23.2.19 - 9-0! Things need to change!

The performance and result against Stockton had been bad enough but today was far worse. I had been disappointed at the way a loyal servant of the club had felt that she could no longer give to the club any more. We were on the lookout for a Commercial Manager...and are still looking! Since the vase victory days one volunteer after another has left the club. Such a drain from the club is probably why we are in the position we are in now.
Not one manager has finished a season he has started since Ian Chandler left after winning three Fa Vase finals in a row. This club is in a downward spiral and manager after manager has been used as a scapegoat.
When Andy Gowen was appointed, it was almost as if he was doing the Bay a favour being here but where were all the applicants lining up to take the job of manager of one of the North-East's most famous non-league clubs?
Ian Chandler's Bishop Auckland are now second in the Northern League while other Bay reject Marc Nash's Shields are fourth. We, on the other hand, are third bottom. Only the fact that there aren't enough teams in the league will mean we are probably going to avoid relegation. We are four points above second bottom Whickham and they have two games in hand!
The players on the pitch have worked tirelessly but there needs to be a new approach from on high. Is McIlduff aware how bad the club has become? Rumours are, he missed out on Saturday's marvellously entertaining show because he was in Cardiff watching the rugby.
 It is time for him to go to let in someone new. Not for having a weekend off but letting the club sink to the depths we are in now! Half of the ground should be condemned: plastic sheeting to waterproof part of the 'hospitality lounge' and a metal pole holding up the roof of the DJ hut are an absolute disgrace... not to mention the pathetic size of the Vase legacy stand! Where is the camera that the stand was supposed to have on its gantry? No comment!
I may not know the whole financial picture but that is because we are never told it. Surely shareholders are given details of the financial situation, yet everything is shrouded in mystery. As a result, the Bay stumbles ever lower. If there is, as rumoured, a £750,000 debt then that needs to come out and, if necessary, the club declared bankrupt and start again with people committed to building a sustainable club. Look at what has been achieved at Consett!

On the pitch, the teams have sunk down the leagues year on year. Only Nash's team that finished so strongly and gave us hope bucked the trend. Yet the supporters still turn up in big numbers, buy season tickets, buy merchandise, use the burger van and cheer the team across the Northern League. There is no communication with the fans, Twitter comments from loyal servant Julian are the only source of club information. Where are the fans forums with members of the board? Managers down the years have shown honesty and bravery coming to meet with their public but have we seen hide no hair of our illustrious chairman? Not even an apology after poor performances. We now look up to the likes of Stockton, Shields, Hebburn, Sunderland RCA: clubs that would love to have the same fanbase as ourselves. We used to be on a par with Dunston, West Auckland, Consett... How the mighty have fallen.
I, and many others, no longer enjoy watching Whitley games. I bought a season ticket as usual but this year put on the proviso that if things didn't improve then I would not be renewing. The only enjoyment many get is from the comaradery from other supporters. It can only be a matter of time before they cut out the unneccessary defeat and meet elsewhere.

Now Mick Mulhern has been given the old heave-ho. I feel sorry for him, he has just become another scapegoat for the club's failings off the pitch!
This has been a hard blog to write but has been a long time in the making. I only hope it manages to change something at the Bay: something needs to, for the sake of the club!

Oh, by the way... that was Hebburn's first win in eight games. Farcical!

19th January 2019 - Consett (a)

The sad news of Robbie Livermore's death had a profound effect on many of the Whitley fans, staff and players. Today would be a poignant experience for many, who all held so many happy memories of the popular ex-Whitley player. Was this the best day for the league leaders to face an emotional Bay team?
The weekend had started with concerns that the first snow of the year might call the match off. However, as usual, the Chronicle's implication that we should all be stockpiling food in the face of this horrendous light dusting of snow proved unfounded. There was no sign of any white stuff in the Durham Hills as The Boy Mark and I introduced Wednesday Chris to the wonders of Northern League away days. the set-up at Consett is a good place to start. Although we didn't take advantage of the bar, there was a good selection of snacks on offer from the hatch including the tempting sausage and bacon sandwich. Chris convinced us to share in his abstinence after an unsettling encounter with a Blyth Spartans Cheeseburger. We shared his pain:

The after-effects of a Spartansburger?

The emergence of Consett's Big Red Tunnel gave me the perfect opportunity to test out my new gimbal. I'm not sure how necessary it is that we don't see the players coming onto the pitch but maybe it added to the mystery that is Consett generally!

Courtesy of Whitley Bay Twitter

A minute's silence was perfectly observed. This was my second moment of remembrance for Robbie after Whitley parkrun's tribute to the former Wallsend Harrier runner. A well-loved man.

 When the game settled down, it seemed Craig McFarlane was determined to win the game single-handedly for the former Bay legend. His runs down the wing were causing no end of problems and it was great to see him firing on all cylinders in a way we haven't see too often since his return. It is such a shame it was in such sad circumstances.
It was Maca's jinky run that gave the Bay a surprise lead. His shot simply rolling along the 4G pitch; almost curling around the struggling Kyle Hayes.

The defensive dynamo was back at it when he forced Hayes to dive full length to beat away another cracking effort. Consett had no answer to the veteran left back.

As the game rolled on so did the fog and the cold. As Baldy Bruce put it:
"Don't complain about it being cold at a Whitley parkrun until you've experienced Consett's tropical temperatures." It was guesswork what was happening at the other end of the pitch and when we heard the home fans cheering we knew it was 1-1. But the Bay did not give up.

They battled in defence and tore into the home defence with every breakaway. This was a transformed team. Unlucky to lose at West Auckland the previous week, there is at last hope that the consistency the team had been searching for might have been found: just behind Tommy's teahut in a box marked: "consistency".

Consett made it 2-1 but we had no way of knowing of what had happened.
We even had difficulty seeing the near goal, having stood at the side of the pitch in the hope of  seeing more of the game. When a corner was swung into the mists, either the bar or the keeper kept out a header but Olly Martin was on hand to score the rebound. I should have stuck to my usual spot behind the goal!

However, the Consett confusion obscured our view once again as the home side took the lead three minutes later. The Consett pooch had lost all interest and preferred to hastle its owner to throw its tennis ball to chase: she wasn't obliging, though.

With two minutes left, a Ravenhill screamer surprised and delighted us all. 3-3. The linesman on our side was perfectly placed to spot the ball hadn't completely crossed the line as Luke Salmon swam down the wing and eventually the ball found itself to The Raven to launch home.

A suspected injury time winner for Consett dampened our mood but we were delighted when the eagle-eyed Boy Mark spotted they hadn't restarted the game with a centre. We were similarly delighted to return to the warmth of the car and disappear into the fog. 45 minutes later we were home: sort of.
3-3 a great return from the home of the leaders.

5th January 2019 - Dunston (h)

There were few Whitley fans who gave the boys any chance against Dunston. The visitors had only lost one game in the league: a week earlier 1-0 at home to Bishop Auckland. In contrast our heroes had only won once in twelve. Arriving at the ground, the great and the good of Hillheads (Paul and Mr Hall) all agreed that avoiding humiliation would be a satisfactory result.
"2 or 3-0 would be a decent result"
The 8-0 scoreline in the return leg was still painful, as did the 3-0 Shields victory before Christmas. It was a real struggle to get up the hill. One of my running mates was making his first visit to Hillheads in 8 years. He said he had enjoyed his last visit: his season ticket for those Black and White people keeping him from visiting Hillheads. I told him that things had changed since those post-Vase-victory days. He should also not judge the team on one experience. My faith had been sorely dented by the season's progress. I remembered that I had started the season vowing not to renew my season ticket if things didn't improve and my return of five wins from 14 games was not inspiring, especially if four of those wins were from the first six fixtures attended.
Even receiving some new 'lucky' Bay socks couldn't give me any confidence about today's match. I had slumped to a new low in terms of supporting the Bay: and that was saying something. David Hall received my complete moans after I had wished him a happy new year: even though he had told me he was enjoying reading my first book (the 89th Minute: a Supporter's History of NUFC 1983-2000: available in Doug's Cabin or on amazon bit.ly/89thminute).

Courtesy of @WhitleyBayFC twitter

 I was delighted to see Chris and James Wednesday again and glad to say that despite some of the recent performances the former had had to endure, he was back yet again...camera in tow! Maybe I should ask him to provide some photos...there's an idea!
I was still trying to get my go-pro-thing to stay upright when a lofted cross was lobbed superbly home by Olly Martin. 1-0 to the Bay.

Wednesday Chris had just suggested resting my floppy camera stalk on the advertising hoarding when another cross-cum-shot was kindly sidefooted into the net by Dunston captain Daniel Halliday. We were mildly delighted and completely shocked!

In total shock! The Bay 2-0 lead shock!

Dunston were completely shocked too but that didn't last nearly long enough, as the Flynnster and his defence were called upon to leap left, right and centre as Dunston turned up the heat. There were still odd occasions when Whitley managed to break clear but they were few and far between. Our hope was that the lads could hold onto their two-goal lead until half time. The pesky ex Bay-boy Liam Brooks spoilt that with a corking strike that had Flynn beaten all ends up as it flashed into Flynn's right hand top corner. Suddenly things were looking bleak.
The second half arrived and the Bay still held the lead. The lads battled on and began to look more dangerous on the break. Andrei was there to help but his curling effort just wouldn't curl enough.

 The inevitable finally happened when Dunston pulled level. It had to come, we all felt, and it did in the 62nd minute. The ball had been cleared off Whitley's line too many times and so finally Dunston got what their second half assault deserved. To most in the stadium, the logical next step would be a Dunston goal but no matter how hard they tried there was always a Whitley boot, head or Flynn in the way. Even so, in the 72nd minute there was the most unexpected of twists. The ball ended up at Olly Martin's feet. He twisted. He turned. Then he rolled the ball into the far corner of Karl Dryden's net.

The whole team run to celebrate with the fans behind the goal as Hillheads erupted...in its own little way. Dunston grew even angrier! Their renewed assault on the Whitley goal was more ferocious. It only seemed a matter of time before they scored to spoil the victory-starved home fans. Thoughts were full of the last few minutes against Benfield and Guisborough.
But those missed opportunities were not to be repeated.
Today was to be Whitley's day! The lads held on and rightly milked the applause at the final whistle. For Dunston, there was the ignominy of an embarrassing on-pitch inquisition. For now, the memory of 8-0 had been put to one side.
This amazing result, a real smash and grab, now needs to be the start of a new run of form. The same ethic has to be on show in all the games the team plays this year. It won't be easy, with trips to West Auckland and Consett coming up next, but the lads need to dig deep again each week. There is still the League Cup to fight for and relegation to be avoided. There is also the club's pride to be restored. The Bay faithful will be hoping that 2019 is the year the Bay's rose again: It's in their hands!

15th December 2018 - North Shields (h)

THE ONLY BITS OF GOOD NEWS:

Well done all the fans who contributed to the Whitley Bay Food Bank collection. The response phenomenal! Well done the organisers for taking the time to do it. What a great bunch of supporters we have at both clubs!
Thanks Paul Miller...love my new Bay Oddballs hat!


The last time we won a league cup tie we lost the following game and at the back of my mind was the big fear that our nearest and dearest were going to trump us for the season. Having beaten Hebburn 4-1 in their last game, they would be up for today's game. On top of that was the fear that we had only managed to win two concecutive games once all season and that was at the end of August / beginning of September. So far this season the Bay have won 11 games out of 27 played. The trouble is that 7 of those wins were before September 8th.
The final score of Whitley 0 Shields 3 didn't even flatter the visitors. They were just better all over the pitch...yet again!
We need something new! 
Changing Managers all the time does not work!
The team have managed the odd win since but it is no wonder that Andy Gowens became frustrated and felt he had nothing left to offer. Add in the fact that your star striker, who had been banging goals in for fun left and wasn't replaced, when can we see our managers feel like they are being supported properly? The sad fact is that since Ian Chandler left in 2014, we have had 5 managers and the longest any of them has stayed has been 16 months. Also, not one of the managers that have started a season since 2014 has finished their new season. A combination of resignations and sackings have contributed to this sorry mess. Each time, new players have arrived at the start of the new season and been left in limbo when the manager that has brought them in has moved on. Nashie's sixth place position is now a distant memory as his team was slowly ripped apart. The team that Andy and Mick inherited was a young team that was lacking in form and confidence so it was no wonder they found it hard to turn things around.

Just for the record:

Manager:	Appointed:	Left:
Ian Chandler	Jan 2004	Feb 2014
Leon Ryan	Feb 2014	Jan 2015
Paddy Atkinson	Jan 2015	Feb 2016
Ian Chandler	Feb 2016	Oct 2016
Marc Nash	Oct 2016	Feb 2018
Andy Gowens	Feb 2018	Nov 2018
Mick Mulhern	Nov 2018	------------

The fact that always annoys me is that we have the second best home attendances in the league, second only to an extremely well organised Consett yet we are being beaten regularly by teams that don't have half our fans (and therefore gate money).  What is happening to all the gate money that comes in? the club needs to look at more ways to make money. When we had the pie shop under the main stand, I assume the club ran it and therefore took any profits. Is that the same for the burger trailer? So many clubs make a heap from their food outlets, if we aren't then maybe it is time we did. Other grounds are brimming with advertising yet our perimeter fences are mostly bare or filled with adverts that have been there for years in some cases. Do we really get any money from them?

The reason why I am ranting on like this is because in the last five years, the club has sunk down the standings and on current form will sink further. The one thing that is enjoyable is the companionship of so many like-minded people but how long will people put up with the regular beatings that are becoming common place? My friends are definitely picking and choosing their matches and I don't think they are the only ones.
The team needs investment.
The ground needs investment.
When will see an improvement on either front?
My Shields-supporting friend, yes I do have one, moans about their team and ground yet they are now sitting fourth in the league. Today's match was not much to write about so I won't. But we need a turn around at Whitley. Yet again there was plenty of effort but there were once too many misplaced passes and mistakes all over the pitch. At times Flynn had to pull out the stops but even he couldn't prevent the goals that came in. Wednesday Chris and I were not amused.
Here are the only video highlights of Whitley attacks:

This will probably be my last blog of the year as I am away on the 29th December for my eldest's 21st. So thank you to all my regular readers, have a relaxing Christmas and New Year. See you on the 5th for an easy game against...Dunston. Grrreat!

17th November 2018 - Penrith (h)

If the lads played like they had in the last twenty minutes against Guisborough (equalising goal apart) then today was going to be a cracker. However, they were just as likely to play like they had in the first 70 and the whole game against Shields. 

The Bay, however had a secret weapon in their Arsenal: one of the Junior teams had camped outside the away dressing room while waiting to come on as mascots. They then proceeded to chant "Whitley Bay" until the teams came out...but would it work?

The secret weapons...field loads of players....and have them sing outside the opposition's dressing room! Nice one!

There were once more changes to the team with Ramsay coming in for the unlucky Taggart and Brannen was chosen to play up front in a classic big man / little man (smaller man?) combo. Is Andy Gowens enjoying being a tinkerman? Who cares, we just wanted a win.

Coming up to the ground full of nerves, it is amazing how that changes when you step through the turnstyle to be surrounded by so many like-minded Bay fans who I am privileged to call friends. No matter what happens outside of Hillheads, it is like an oasis in the problems of the outside world. Brexit doesn't matter, and isn't mentioned, and neither are all the day-to-day troubles and worries that wear you down. Football can be a great healer. After a hard week personally, I was hoping that it would be just that for me.

On my own at the start, I was joined by Running Keith and Chris Wednesday and we were soon celebrating a Bay penalty award when a corner was only partially cleared. Chris Salmon reacted quickest gliding towards the ball like a....a....fish. However Penrith's Stuart Johnson was like a bear (a bit) grabbing hold of a tasty meal. Our slippery winger was felled.

 Up stepped Mr 'Cool' Cairns. We all thought it had sailed wide but he had chipped it sublimely into the opposite corner to that of his last one at Hillheads. 1-0 to the Bay.

Soon after, we celebrating again as the Bay went 2-0 up. A long ranging shot was turned away by Penrith's Tom Fowler and before you could say "Oi Pauline, what's wrong with Arthur?" Ramsay had turned and rolled the ball into the path of Salmon, who had swum into the box. Heclinically made the score 2-0. 

Half time was welcomed and although Penrith had fought back fiercely, the Bay held onto their two-goal lead. 

At the start of the second half, however the Bay were reduced to hitting Penrith on the break and it was then that I noticed some of the Bay faithful were getting high on sugar-products to ease their tension. The sad thing was that there were youngsters involved in this diabolical practice and that Tommy's Tea Emporium not only condoned it but was their dealer!

Shameful sugar junkies...some drinking alcohol!

The sugar junkies probably never even noticed that Andrei had come off the bench, turned in a rebound for his first before rising like....an.....erm....Salmon. ....er ...a Carp (Google says they leap) to head home a cracking cross from supersub Dan T. 

The lads had scored four for the first time at home since the opening day of the season. Keith was absolutely delighted with that one and it also represented the first victory my Bay bar scarf had seen. I only bought it in February!

Delight...note the Sugar junkies behind haven't even noticed!

 4-0 and we headed back to the real world. Everything looks so much better after a victory though! I'd forgotten how good it felt!

10th November 2018 - Guisborough Town (a)

The first reaction of most of the Whitley fans when I appeared at Guisborough was: "You never did this in 45 minutes!" They were right of course. The helicopter is still in the garage. Mrs Blogger and I took the opportunity to visit some of her family friends in and around Guisborough so I had the perfect excuse to get to the game.
You couldn't fail to be impressed, just before entering through Guisborough's magnificent turnstile, by the view. The Cleveland Hills rising behind you is as impressive as the view surrounding Esh Winning, even if there are many more houses added to take away from the view. However, at Esh Winning there is no programme seller making use if a handily-placed tree stump to sell his wares so Guisborough wins on that front. The stands either side of the ground have real character and there is an overall charm to the place. The ground is a throwback to the 1970s: white-bricked walls and corrugated iron roofs. On a crisp November afternoon with the all the colours of Autumn there is no better advert for the Northern League.

 Unfortunately, the good people of Guisborough don't realise what a gem they have on their doorstep. The bar area was filled with the great and the good of Whitley (and Gibbo - joke) and very few others...

 ...while the refreshment area had ghostly mists emanating from it. All it needed was some Guisboroughians to suck its tempting smells into their lungs...but they weren't here yet. the girl at the counter carried on playing with her phone!
As one Guisboroughian commented: "Thank god Whitley have brought some fans." The crowd would eventually reach 145. How many of those were from Whitley it would be impolite to guess!

Before the game, the traditional Remembrance Day minute's silence was broken by an extremely rude inhabitant from the depths of Guisborough's allotments. The Guisborough Goose was quiet for no man and was not a respector of tradition. One japing fan asked whether I had space in my bag to fit her: again I will keep Foxy's name out of this! Such an appropriate name I feel. 

After all this, there was a football match to play!

 Back into the team came the fit-again Thomas Flynn. Out went Lewis Walton, Kieran Brannen and Andrei and in came Taggart, Suddick and Callum A.

I blotted my copybook straight away as I called the roving camera that is Julian by his alter ego (in my twisted mind) of Jeremy. I have no idea why I have started doing this and will be seeking psychiatric help to rectify the situation.

After all this excitement and communion with nature, a football match had to start and many wished it hadn't as mis-placed and nervy passes dominated. The number of chances was at a minimum. Eventually one of the teams settled and began creating chances, unfortunately it wasn't Whitley. The Flynnster maybe had hoped for a quiet game to find his feet but the rug was well and truly pulled from under him on the front. He had to be on his metal as Guisborough camped out in the Whitley half. He was assisted by his defence, Craig McFarlane heading off the line at one point but everytime the ball was cleared, a stray pass or hasty shot meant the ball came straight back, despite Dan Taggart's best endeavours.

The Raven almost snatched the lead but his first effort was saved and the rebound sailed gracefully over the Town bar. The half time whistle was greeted with  relief by the away following. 

Into the second half and things weren't much better. Town attacked, Whitley defended. In the 58th minute, Kieran Brannen came on for Jack Cooper. Not many thought much of this but when the youngster chased a lost cause and managed to hook it back across goal, suddenly it looked like the team had a bit of belief that maybe the three points were there for the taking. 

The youngster's pace was suddenly worrying the home side. A run down the opposite wing ended up with a cracking shot that Town's Jordan Nixon acrobatically dived full length to keep out; the ball flashing just past the approaching Taggart.

The Bay had woken up. There was delight for the visitors on 76 minutes when the much-improved Dan T skillfully dribbled into the box before rolling the ball into Peter the Raven's path. His initial shot was saved but he volleyed home the rebound.

The Bay now surged forward, full of confidence and could have sealed the win but Brannen's shot flashed wide. He was doing everything that he hadn't managed to do against Shields the week before.

With injury time upon us, Guisborough threw caution to the wind and Nixon joined the attack as 11 outfield players fought for the equaliser.  The very serious man with the stepladder, who had come to take the nets down early hoping that Nixon wouldn't need his, enjoyed informing us that Nixon had already scored three late goals coming out of goal.

Surely they couldn't manage to do it could they? Unfortunately, the answer was yes. in 90+2 a familiar sight of an opposition forward celebrating a late goal was repeated as 80s pop-icon-turned-Northern-League footballer Paul Young scored.

The final score of 1-1 was a fair result but hard to take. However on the plus side, it was a point and an improved final 30 minutes. 

3rd November 2018 - North Shields (a)

On the Tuesday night , I had been delighted and disappointed at the victory in the League Cup at Shields. Disappointed because I was in Keswick and not Hillheads but delighted at the victory. In apparently what was an exciting game, the lads had pulled out a cracking win and my one hope was that it would be a spring board to the rest of the season. However, after the last great cup victory, against Whitby in the FA Cup, we lost 2-1 to Whickham in the Vase. I was praying that I would not be jinxing them by coming but I could hardly miss it. My recent record has not been good, however and my last victory was two months ago...against Whitby in early September. In the five games I have attended, I have seen 2 draws and 3 defeats. Having said that, the only victories we have had in the last two months have been away (Hebburn 4-1 and Shields 2-0).
However, I  travelled in hope, if not confidence. The Boy Mark and I arrived at the ground in good time and it was clear the crowd was not going to match previous ones. Newcastle may well have been at home but even half an hour before kick off, the ground was empty. This sad sight was spared The Bay Mark as he is not tall enough to be able to see over the fence, thankfully I was able to show him through my phone screen. He wasn't impressed either.

There was only one Shields flag on display (and that was blown over the fence after 20 minutes) and two individuals who managed to last five minutes before the first "We hate Whitley" drifted across the ether.
They obviously were a bit mixed up as they then launched into a version of "Leeds, Leeds,.....Who the ....... are Leeds". Obviously hankering back to the 70s and 80s when Leeds were regular visitors...?
It was good, on the other hand to actually be able to hear the PA for once as the announcer's voice boomed out of four large trumpet-like loudspeakers.

Woaw! Nice Speakers!

This really does put to shame Hillhead's tin can PA!
Also, enjoyable is the hard rock version of "The Red Red Robin, goes bob bob bobbin..." booming out. I would like to say that the Shields players were like the friendly little robin I met in Keswick...

 ...but they weren't.

 They showed no sign of letting Whitley repeat their victory of Tuesday night for me and what they lacked in skill, they more than made up for in determination. Every time a Whitley player had the ball, three or four Shields players would converge. They also knew how to exploit the gaps that appeared in the Bay defence and Bannen had to be on his metal to save bravely at the feet of a speedy Shields forward. Soon after, he almost got a hand to a Shields penalty taken by Callum Johnston but, like the Shields performance, it had too much power for Whitley. The crowd was announced to be 412 but my intensive count revealed there were only 280. Then I was reminded, the other 132 were probably in the clubhouse and toilet. Obvious!
Despite my GoPro running for the whole match, there was not one chance of note for the Bay: Shields' domination was absolute. They doubled their lead in the 55th minute and the Bay were lacking in ideas and fight. Only in the closing stages did Shields tire and Whitley come back into it. Otherwise it was a thoroughly miserable afternoon. Final score: 0-2

The Boy Mark is not happy!

It was a relief to be able to escape at the end of the game. Once again, the sky was the most interesting feature of the afternoon: very dark and broody with the clouds being driven with the same force that our hosts had displayed.

With one league win in six games, we are well and truly in a fight at the wrong end of the table. The lads need to show their metal next week at Guisborough because a repeat of this performance will see us perilously close to the bottom three.
Hopefully the money raised from the 521 who attended the Hillheads Firework display will be put to good use in four new loudspeaker, or maybe a new roof for the PA hut?