Return to Redheugh very unlikely

This week saw local journalist Neil Farrington talking about the general decline of the town in his Sunday Sun column. He went on to mention Gateshead Council being firmly behind the football clubs bid to move back to Redheugh Park:

The same goes for the Rocket tower block a couple of miles westwards along the Tyne, long since lying empty and forlorn. I’m not knocking Gateshead Council. Not when the International Stadium – although showing its age – remains an athletics’ Mecca. And when they seem firmly behind Gateshead FC’s plans to move back to their old Redheugh Park haunt, itself only a wind-assisted goal kick away from The Rocket. But what the North East, let alone Gateshead, needs is a far wider variety of sports and leisure facilities.

We're not knocking Neil Farrington, but at the time we thought the relevant to us portion had little basis in fact (most likely putting two and two together). Since then it has been confirmed by Chairman Graham Wood that the club will not be moving back to Redheugh Park.

So with the Redheugh Park location off the table, it hints at the club being close to acquiring their's and the majority of the fan's number one target location, close to the town centre.

Are we getting closer? Fingers crossed!

Yesturdays Chronicle article carried an interview with Chairman Graham Wood highlighting a few more details of the proposed stadium. A positive article on the whole, mentioning the possibility of the club going full-time within the next couple of years. More specifically regarding the ground:

Wood has also confirmed changes to Gateshead’s planned new stadium, which should be up and running for the 2010-11 campaign.

Only the main stand, with a 2,400 capacity, will now be all-seater.

The other three sides of the ground will be terraced, when originally only behind the two goals had been planned as standing areas.

Wood added: “The stadium will still be covered on all four sides, but one main all-seater stand will be sufficient to start with and would also be an option in League Two.”

The initial capacity will be 6,000 with the potential to increase to 9,000, with Wood also confident of expanding the club’s board of directors.

The specifics:

• 6,000 capacity ground.
• Seated Main Stand with a 2,400 capacity (We're already nominating it the Graham Wood Stand).
• 3 roofed terraces on the other three sides of the ground.

Exciting times to be had for all Gateshead fans. The stated attributes of the ground sound very similar to Burton Albions new Pirelli Stadium, which has a 6k capacity (2k seated main stand and the rest in three roofed terraces). With the possibility to expand to 9,000 it would set the club up nicely for the future if, no when we get to the Football League.

So what does this all mean? Without hard facts you can only draw your own conclusions. But hopefully it means the negotiations for the plot of land are getting closer to a positive outcome in favour of the club. Fingers crossed!

Announcement on the horizon?

Having been quiet for a couple of months now, recent activity in the press and on the grapevine has seen the New Stadium back on the agenda, therefore hopefully raising the possibility of a location announcement in the none to distant future.

Today's Evening Chronicle briefly mentioned the New Stadium for the first time in months, quoting Chairman Graham Wood:

Gateshead have also made progress in their plans to build a new purpose-built 6,000 capacity stadium in the town having played at the council-owned International Stadium for over three decades.

“The new stadium is integral to our plans to take the club forward and if we could move in during 2010 it would be exactly 50 years since Gateshead were voted out of the Football League,” said Wood.

A look back at Redheugh Park

A look back on our previous home, and contender to be our future location - Redheugh Park

Redheugh Park was built in 1930 for Gateshead A.F.C.s first season in the Football League. South Shields F.C. having endured financial trouble decided it was time to move to horizons new. The possibility of Newcastle was investigated, but the existence of Newcastle United helped to persuade the council against this idea. Gateshead Council was more welcoming, so a location search for a new ground was on.

Sites at Low Fell and Sheriff Hill were considered, but were deemed too far out of town. The chosen location was in the rundown Teams area of Gateshead, a worked out clay pit (known as Johnsons Clay Hole) edged by Ropery Road and Derwentwater Road. The site was prepared by filling the holes, tunnels and craters with lorries full of the town's refuse.

Redheugh Park. The greyhound track can be clearly made out. The main stand is at the back next to the Iron and Steel works.

The Stadium offered terracing all round. The Main Stand was a two-thirds pitch length seated stand (Purchased from a Greyhound Stadium in Carlisle) with covered standing extensions added on either side and paddock standing in-front. Opposite the Main Stand was a large covered terrace that ran the full length of the ground. The North end of the ground had a small covered terrace, whilst the opposite Ropery Road (South) End was a small uncovered terrace (That latterly included a large totaliser scoreboard introduced with the Greyhound racing).

Gateshead run out in their Claret 'n' Blue shirts for the first league game at Redheugh versus Doncaster Rovers.

Redheugh Park was officially opened by Mr. Sutcliffe, the Football League's then Vice-President on August 30th 1930 when Gateshead AFC played their first ever Football League game winning 2-1 against Doncaster Rovers in front of 15,545 spectators.

Gateshead Greyhound Stadium. Gateshead were one of the earliest clubs to have floodlights, these can be seen on the main stand roof in the background.

Greyhound racing at Redheugh Park commenced in 1937, which brought a boost to the Football Clubs financial status and subsequently eased the burden for the upkeep of the stadium. However the inclusion of the Greyhound track reduced the size of the playing area, the terracing at either end of the ground and subsequently the capacity.

September 25th 1937, 20,752 people (All time record attendance at Redheugh Park) watched a top of the table (Second Division) clash between 1st place Gateshead and 2nd place Lincoln City finish in a 1-1 draw. It was the 1950s that saw the height of Gateshead AFC including some famous cup runs. 1951/52 season Gateshead were drawn in the 4th round at home to West Bromwich Albion, the game was switched to Newcastle United's St James' Park which saw Gateshead's all time record attendance of 39,287 witness West Brom run out 2-0 winners.

Gateshead's greatest season came the following year (1952/53) as the club went on their greatest FA Cup run, making it all the way to the Quarter Finals. In the First Round Crewe Alexandra were conquered 2-0 at Redheugh. Gateshead won at Bradford Park Avenue by 2-1 in the Second Round.

Gateshead players in training for the Liverpool match. Skipping on the terraced corner between the main stand and the Ropery Road end.

Stretching exercises in-front of the main stand. The light poles above the greyhound track can be clearly seen in this photo.

15,193 spectators arrived at a foggy Redheugh Park for a Third Round tie to witness one of Gateshead's greatest ever victories, the mighty Liverpool FC were brushed a-side 1-0 by a goal from Inside-Forward Ian Winters. Gateshead travelled with over 4,000 supporters to Boothferry Park in the Forth Round as Hull City became the next victims. Johnny Ingham hit two goals for The Tynesiders to win the game 2-1. A long journey to Plymouth Argyle in the Fifth Round was the reward, the team stayed overnight in Devon and the next day put up a dogged defensive display which highlighted the worth of the Callender brothers and Goalkeeper Bob Gray as Ian Winters once again scored the only goal with a header from 10 yards out to set up the biggest game in Gateshead's history - The FA Cup Quarter Final at home to Bolton Wanderers.

Gateshead play Bolton in black 'n' white stripes. The packed terraces of the capacity crowd can be seen in the background.

Cup fever hit the Town like never before with thousands queuing as tickets went on sale at Gateshead Town Hall. One woman had to have her leg amputated because of injuries sustained in the stampede for tickets. 17,692 fans turned up for the game as Gateshead changed from their regular all white shirts to an unfamiliar Newcastle United style Black 'n' White striped top. The team played their hearts out and could possibly have won the game late on when Bolton defender Bell handled inside the penalty box (He later admitted the offence), the referee waved play-on Bolton broke away and England International Nat Lofthouse headed in past Bob Gray to break the home fans hearts.

The middle to late 1950s saw the club slowly decline, The ultimate body blow occurred in 1960 with the loss of Football League status. The 1960s saw Gateshead continually slide down the leagues, a further heavy blow was dealt with the cessation of greyhound racing at the stadium in 1966. This put both Redheugh Park and Gateshead AFC in serious financial troubles. Other sources of income were investigated, this included allowing showmen to have a small fair on the car park, allowing advertising to be placed on the wall facing Askew Road (Permission was refused) and even converting the refreshment bar into a transport cafe to catch passing trade. In 1967 Gateshead AFC made a vain attempt to fill the void the Greyhound racing had left with staging Speedway racing at the Stadium.

Early 1970s - The last days of Redheugh as Gateshead play a Midland League match. Holes can be made out in the main stand roof.

By the early 1970s Redheugh Park had become run down, this combined with a fire in the 1971/72 season saw Gateshead AFC move to the Gateshead Youth Stadium (Now known as The Gateshead International Stadium). However the new venue proved no easier on the finances of the club, bringing the liquidation of Gateshead AFC in late August 1973.

October 1971, Gateshead have moved to The International Stadium. A vandalised Redheugh is starting to look the worse for wear.

1972 saw Redheugh Park fair no better, a year after the Football Club moved out the ground was in a derelict condition. Weed infested with crumbling terraces and dilapidated stands it was demolished.

The late 1980s - Demolished Redheugh is a rubbish tip. The grass hump on the right is the old main stand.

Trees grow on the demolished Ropery Road end.

For nearly twenty years the outlines of Redheugh Park could be made out with the terraces appearing as grass humps on the land. The area was completely leveled for the 1990 Gateshead Garden Festival and used as a car park. A few years later saw football return to the area in the shape of the Pitz 5-a-side soccer centre which is still in place today.

Redheugh Park as it is now. A five-a-side soccer centre stands on the sacred ground. The footprint of the football ground can be made out by the white outline. At least football is still there and not housing.

Gateshead Chairman on the Radio

On Monday 29th October Gateshead Chairman Graham Wood talked of his plans for the Football Club (including the New Stadium) to the local radio station NE1fm. He outlined how he'd like to take the club forward. The points of interest regarding the construction of a new stadium were:

• The club are hoping that Newcastle Reserves may possibly play there.
• The club has a clear view of the preffered location, with a fall back and third choice in place.
• Hoping to announce the location in the not too distant future. "So far as the location is concerned, I'm hoping that we should have some news on that within the next couple of weeks".
• Planning Consultants have been engaged to help with the planning application. Architects are at an advanced stage with the plans, which includes a variety of options for earning income between matches.
• The club will put the project out to tender soon.
• The stadium will likely start life with a 6,000 capacity. It will have the capability to be expanded.
• The cost of the stadium will depend on the chosen specification. £6 million will be the top spec.
• Funding for the stadium will come from a mixture of grants, sponsorship and equity capital.
• The club have been researching what the best adons to the stadium (e.g. Offices, hotel etc) would be that can generate funds in the location.
• The club are also looking to acquire other businesses that will be allied to the football club to fund it. Three or four organisations likely to be in the sports and leisure industry.
  

HOTH Hibernation

With progress on the New Stadium expected to take longer than originally hoped for, we've decided to put the Home of the Heed into hibernation for a few months. Don't worry, if any major announcements happen we'll be there to cover it, however in reality it's likely to be a quiet period for the next six months or so, whilst negotiations take place behind the scenes.

Graham Wood - Chairman's Report (Tynesider Matchday Magazine 22/08/2007)

Off the field, progress with our plans for a new stadium remains slow but, nonetheless, steady. There is still much preliminary work to be done before we can announce the location of our new home and begin construction.

The club's architects and planning consultants are working diligently through the process and it's appropriate to report that they're receiving excellent advice and assistance from Gateshead Council.

I had hoped that we would be moving out of the International Stadium at the end of the 2008/9 season, but it now looks as though it will still be our home for the next three seasons. However, I consider the delay is a small sacrifice for ensuring that the job is done right.

My plans to further strengthen the board of directors are in place but will not be implemented until the new stadium project is further advanced.

Some rough (Disclaimer: quite possibly dodgy) calculations, with the aim to move in at the start of the 2010/2011 have us guessing a timescale from similar stadium builds of:

• Formal planning application and processing. 3/4 of a year.
• Construction. 1.5 years.
  

So taking that into consideration we'd expect an announcement on the location to come towards the backend of this season, until then it's likely to be quiet...

...So we'll just enjoy what hopes to be a great season on the pitch!

Stadium Update

This summer has been more about getting the right players in than concentrating on the new ground, however it was good to hear a little bit of news at the end of a recent article in the Sunday Sun. The downside is that we're gonna have to be patient (I'm not too good at that).

The Tynesiders hope to match success on the field with progress off it, and the club expects to be in a new purpose-built stadium within two years.

The plan is to move from the council-owned International Stadium into a 6000 capacity stadium covered on all sides.

“Progress is being made on the proposed new stadium,” said millionaire chairman Graham Wood. “Undertakings of this scale inevitably take longer than we would like but the new ground will become reality.

“A new stadium will be built in the town and this will give us the impetus to push on to reclaim Football League status which was unjustly taken from Gateshead back in 1960.”