Good
afternoon everyone. Thanks for supporting the Tyneside Amateur League by coming
down today. On what I hope is a gloriously sunny day, I’d like to welcome all players,
supporters and officials of our two competing clubs, Haltwhistle Jubilee and
Gosforth Bohemians Reserves, as well as all other spectators, whether you are
connected to a Tyneside Amateur League club or not, to Sam Smith’s Park, home
of my beloved Newcastle Benfield FC, for the 70th Tyneside Amateur
Shield final. My first vote of thanks must go to Benfield’s Chairman Jimmy Rowe
and all of the committee for allowing us the use of such an impressive ground.
It really is appreciated.
This fine
old competition was first won in 1949/1950 by Hazlerigg Welfare, who retained
it the year after. Since then, 52 other clubs have hoisted the august trophy
aloft, with Heddon Institute the most successful side, with 4 wins to their
name. We will see a 54th different
name engraved on the trophy after this game which, sadly, will be the last
Shield final played under the auspices of the Tyneside Amateur League as the
constituent clubs have voted, with the full support of the League Management
Committee, to merge with another storied local competition, The Northern
Football Alliance, which has been in existence since 1890. It is not a decision
any of us have taken lightly, but it represents, in the face of a constantly
diminishing pool of actual clubs and potential players, the only realistic
opportunity to provide organised, competitive, Saturday afternoon football at
our grassroots level.
Putting
thoughts of both the future and the past on hold for the moment, let’s
concentrate on the present day and the game at hand. During my 5 seasons as
League Chair, I have always held Gosforth Bohemians Reserves in the highest
regard. Based at the scenic Benson Park ground in Brunton Park, just off the
Great North Road, the team that can trace their club’s foundation all the way back
to 1894, have always sought to play football the right way, upholding the
amateur sporting code in every possible way. In the season just ending, they
secured a commendable 5th place finish in the league, while their
route to the final saw them benefit from a bye in round 1 and a concession by
Newcastle Benfield Reserves in round 2, before they got the best of a
five-goal-thriller in their semi-final at home to Wideopen A. I’m sure Bohs will
do their best to uphold the traditions bound up in their long history in this
afternoon’s game.
In contrast,
Haltwhistle Jubilee have only been with us for 2 seasons, but during this time
they have achieved a commendable degree of success on the pitch. Last year,
their first in Saturday football, they reached the final of the Northumberland
FA Minor Cup at Whitley Park, only to come up against the Northern Alliance’s
version of Galacticos, in the shape
of Killingworth Town. In the same competition, they reached the semi-final
stage this year, but one piece of silverware is securely in their grasp. Again,
in its 70th and final season, they have been crowned champions of
the Tyneside Amateur League. Having lost only 1 game all year, they are
fittingly the 50th different club to have achieved this accolade.
Even if the league were to be continuing, Haltwhistle are precisely the kind of
club for whom the Northern Alliance is the next logical step up the football
pyramid, so we’d have been wishing them all the best for the future in any
case.
Instead, I
wish both teams and the officials of course, the best of luck today and all of
our other clubs the very best of luck in the future. Please join us in the bar
at full time for a bite to eat and the chance to raise a glass and don’t
forget, we’ll be back here again next Saturday, May 4th for the
second of our three finals, when Newcastle Chemfica Amateurs take on West
Jesmond in the Neville Cowey Cup. Kick off is 2pm.
Good
afternoon everyone. Thanks for supporting the Tyneside Amateur League by coming
along today. On what I hope is a gloriously sunny day, I’d like to welcome all players,
supporters and officials of our two competing clubs, Newcastle Chemfica
Amateurs and West Jesmond, as well as all other spectators, whether you are
connected to a Tyneside Amateur League club or not, to Sam Smith’s Park, home
of my beloved Newcastle Benfield FC. My first vote of thanks must go to
Benfield’s Chairman Jimmy Rowe and all of the committee for allowing us the use
of such an impressive ground. It really is appreciated.
We are here
today to see the for the 7th and last Neville Cowey Cup final. As is common
knowledge amongst us all, this is the last time this trophy will be played for
under the auspices of the Tyneside Amateur League as the constituent clubs have
voted, with the full support of the League Management Committee, to merge with
another storied local competition, The Northern Football Alliance, which has
been in existence since 1890. It is not a decision any of us have taken
lightly, but it represents, in the face of a constantly diminishing pool of
actual clubs and potential players, the only realistic opportunity to provide
organised, competitive, Saturday afternoon football at our grassroots level.
Putting
thoughts of both the future and the past on hold for the moment, let’s
concentrate on the present day and the game at hand. This Neville Cowey Cup,
named after the gentleman who has given this league such sterling, dedicated
service over many, many years, replaced the John Hampson Memorial Trophy as our
league cup, for the 20012/2013 season. It was first won by one of today’s competing
outfits, West Jesmond, who also captured it in 2015/2016, having also won the
John Hampson the year previously as part of a cup double, when they also
hoisted aloft the enigmatic Selcray Bowl after the only time it was contested.
It could be said that West Jesmond are something of specialist cup side, but
this should not make them rest on their laurels, nor intimidate their
opponents, as we hope to show that this game, rather than the one kicking off
at St James’ Park this evening, is the top contest on Tyneside today.
Last week we
saw the epitome of a game of two halves in the Tyneside Amateur Shield final.
The simple facts are the game went to form and Haltwhistle Jubilee beat
Gosforth Bohemians Reserves 2-1, but it could have been 10-0 to Halty at the
break and 10-10 at full time, as chance after chance went begging. In the end,
the best team won and completed the double, having won the league title.
However, in many ways I am glad it was a season ending game for both clubs, as
it means in our final year, 6 clubs get to play in our 3 finals, as we meet
here again next Saturday at the same time for the John Hampson Memorial Trophy,
which will see Morpeth Town Seniors and Ponteland United Reserves engage.
During my 5
seasons as League Chair, I have always held both West Jesmond and Newcastle
Chemfica Amateurs in the highest regard. Both sides epitomise the ethos of the
Tyneside Amateur League; aspire to be the best you can but keep a sense of
proportion as this is social football at the end of the day. In the season just
ending, West Jesmond finished 6th and Chemfica Amateurs 8th,
so this final is a welcome bonus for both of them. To reach this stage, West Jesmond won away 4-3
to Red House Farm Seniors in the first round and 4-1at the Medicals in the
quarter final, before seeing off Gosforth Bohemians Reserves 4-2 at home in the
semi. In contrast Chemfica amateurs had an easier time of it; a bye in the
first round and a walkover against Ellington Reserves in the quarter finals,
before they shaded Swalwell 3-2 at home in the other semi-final. However the
two teams got here; I wish them all the best for today. I also wish the
officials the best of luck today and all of our other clubs the very best of
luck in the future. Please join us in the bar at full time for a bite to eat
and something to drink.
Good
afternoon everyone. Thanks for supporting the Tyneside Amateur League by coming
along today for what will be the last ever game under our auspices, when
Morpeth FC and Ponteland United Reserves contest the John Hampson Memorial
Trophy. On what I hope is a gloriously sunny day, I’d like to welcome all players,
supporters and officials of both competing sides, as well as all other
spectators, whether you are connected to a Tyneside Amateur League club or not,
to Sam Smith’s Park, home of my beloved Newcastle Benfield FC. My first vote of
thanks must go to Benfield’s Chairman Jimmy Rowe and all of the committee for
allowing us the use of such an impressive ground. It really is appreciated.
We are here
today to see the 13th and last John Hampson Memorial Trophy final. As
is common knowledge amongst us all, this is the last time this trophy will be
played for under the auspices of the Tyneside Amateur League as the constituent
clubs have voted, with the full support of the League Management Committee, to
merge with another storied local competition, The Northern Football Alliance,
which has been in existence since 1890. It is not a decision any of us have
taken lightly, but it represents, in the face of a constantly diminishing pool
of actual clubs and potential players, the only realistic opportunity to
provide organised, competitive, Saturday afternoon football at our grassroots
level.
One insight
into why we all feel compelled to wind up this glorious old league after 70
years of honest toil and endeavour, is the fact we were required to bring this
competition out of retirement, having not been contested since Hazlerigg
Victory claimed it in 2014 at Percy Main’s Purvis Park ground, as there were so
few teams left in our league, we were in danger of the season ending long
before the clocks came forward. Consequently, the 8 teams who expressed a
desire to enter the competition played in 2 mini-leagues of 4, with the two
group winners progressing to the final.
Morpeth
topped Group A with three victories that saw them triumphant away to Chemfica
Amateurs and Red House Farm, and at home to West Jesmond. In Group B, Ponteland
won their two away games against Wideopen A and and Gosforth Bohemians
Reserves, though they were held at home by Swalwell. In the last ever league
table for the season just ending, Morpeth finished second to double winners
Haltwhistle Jubilee, with Ponteland three points further back in third, so this
promises to be a high quality encounter between two of the best footballing
sides we’ve had in the league.
Last week,
we saw West Jesmond claim a 7-6 win on penalties over Chemfica Amateurs in the
Neville Cowey Cup, where the gallant losers picked themselves up from the
canvass, being 3-0 down before the half hour mark and drawing level in the
second period. It was a great game to watch, as was Haltwhistle’s triumph in
the Tyneside Amateur Shield a fortnight ago, when they saw off Gosforth
Bohemians 2-1. One small source of joy for me is that in our final year, 6
clubs qualified to play in our 3 finals, to spread the experience of a final
and silverware around as many of the players as possible.
During my 5
seasons as League Chair, I have always held Ponteland, who were champions in
2016/2017 in the highest regard. Morpeth, since their arrival in the league in
2016/20127, when they were debutant winners of the Tyneside amateur Shield are
a club that I similarly admire. Both sides epitomise the ethos of the Tyneside
Amateur League; aspire to be the best you can but keep a sense of proportion. I
wish the two teams all the best for today; let’s hope this game is the fitting
send-off the Tyneside Amateur League deserves.
I also the
officials the best of luck today and all of our other clubs the very best of
luck in the future. Please join us in the bar at full time for a bite to eat
and something to drink, remembering the words of the great traditional Scottish
folk singer Sheila Stewart, who so eloquently put it -:
Kind friends and companions once more let us
join,
Come raise up your glasses in a chorus with
mine.
Come fill up your glasses, all griefs to
refrain
For we may or might never all meet here
again.
Regards,
ian cusack
Chair,
Tyneside Amateur League
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