Post by Steve T on Oct 7, 2022 13:33:38 GMT 1
Blyth have in recent times advertised themselves as the most famous non-league club in the world. It's a bold claim, presumably based on their run to the 5th round of the FA Cup in 1977-78. They were at the time only the third club to have achieved the feat and the first since the late 1940s but seven others have done it since, even if it's hard to regard two of them, Luton Town and Lincoln City, long-time Football League clubs enduring short spells in the underworld, as 'non-league'. More on that below...
The club was founded in September 1899 and, like many at the time, played friendlies before joining a league, the East Northumberland in 1901. That was won three times before a move to the Northern Football Alliance in 1907. Two titles preceded a move to the semi-professional North-Eastern League in 1913. That was a tougher competition, with several Football League reserve teams, and Blyth won it just once, in 1936, before the league disbanded in 1958 as the FL sides withdrew. Short spells in the Midland, Northern Counties and a briefly reformed North-Eastern League followed. When the NEL folded again in 1964, Blyth had no semi-professional league in which to play and so turned amateur and joined the Northern League.
Their first season was disastrous, finishing bottom of the 18-club competition with just 10 points. A gradual improvement followed to take Blyth to runners-up in 1972 after which the club made its mark, with 10 championships in the next 16 years – five of them consecutively from 1980 to 1984 – and their FA Cup heroics.
In 1994 the club took the next step up, joining the Northern Premier League. The First Division was won immediately and Blyth were promoted to the Premier Division, winning that in 2006 to reach Conference North. Relegated in 2012 (the only time in the club's history), Blyth returned in 2017 with another NPL title. National events almost certainly saved them from another relegation in 2020 and last season was also nervous, with safety assured only in the last fortnight of the season.
The club's Croft Park home has been vastly improved in the last 20 years, with the terraces of railway sleepers and ash replaced by concrete, the main stand refurbished and cover provided on all sides of the ground. Typical attendances are in the 700-800 range and the club has earned a good reputation as a friendly place to visit.
FA Cup 1977-78
Blyth reached the 5th round by beating Shildon, Crook Town, Consett and Bishop Auckland in the qualifying rounds and Burscough, Chesterfield, Enfield and Stoke City in the competition proper. Chesterfield were in Division 3 and Stoke in Division 2, having just been relegated. Spartans were drawn away to the winners of the tie between Newcastle United and Wrexham. Newcastle were in Division 1 but would be relegated that season. Wrexham were in Division 3 and destined to be champions.
The prospect of a trip down the road to St James's Park must have been the stuff of dreams for everyone at Blyth yet they had almost had it without the waiting – Wrexham had equalised in the last minute at Newcastle. The wait was prolonged – the replay at the Racecourse Ground was postponed because of the weather and played the following Monday, nine days on from the draw at Newcastle. Wrexham won 4-1...
Blyth drew at Wrexham in front of an attendance just short of 20,000 but the injustice still burns today. Wrexham scored another late equaliser, this time from a twice-taken corner that should never have been awarded. The replay (also postponed) was held at St James' Park and Blyth made the barrowload of cash that they would have done had Newcastle beaten Wrexham – more than 42,000† saw the game – but they lost the match (again somewhat controversially) and with that defeat that shouldn't have been was lost the right to play Arsenal at home (or at Newcastle...) in the quarter-finals. Oh, the agony of it all!
Blyth will meet Wrexham again in the FA Cup in next weekend's Fourth Qualifying Round. Expect Croft Park to be packed. It will be the fourth meeting, Wrexham having won First Round ties in 36-37 and 59-60.
† Officially but gate-crashing was suspected. 10,000 were locked out.
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FA Cup – 1st Round 32 appearances, 14 to 2nd, 4 to 3rd and one to 5th.
FA Trophy – QF 79-80, 82-83, 10-11.
Curiously, the club entered the FA Amateur Cup in only three seasons (71-74), reaching the QF each time and once going on to the semi-final (1974, the last season of the competition). The neutral venue for their match against Enfield? Newcastle!
Blyth Spartans on the Football Club History Database
The club was founded in September 1899 and, like many at the time, played friendlies before joining a league, the East Northumberland in 1901. That was won three times before a move to the Northern Football Alliance in 1907. Two titles preceded a move to the semi-professional North-Eastern League in 1913. That was a tougher competition, with several Football League reserve teams, and Blyth won it just once, in 1936, before the league disbanded in 1958 as the FL sides withdrew. Short spells in the Midland, Northern Counties and a briefly reformed North-Eastern League followed. When the NEL folded again in 1964, Blyth had no semi-professional league in which to play and so turned amateur and joined the Northern League.
Their first season was disastrous, finishing bottom of the 18-club competition with just 10 points. A gradual improvement followed to take Blyth to runners-up in 1972 after which the club made its mark, with 10 championships in the next 16 years – five of them consecutively from 1980 to 1984 – and their FA Cup heroics.
In 1994 the club took the next step up, joining the Northern Premier League. The First Division was won immediately and Blyth were promoted to the Premier Division, winning that in 2006 to reach Conference North. Relegated in 2012 (the only time in the club's history), Blyth returned in 2017 with another NPL title. National events almost certainly saved them from another relegation in 2020 and last season was also nervous, with safety assured only in the last fortnight of the season.
The club's Croft Park home has been vastly improved in the last 20 years, with the terraces of railway sleepers and ash replaced by concrete, the main stand refurbished and cover provided on all sides of the ground. Typical attendances are in the 700-800 range and the club has earned a good reputation as a friendly place to visit.
FA Cup 1977-78
Blyth reached the 5th round by beating Shildon, Crook Town, Consett and Bishop Auckland in the qualifying rounds and Burscough, Chesterfield, Enfield and Stoke City in the competition proper. Chesterfield were in Division 3 and Stoke in Division 2, having just been relegated. Spartans were drawn away to the winners of the tie between Newcastle United and Wrexham. Newcastle were in Division 1 but would be relegated that season. Wrexham were in Division 3 and destined to be champions.
The prospect of a trip down the road to St James's Park must have been the stuff of dreams for everyone at Blyth yet they had almost had it without the waiting – Wrexham had equalised in the last minute at Newcastle. The wait was prolonged – the replay at the Racecourse Ground was postponed because of the weather and played the following Monday, nine days on from the draw at Newcastle. Wrexham won 4-1...
Blyth drew at Wrexham in front of an attendance just short of 20,000 but the injustice still burns today. Wrexham scored another late equaliser, this time from a twice-taken corner that should never have been awarded. The replay (also postponed) was held at St James' Park and Blyth made the barrowload of cash that they would have done had Newcastle beaten Wrexham – more than 42,000† saw the game – but they lost the match (again somewhat controversially) and with that defeat that shouldn't have been was lost the right to play Arsenal at home (or at Newcastle...) in the quarter-finals. Oh, the agony of it all!
Blyth will meet Wrexham again in the FA Cup in next weekend's Fourth Qualifying Round. Expect Croft Park to be packed. It will be the fourth meeting, Wrexham having won First Round ties in 36-37 and 59-60.
† Officially but gate-crashing was suspected. 10,000 were locked out.
__________________________________________________________
FA Cup – 1st Round 32 appearances, 14 to 2nd, 4 to 3rd and one to 5th.
FA Trophy – QF 79-80, 82-83, 10-11.
Curiously, the club entered the FA Amateur Cup in only three seasons (71-74), reaching the QF each time and once going on to the semi-final (1974, the last season of the competition). The neutral venue for their match against Enfield? Newcastle!
Blyth Spartans on the Football Club History Database
