NOT SO CANNY
17 March 2008
At a time when Middlesborough, Newcastle, and Sunderland, considered to be the footballing pride of the North East, are languishing in 12th, 15th, and 16th place in the Premiership, with Goal Differences of minus 17, minus 26, and minus 21 respectively (certainly not respectfully), and worried sick about relegation, it is still possible to find something very positive in North East football.
No, I do not mean Blyth Spartans, who are placed much nearer the bottom of their league than the top and will be – like the three senior teams above – just a little bit worried about slipping further down the table………and relegation!
The team of the region must surely be Gateshead. They are certainly not worried about relegation. They are placed third, have a goal difference of PLUS 25, and – in spite of a disappointing result against the runaway league leaders, Witton Albion, are in with an above average chance of a “play-off” place in the Unibond League.
Sadly, in spite of their success, they still do not get the level of support that they deserve. However, this has seemed to be the case for many, many years. The present chairman, who will certainly be enjoying the current success, seems to have the right kind of attitude and I hope that it carries on that way.
As a Southerner, I will never be clever enough to understand how such a fantastic group of people as those from the North East carry such passion into their love of football, but I definitely know, having lived with you for some years, what it feels like to be part of it. I was honoured to be involved with Gateshead when we won the league with a record number of points and a record number of goals, and although others may come and go to beat those figures, the achievement can never be taken away. Yes, I do relate to your passion for the game!
My time with Gateshead meant working with Ray Wilkie, a manager who was capable of so much more that the usual “non-league” manager because he understood and respected the footballers, all of whom appeared to have a similar regard for him, as did his support team, especially George Ramshaw. Ray’s ongoing success at Barrow is history but I will always remember being invited by him, as a friend, to the after match dinner and celebrations when they won the FA Trophy.
At Gateshead, I was lucky enough to have some very talented footballers, who were also great guys. Working with Ray on the signings of “more than useful” footballers like Kevin Pugh, Martin Henderson, Billy Askew, Gordon Hindson, and many others too numerous to mention was exciting. I “inherited” fantastic team members like Kenny Dodds, Tony Robinson, Peter Harrison, and the “record breaker” Bobby Topping, so you can imagine the immense pleasure gained from the success they brought to the club.
My involvement with people like David Parnaby, Stevie Higgins, and Justin Robson, who were great on the football pitch, but still three of the nicest people off the pitch that I have ever met, makes each memory special, and rubbing shoulders with ex-professionals like John Tudor, John Connelly, Jim Pearson, along with the super craftsman Terry Hibbitt, made me feel very humble in spite of my role as chairman.
My family all love the North East, most especially because of its people. We love the food, the beautiful countryside, and the friendships that Gateshead FC gave me, and we, as a family, will NEVER lose that feeling. Being soft “southerners” however, we really do appreciate our weather on the south coast!
Down here, in the south, the word canny means shrewd, or clever. Up there it means so much more, and is invariably used to mean something good, better, or even best. Frankly, the results for the big three are not so canny, but their supporters always will be. If, one day, Gateshead FC can qualify to have a regular section in “Geordie Sport” because they are accepted as one of the big five (with Blyth Spartans), then things for me will really be canny, man.
Incidentally, I prefer the meaning of your “canny”, which is always a sincere word, to the meaning of our “canny”, which almost suggests deviousness. Let’s hope that the real Geordies keep it that way !!!!
Eddie Hill (very privileged ex-Gateshead Chairman)
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