Gateshead

Got to be 18 in OZ.

 

Thought it was 16 like over here?

 

Thank God for jetlag!

<EDIT>

You just robbed me of my closure!!!

 

hahaha, sorry, maybe it is 18. I just thought their laws were predominantly the same as ours?

 

I just checked and it IS 16, DAMN AND BLAST!!!

She was a real cutie.

 

Think they have a goat as the mascot








something to do with Goatsheed

 

On a similar note, I was disappointed to find Macarthur Rams didn't have a mascot.

I remember for the Blackburn game, Spartans had a few mascots dressed as... you guessed it, spartans.

I wonder where you apply to become a club mascot...?

 

Don't think a goat would make a very good cheerleader though. BUTT I could be wrong of course!

 

Seen as though I;m from close to Darlington and used to go to quite a few home games when they played at Feethams, I hope Darlo manage to get a result at Gateshead and I will be going down to Wembley to watch them. I went to Cardiff a few years ago to watch Hartlepool v Sheff Wed in the play-off final, it was quite a good atmosphere!

 

Yeah remember seeing a goat in a gateshead shirt at the NUFC reserve game there in August.

Ah tough break MF, suppose it would've been a bitch of a commute to see her every weekend though, will that make up for closure stealing?

 

Haha it'll do.

To be fair she's nowt more than an anecdote, can't even remember her name. Not like the lovely Korean girl I worked with over there, Stephanie. *sigh*

ANYWAY

I'm not quite sure where I stand on supporting local teams in cases like this, whether it is glory hunting or not. I used to firmly believe that if you're not willing to go to a club's most boring matches, you shouldn't really be going to the 'big games'. When Blyth had 'the run' though, our attendances swelled well beyond our fanbase but I didn't mind because it was all money coming into the club. Lower/non league clubs need these boosts.

Whilst I don't think I'd go to Wembley to support Gateshead (I've sang "Harry Dunn's green and white army WE HATE GATESHEAD" before so it wouldn't feel right) and I've never been to Darlington, I'm tempted to go to Whitley Bay's FA Vase tie and the NSC final (regardless of whether Spartans make it).

I want to support the local clubs but equally don't want to be a 'glory hunter'. <headhurts>

 

Yeah I know what you mean, I don't think I fall under the category 'glory hunter' as they're not doing especially amazing in the league and I've been to less high profile matches whenever there's not been Newcastle games on. Never really joined in with the chanting of ' We love Gateshead we do' etc as it just feels wrong but I'm impartial to the odd 'HEED ARMY' or 'Tynesiders' chant

 

Like I keep trying to get my mate involved in Spartans, he's an armchair Toon fan (probably down to money rather than choice) so I thought it'd be canny to get some matches under his belt.

To encourage him I obviously pick our more 'glamourous' games when inviting him but he says it feels 'wrong' because he's not a regular. Catch 22.

I only recently got him to his first match, (the Trophy game against the Heed) and he loved it but he missed out on the FA Cup run for fear of being branded a 'glory supporter'.

Going to try to get him to come along to the NSC game against Benfield and then (hopefully) to the final at St James. Tempted to go to the NUFCvAshington game too.

 

Is there much noise generated at Gateshead?

 

Yeah, see what you mean there :\
Would be good if you could get him to a few more though, they tend to be good craic lower league games

Not an awful lot, but not bad for a team that's as unsuccessful as Gateshead. I think when they move to their new ground the atmosphere will be a lot better.

 

The new stadium's going to be a bit more central isn't it? As it stands, few people seem to know where the current one is. I remember a taxi driver shrugging when I asked him!

 

Can't have been much of a taxi driver, I thought they had to know their way all around the area before they could get their license.

 

Think so, not sure if they've started construction. Last I heard it was due to be opened for 2011/2012 season or 2012/2013 season.
Surprised taxi's don't know where the International Stadium is to be honest. Horrible stadium for watching football in, so far from the action and thats from someone who sits in the Leazes!

 

Mind you, there's a lot of ****e taxi drivers about, I remember having to drunkenly direct one back from a night out in Toon to Blyth!

The plans look lush and I'll definitely be visiting the new ground when it opens, hopefully a season or two in League 2 will see it filling up. As much as it annoys me, I think Gateshead are still on the up and Blyth'll have to be happy with the eventual derby with Bedlington.

 

Think the new stadium is going to be beside the council offices, just beside where the old North Durham cricket ground used to be.