South Shields F.C. (1974)

For the original club of the name, see South Shields F.C. (1889). For the second and previous club, see South Shields F.C. (1936).

South Shields

Full name

South Shields Football Club

Nickname(s)

The Mariners

Founded

1974 (current incarnation)

Ground

Mariners Park, South Shields

Capacity

2,000

Chairman

Geoff Thompson

Manager

Jon King

League

Northern League
Division Two

2014–15

Northern League
Division Two, 15th

Home colours

Away colours

South Shields F.C. is a football club based in South Shields from 1974. It is the third club of that name. The club plays in Northern League Division One at Mariners Park, formerly known as Filtrona Park.

History

The club was formed in the same year as the previous club failed, after a second move to Gateshead by the previous club, and the sale of Simonside Hall, given to the club by supporters. The re-formed club under chairman Martin Ford was based at the council's Jack Clark Park, and began a 17-year crusade for a home of its own.

After two title winning seasons in the Northern Alliance, and an appearance in the quarter-finals of the FA Vase, Shields joined the Wearside League. Ultimately, chairman John Rundle and his family provided the long wished-for new ground at Filtrona Park, which was re-developed and first used by the club in 1992.

In 1994–95 the club won the Wearside League for the second time in three years, and were promoted to Northern League Division Two. It was promoted again to Northern League Division One the following season, but relegated back to Division Two in 1999–2000. Chairman John Rundle publicly threatened to fold the club if they went down, though he did not follow the threat through.

After several seasons in Division Two, John Rundle again threatened the club with closure in 2006, locking the gates at Filtrona Park before a home game. However, a new committee was formed, headed by chairman Gary Crutwell, and the club was saved. The club's performance then improved, and a fourth-place finish in 2007 was followed by promotion in 2008 back into Division One. In 2010, the club won the Northern League Cup, beating Ashington 6–5 on penalties after a 2–2 draw.

In the 2012-13 season, South Shields F.C. was relegated from Northern League Division One before being forced to move to Eden Lane, in Peterlee, after its lease on Filtrona Park expired.

The club spent the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons in Division Two of the Northern League, where they played again in 2015-16.

However, they are back at Filtrona Park - now renamed Mariners Park - after being taken over by new chairman Geoff Thompson. Among their current players are the former Sunderland and Middlesbrough midfielder Julio Arca, and ex-Hartlepool United forward David Foley.

Arca and Foley formed part of a Shields team which went on to win the 2015-16 Northern League Division Two title, in doing so securing promotion to Division One.

Honours

Northern Football League Division Two^[1]
- Champions 2015-16
- Runners-up 1995–96, 2007–08

Wearside League
- Champions 1976–77, 1992–93, 1994–95

Records

FA Vase
- Quarter-finals 1975–76

Stadium

The club played at Filtrona Park, in Shaftesbury Avenue, between 1992 and 2013. For the 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons, South Shields played at Eden Lane, Peterlee after being evicted from Filtrona Park. In May 2015, the club secured a return to Filtrona Park - which was renamed Mariners Park - after new chairman Geoff Thompson bought the facility. On October 10th 2015, the ground had its biggest attendance for over 20 years by gathering a crowd of 1,045 for the Mariners' game against Ryton and Crawcrook Albion FC. The home side were victorious 4-0. Incredibly, two weeks later that figure was beaten again as a crowd of 1,115 packed into Mariners Park to watch Shields defeat Thornaby 4-3. On 14th November 2015, a new record crowd of 1,412 packed into Mariners Park to witness a 9-1 drubbing of Tow Law, the biggest victory of the 2015/16 season to date.

References

↑ South Shields at the Football Club History Database

External links

Official Website

Northern League

Division One	Ashington Bedlington Terriers Bishop Auckland Consett Dunston UTS Durham City Guisborough Town Jarrow Roofing Boldon Community Association Marske United Morpeth Town Newcastle Benfield Newton Aycliffe North Shields Norton & Stockton Ancients Penrith Seaham Red Star Shildon Sunderland Ryhope Community Association Washington West Allotment Celtic West Auckland Town Whitley Bay

Division Two	Alnwick Town Billingham Synthonia Billingham Town Birtley Town Brandon United Chester-le-Street Town Crook Town Darlington Railway Athletic Easington Colliery Esh Winning Heaton Stannington Hebburn Town Northallerton Town Ryhope Colliery Welfare Ryton & Crawcrook Albion South Shields Stokesley Sports Club Team Northumbria Thornaby Tow Law Town Whickham Willington

Seasons	1889–90 1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015-16

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