from Stephen Preen,or was that Dennis Bergkamp? It looked like him from the bar window and that's without a good drink!

(click on thumbnails for larger images,sorry about the quality of some of the pictures,but my camera was in a funny mood)

Updates

May 2007- In a season where Nissan looked the team most likely to, having been league leaders for a large majority of the season, they were piped to the title by Whitley Bay.
The season went to the wire with the Motormen needing to win their last game of the season at home to Billingham Synthonia to guarantee the title. Billy Town had finished their season the previous evening and were hoping that their two rivals would slip up, Nissan did, beaten 2-1 by the Synners while Bay took the title on goal difference with a 3-1 win at Durham City, so in the end Nissan finished a dissapointing 3rd.
Final ANL Division One table

Ground Image Of The Month

November's 'Ground Image Of The Month' features a picture from the 'High Road Ground' home of former Northern League Club Stanley United.
United were founded in 1890 and played in the Northern League between 1910 and 1974,where they were League Champions on three occasions including two titles in the early sixties.
The club later became founder members of the Wearside 2nd Division until the league was disbanded and became a single division in 1996, they played out there time there until the club was disbanded in 2003.
The ground was then taken by Crook Wanderers of the Crook & District League,who changed their name in honour of their former tennants,so the name of Stanley United lives on.

You can find some similar pictures in the Former Club Photos section at the Northern League website athttp://www.northernleague.org/photos/view_photo_former_club_ground.php

October Ground Image -the sequel
Last month's ground image in the Faroe Islands was a popular one,so I scanned through the worldwideweb and found another picture from another angle,via Football Grounds In Focus.

The Latest Crack

Blog post updates
I've updated some previous posts which only had pictures,and didn't have any of my usual crack about whatever is relevant to the ground itself. So I've made changes and updated the Consett Chester-le-Street Town and South Shields posts,I've also updated the previous sunderland 'Derby Day' post as well, where I go into great detail about why I despise this fixture more than any other,all links are now in 'My Matchdays'

Famous HeedArmy Blog
A big well done to David Gaddess webmaster of my 'cousin site' The Famous HeedArmy whose website has been recieving hits from all over the planet,wanting to know the latest goings on at Gateshead FC and the latest adventures (and mug shots) of the Heed Army.
Davy asked if I would make a contribution to the site and write a piece about the first time I ever saw Gateshead play,I was happy to oblige...
http://heedarmy.blogspot.com/2006/10/my-first-heed-game-private-smith.html

100FGC Members
Some impressive new members to the blog over the last month,including Steve Dobson(aka Simple Pieman) a Spurs fan who has been to 461 in the UK alone including over 300 non-league grounds,he also has his own blogspot that you can find on my links list called 'Pie & Mushy Peas' There's also a few new ground lists from non-league fans(best fans in football,in my eyes)Leatherhead fan Matt Ross and Mossley supporter John Cawthorne.I'd also like to welcome Stefan Schnell an Eintracht Frankfurt fan who has been a great help to me in preparation for my trip to his fine country for the UEFA Cup clash later this month.

My Matchday Pics - 117 Albany Park - Washington FC

Washington 1v0 South Shields
Arngrove Northern League Second Division
21st October 2006
att.151

I located my way to Albany Park without managing to get myself lost(anyone who has been to Washington 'new town' will understand)for Washington's Northern League Division Two clash with table toppers South Shields.
Albany Park has been the home of 'The Mechanics' since 1979,and they're planning to stay after leasing the land on an 88 year contract,after their move from their previous home at Unsworth Park.The main feature of the ground is the impressive new club house,where the main stand is housed,it was rebuilt during the 1992/93 season after the original club house was tragically gutted due to a fire.
"Weshintin" as the locals call it, made their debut in Northern League in the 1988/89 season after a successfull application from the Wearside League,there best finish was winning promotion in the 2000/01 season,finishing runners-up to Ashington.Unfortunatly their stay in the First Division only lasted three seasons,but the club is showing enough ambition to regain their top league status.
This was only 'The Mechanics' third home game of the season,after having to play the first 12 competitive games away from home.This was due to the state of the playing surface which has been covered in water,and extensive work has been made to get it in playable order,this included having to enlist the help of the local fire-brigade.
The game was a tight encounter which became scrappy in the 2nd half,with Washington holding on to there early goal scored by Stephen Burns in the 6th minute,and trying to catch Shields on the break.Washington defended well,and could even added to their lead late on,overall they ran out deserved winners, and the win took them up to 5th in the table,and with plenty of home games in hand they look a good bet to return to the Northern League top flight.




(click on thumbnails for
larger images)

Updates -

May 2007 - Well I was right! I predicted that Washington looked a good bet to go up and so it was, piping South Shields by 5 points to claim third spot and win promotion to the ANL Division One.
Division 2 league table

Nearest Ground

I came across this handy website,which is usefull for finding out which is the nearest football grounds to you.It lists milage,ticket info,club websites and Streetmap links and It's a good source whenever your away and looking to take in a match.

Simply type in a postcode,and click on football from the drop list.
Unfortunatly it doesn't list non-league, only league grounds,but it's still a useful device to have.
http://www.hopewiser.com/cgi-bin/proximity.cgi



My Top 10 are;
Distance------Div--Club Name---------------Postcode
2.86 miles----PR--Newcastle United Football Co Ltd-NE1 4ST
9.72 miles----CH--Sunderland A F C Ltd------------SR5 1SU
22.67 miles---L1--Hartlepool United Football Club--TS24 8BZ
28.87 miles---PR--Middlesbrough Football Club-----TS3 6RS
28.89 miles --L2--Darlington F C Ltd ---------------DL1 5JB
54.69miles ---L1--Carlisle United F.C. --------------CA1 1LL
78.60 miles-- L1 --Bradford City Football Club------ BD8 7DY
80.15 miles --CH-- Leeds United A F C ----------LS11 0ES
83.45 miles---CH-- Burnley Football Club ----------BB10 4BX
88.92 miles ---L1- -Huddersfield Town A F C Ltd--- HD1 6PE


I can clearly see St James Park from my street,but now I know it's 2.86 miles away. :-)

Ground Image Of The Month

This months ground image was taken by 100FGC Member Erik Roos when he visited Torshavn in the Faroe Islands,for Germany's Euro qualifier in June 2003.
What a quaint setting for a football pitch,I would hate to be a ballboy at that ground,you wouldn't wear a tracksuit you'll need a wet suite.

If you have a picture you would like me to post for Novembers 'Ground Image Of The Month' then send it to me @- Sm1d@blueyonder.co.uk

My Matchday Pics 2006 -116 - Nethermoor Park -Guiseley

Guiseley v Gateshead
F.A.Cup 2nd Qualifying Round
30th september 2006
(score 1-0 att.402)








I took myself along with the wife and kids(or should that be dragged the wife and kids)down to Guiseley in West Yorkshire to watch Gateshead's progress in the F.A. cup come to a premature end.

Guiseley is a town on the outskirts of (dirty)Leeds and is famous for the foundation of Harry Ramsden's chippy empire where he set up "The worlds biggest fish & chip shop" it was also the place where the parents of the Bronte sisters were married(and propably consummated)in Guiseley, and of course, most important of all, it's the birthplace of Sooty!

Nethermoor is a smart little non-league ground,it's basically made up of a seated stand situated along one third of the touch line,ajacent is a standing area which has two seperate covered stands with an open terrace in the middle behind the dugouts.Behind each goal is a small open terrace which is close to the pitch,this is good if you want to give the keeper some stick,the Guiseley keeper saw the funny side with our chants of "There's only one Bobby Davro"

The game was a typical cup tie, and was finally balanced until a late defensive error let in Guiseley to snatch victory and a place in the 3rd Qualifying round,and another step away from facing one of the big lads. Arrre! the romance of the F.A. Cup,who the hell came up with that expression? It's a phrase that throughout the years I've grew to dislike because my football romances end with a broken heart. :-(
match reports @-http://www.guiseleyafc.co.uk/Match%20Reports%20First%20Team/GatesheadH_FACup2QR.htm
http://www.gateshead-fc.com/report.php?i=511

(click on thumbnails for larger images)