Gateshead, Gateshead International Stadium – Hopper Tales #65

Close to Home

Gateshead is just a forty-minute bus trip from home, so today was an easy Hop, and just as well!

Friday night into Saturday morning was not a happy time in the Hopper household.

Mrs Hopper has been suffering from a bad back for some while now. Last night, a particularly painful night for her, combined with random knee pain for me, meant there wasn’t a lot of sleep for us.

We had planned to arrive in Gateshead early enough for lunch at The Schooner. A pub just down the road from the stadium but that was never going to happen now.

With very little sleep and the pain not subsiding, I got up and made a hot water bottle to stick between my knee and her back… Yeah, it was as awkward as it sounds! 😂

After another hour, we gave up and both downed a painkiller apiece and finally got some shut-eye.

I eventually woke up at 11:30 and decided I wasn’t going to miss the game!

Dragging my sorry ass out of bed, I managed to limp around quickly enough to get out of the house in time to catch the bus and do a proper review of the Gateshead International Stadium.

Gateshead – Journey and Pre-Game

Statue Hugging

I limped my way to the bus station and boarded the 12:25 Newcastle bus.

This was where I got one of those painful ‘the world is broken’ moments that you sometimes see on the internet. A guy whose faculties were clearly impaired by some substance or another was standing in front of a statue. He was pointing at the names around the bottom and celebrating each one with a wiggle of his backside and pumping his fists.

While the traffic lights ahead turned green and we started moving again, I just saw him starting to climb onto the statue to give it a hug.

I just hope a hug was all he gave it…

I should have filmed it but to be honest, I don’t find things like that funny. Drugs are a serious problem in our society and by laughing at videos of the consequences, we aren’t exactly helping the situation.

Anyway…

Meanwhile, back in the real world…

The bus arrived in Gateshead and I made my way to Stand M for the connecting 13:35 #27 bus. Theoretically, this would take me to the Gateshead International Stadium Metro station. It probably would have too, if I had gotten off at the correct bus stop.

Where is Mrs Hopper when you need her?

I somehow managed to go way past my stopping point and instead got off at Heworth Interchange. For those not familiar with the area, that is only one and a half miles past the Metro stop I should have got off at…

Oh well, nothing to do now but make the best of it. I went to Stand B and caught the #94 bus.

The upside to this is that I wouldn’t have to walk from the Metro to the stadium now. The #94 bus drops off right outside the stadium. I also met a nice guy called Alan on this bus and we chatted about Gateshead FC and my accent not being from these parts.

Despite him thinking I was from Birmingham, we got along well and chatted all the way to the ground. I left him as he joined the queue outside the main turnstile to the Tyne & Wear Stand.

I wanted to do my customary walk around the stadium.

Gateshead International Stadium – Exterior

The first photo I took is the one above and this is where I would be entering the ground once I had walked around it.

The Tyne and Wear Stand is the main one at the stadium and is sometimes the only stand open to the public if there aren’t many away fans.

Today would be different as Barnet was bringing good support up from Hertfordshire. They would be housed on the opposite side of the GIS, in the East Stand.

As you may know, the Gateshead International Stadium was primarily built for athletics purposes. This is by no means a traditional football stadium.

Though, from the outside, this isn’t immediately apparent.

Four floodlights tower in each corner and an intimidating wall topped with metal barbs runs around the perimeter.

It has shades of the old Den at Cold Blow Lane, in that regard.

Wandering around the path took me through the gate in the photo above and up past the South Stand. I was surprised to see that these turnstiles were open and it’s presumably used as an overflow if the Tyne & Wear Stand is close to capacity.

Moving on around, I started to see Barnet fans as I approached the East Stand. I had been told that Gateshead was anticipating between 200 and 250 but I am convinced there were more than that. Maybe 350 to 400? (This was later confirmed as 446 Barnet fans.)

By now I had reached the the top of some steps in the northeast corner. It afforded me a glimpse inside the stadium for the first time.

Parking the Bus

At the bottom of the steps is an artificial playing surface and strangely, this is where the Banet fans coaches were parked. They might be all-weather but are they all-vehicle, too?

I’m sure this is a regular thing, although I couldn’t help but think it might be damaging the surface over time. After all, these pitches weren’t designed as coach parks.

A quick bit of research tells me that a coach can weigh anywhere between twelve to thirty tonnes, depending on make, design and with or without people on board.

After walking across the artificial pitch, I was back on the same road that the bus dropped me off on. I carried on round to the Tyne & Wear Stand entrance and joined the queue to get in.

I had meant to take a look in the club shop, which I am told is in the main stand and accessible from the outside. I couldn’t find the entrance, though.

Maybe someone can tell me where it is for future reference in the comments below?

Gateshead International Stadium – Exterior Gallery

Gateshead International Stadium – Interior

My ticket was bought online via the Gateshead ticketing website at a cost of £18.00 each.

It was checked at the gate by a steward and I was waved inside.

Once inside the stadium, any thoughts of Millwall‘s old Den disappear.

It’s most definitely an athletics stadium. Complete with a running track around the pitch and a long jump pit below the Tyne & Wear Stand.

South Stand

Off to my right was the South Stand.

This is an arced block of uncovered seating with eight sections. There seemed to be three sections nearest to the Tyne & Wear Stand being used today but they were sparsely populated.

North Stand

At the opposite end of the ground to my left, was a smaller but also uncovered seating area.

There are two blocks of seating at this end, with an open space between them. Maybe for the purposes of an athletics event like javelin throwing, where a longer run-up is required?

The section in the northwest corner has four sections, while the bigger block to the northeast, has seven sections. All of these sections have less depth than the southern ends’ seating.

Opposite me, is the East Stand. This is the largest stand at the GIS and is where the Barnet fans were housed today.

I would like to say that this stand is roofed, as there is clearly a roofing structure in place. The truth is, that that’s all there is though.

On a chilly, drizzly day like today, the Barnet fans (and Gateshead fans in the South Stand) would be getting wet.

Two of the four floodlights are on either side of the East Stand, which has a capacity of 4,000. The other two floodlights are located on either side of the Tyne & Wear Stand.

The Tyne & Wear Stand

This brings us back to the stand I was seated in, the Tyne & Wear Stand.

A fully roofed structure that keeps everyone except the front couple of rows mostly dry. It has a capacity of 3,300 spectators.

Among that number, is the Heed Army.

Named after the club’s nickname ‘the Heed’, which comes from the local Geordie dialect of the word head (in Gateshead).

Mostly a young group of supporters, they get behind their team from start to finish. Their non-stop singing helps you forget that this is an athletics venue.

There is a block of media and press boxes at the south end of this stand. To my right, just beyond the stand, there is a balcony for disabled supporters to have a great view of the action.

As is usually the case, the stand I am in is the hardest one to get a good photo of.

Programme

The programme is called ‘Heedlines’ and costs £3.00.

Inside the stadium, it is cash only. I found this out once I was already inside with just a card. I asked a programme seller if they would let me back out again to get one and he said, no.

Luckily, he was a very kind man who let me have one anyway, so a big thank you to you, sir!

A Few Facts

The Gateshead International Stadium was built in 1955 at a cost of £30,000. It has been re-developed on three separate occasions since then.

With a capacity of 11,800, it is more than suitable should Gateshead ever get promoted to the Football League.

As well as football and athletics, the GIS has hosted rugby league games and large music concerts.

The stadium is currently owned by the Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council.

As I have mentioned before, in Hoppers Tales #43, the histories of Gateshead and South Shields football clubs are intertwined.

Gateshead, in one guise or another, has played at the GIS since their move from Redheugh Park in the 1971/72 season. South Shields moved to the GIS in 1974 and changed their name to Gateshead United.

When they folded in 1977, the current incarnation of Gateshead FC was formed.

Gateshead – Pre-Game View of Gateshead International Stadium

Gateshead v Barnet – The Game

Form

As this was a cup semi-final and a one-off game, form tends to be disregarded…

I will give it to you anyway!

Both teams are currently playing in the Vanarama National League and Barnet were the higher-placed team coming into this tie. They currently lie in fifth place and have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five league matches.

This run includes two very creditable 1-1 away draws at Notts County and Woking who are second and third, respectively.

Despite sitting one place above the relegation places, Gateshead has an identical run of form to Barnet. They also have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five league games.

In fact, they had won their two previous games. An away win at Aldershot was followed up by an excellent 3-0 home win over Dagenham & Redbridge.

They also scored three times in both games…

Tributes Paid

Before the kick-off, the players gathered around the centre circle and joined a minute’s applause from both sets of fans. This was due to the sad and sudden death of Jason Turner, the chief executive of Notts County.

The matchday announcer said that both clubs had close ties to Mr Turner and due respect was given.

Kick-Off

Barnet got the match underway, with both sets of fans in good voice.

It was Gateshead who started on the front foot, though.

An early challenge by Barnet’s Dale Gorman led to a yellow card and a free-kick about thirty yards from their goal.

Up stepped Greg Olley as the dead-ball specialist. He floated the ball into the Barnet penalty area, where it was only partially dealt with. The attempted clearance fell to the feet of Dan Ward and he put in a shot. The shot hit Emmanuel Fernandez on the hand and referee, Scott Oldham pointed to the penalty spot.

Pocket-sized forward, Adam Campbell stepped up to take responsibility and dispatched the spot kick with aplomb.

Despite Barnet’s keeper, Laurie Walker guessing the correct direction, Campbell’s kick was placed too accurately. The ball went into the left-hand corner and Gateshead went into celebratory mode.

1-0 Gateshead!

There followed a period of back and forth as Barnet tried to get back into the game and Gateshead tried to extend their lead.

Barnet was definitely the team with the more dominant play for the next few minutes, although the next big chance was Gateshead’s.

In the 22^nd minute, Walker took a free kick from deep in the Barnet half. He launched it into the Gateshead half, where it was headed forward to goalscorer Campbell. He hoofed it back up the pitch where it bounced on Barnet’s side of the centre circle. It was then a straight tussle between Heed’s Aaron Martin and the Bees’ Jerome Okimo.

Martin outmuscled Okimo and played the ball out to Olley on the mid-right. He took the ball to the edge of the area before putting in a fierce shot which Walker palmed to his right. Campbell looked to get on the end of the loose ball but Sam Woods slid in at the last moment to put the ball out for a corner.

Good defensive work!

Gateshead Getting the Upper-Hand

Two minutes later came a passage of play that would end with Gateshead doubling their lead.

It started with a Barnet corner kick. The ball was played across by Gorman and flicked out to the far side off a Barnet… barnet? Heed?

Either way, it dropped kindly for Gateshead and right back, Robbie Tinkler hit the ball long. Either he got lucky, or this was a pass in the mould of a Steven Gerrard special.

To be honest, I think he played the pass to perfection.

The ball sailed over the halfway line and breached the Barnet defence where Olley was running onto it.

Barnet’s defence recovered and forced Olley to turn back. He and Campbell exchanged a couple of passes before Olley played a lovely ball through to Dan Ward. Inside the box on the right-hand side, Ward played it across the goal towards Martin who would’ve had a tap-in.

This time it was Danny Collinge sliding in to prevent the goal with more good defensive work.

The reprieve was short-lived, though.

The resulting corner was dragged back by Olley towards the veteran defender, Carl Magnay. He played the ball back to Olley, who played it between two Barnet players to Campbell in the box. Campbell turned and fired the ball low across the goal where he found the outstretched boot of Louis Storey.

Storey managed to turn the ball into the net to double the Gateshead lead, to the delight of everyone on my side of the stadium.

True Storey!

2-0 Gateshead!

Gateshead were playing some good football now and were starting to dominate the game. Another chance came their way ten minutes later.

A long ball was heaved into the Barnet half and only half-headed clear by Ben Wynter. It fell kindly for Greg Olley, who controlled it on his chest before deftly playing it into the path of Martin racing into the box.

He got to the ball before the goalkeeper but Walker stood tall and beat Martin’s effort away before seeing it hoofed clear of danger.

Or so we thought…

Gateshead won possession back quickly and knocked the ball about among themselves at the back and in midfield for a short while. The ball eventually made its way back to James Montgomery in the Gateshead goal. He gave it the full John Smith’s Peter Kay “Ave it!” style rocket launcher. The ball sailed over everybody’s head into the Barnet half.

Greg Olley was the quickest to anticipate the ball and he got there ahead of the Barnet defenders. He took the ball into the penalty area and saw Fernandez get a boot to the ball before he could shoot. The ‘backpass’ was saved by Walker but Barnet’s keeper couldn’t hold onto the ball.

When it squirmed out of his hands, Olley was again quickest to the ball and turned and shot the ball into the net.

Dreamland stuff for the Heed Army!

3-0 Gateshead!

Thirty-seven minutes gone and it was 3-0!

I don’t think even the most avid Gateshead fan would have predicted this. Indeed, my new mate, Alan (the guy from the bus) had predicted they would lose today.

Despite Barnet playing ok, they now found themselves with, if not a mountain, then a very steep hill to climb.

They made a good base camp before halftime, though.

Three minutes after Gateshead’s third goal, Barnet gave themselves a lifeline.

Barnet won a cheap free-kick twenty-five yards from goal and caught the Gateshead defence sleeping. Gorman saw Wynter making an unmarked run down the right flank and played the ball quickly to him.

Receiving the pass inside the right-hand side of the area, Wynter put in a teasing, looped cross to the back stick and found the head of a leaping salmon, also known as Emmanuel Fernandez.

This has wrongly been accredited to number thirty, Harry Smith in some quarters. However, if you watch the goal back, you will clearly see it is the number two that scores.

3-1 Barnet Goal!

The good work was almost undone before the break, with Gateshead having two great chances to reclaim their three-goal lead.

First up, Martin again won a strength contest and raced up the left flank with the ball at his feet. A quick ball played in front of the other Gateshead forward on the other side of the pitch would have surely seen a goal. Martin decided to take the ball further before passing, though and it slowed the attack down.

When he finally played the ball to Campbell inside the box, it was too late and under hit. Campbell was by now, blocked off by two defenders, so he played the ball to his left for Olley.

He got the shot away and brought a good save from Walker who palmed it away from the goal. Gateshead reworked the ball and it ended at the feet of Robbie Tinkler. He too channelled his inner Stevie G and shot from thirty yards out.

Walker again came to Barnet’s rescue and palmed the shot wide for a corner.

Breathe folks, breathe!

No Time for Breathing!

From the resulting corner, Kamil Conteh should have scored. Unfortunately, he got his free header all wrong and it skimmed down and bounced wide of the Barnet goal.

…and still we weren’t finished!

There was still time for Montgomery to pull off a great save.

A scrappy but frantic passage of play led to the ball finding its way to Wynter thirty yards from goal. He let the ball fly and it looked to be heading for the roof of the net before Montgomery rose to tip it over the bar.

Good action!

Now you can breathe!

Half-time – Gateshead 3 v Barnet 1

Wow! What a half of football that was!

Gateshead thoroughly deserved their lead but Barnet were by no means out of this match thanks to that headed goal from Fernandez. The second half promised to be another forty-five minutes of pulsating cup-tie action.

Turned out to be closer to an hour, but I will get to that…

I got out my phone and checked to see how Stoke were getting on at Coventry.

Well, well! This day just keeps getting better! 2-0 up at the Coventry Arena and our recent run of good form just keeps on going.

We went on to win 4-0 against a decent Coventry side and both my heart and brain think next season could be a big one for this Stoke side if the recruitment team do their job right.

I had almost forgotten about my knee by this point!

The Second Half

The Bees started the second half by making a couple of changes. Off went Sam Woods and Fernandez, to be replaced by Nicke Kabamba and Ryan De Havilland.

Whatever they changed made a difference.

Gateshead were not the dominant force they had been in the first half and Barnet applied the pressure.

Aside from a header that flicked over the bar from a corner, though, they didn’t create much in the way of clear chances.

In fact, we had to wait until the 73^rd minute for the next real action of note in front of goal.

Worrying Scenes

Before that though, we had the worrying sight of Barnet’s Harry Smith lying motionless in the box after a clash of heads. The players were quick to surround the player and wave medics onto the pitch, which is always a sign of a serious problem.

Treatment lasted about eight minutes and it was a huge relief to see Smith get up under his own steam and walk off the pitch with what looked like a really nasty cut over his eye.

I hope he is ok and recovers quickly!

He was replaced by Courtney Senior and the game got back underway, as Smith left the field to applause from all.

Fast forward to the 73^rd minute…

Barnet’s Idris Kanu did well to shrug off his marker on the left flank, before putting a cross into the mix. The ball, ironically, fell in the vicinity of the penalty spot and that’s what the referee pointed to straight after.

The match official had seen something untoward in Dan Ward’s challenge for the loose ball and didn’t hesitate. Personally, I think it looks a bit soft in the replays but Mr Oldham’s is the only opinion that counts.

Harry Pritchard stepped up and confidently smashed the ball down the centre of the goal.

Game on!

3-2 Barnet Goal!

Across from us, you could see the belief start to develop as Barnet fans reacted joyously to their teams’ fightback. There may have been just ten minutes left on the clock but everyone knew that after the significant stoppage for Smith’s injury, there would be a lot longer left.

Barnet started to lay siege to Gateshead’s goal now and it felt very dangerous for the home team.

Tinkler put in a great tackle in the area, to deny Kanu as he looked to race towards the goal. This was followed by a stinging shot from twenty-five yards by Courtney Senior. Montgomery could only palm the ball back into the area before it was hoofed clear by the defence.

When injury time was announced, it confirmed Gateshead’s fears.

Twelve minutes still to play!

Gateshead Almost Seal It

As the Bees’ pushed forward, Gateshead managed to spring a quick counter-attack and almost sealed the victory.

Conteh picked up a headed clearance and ran it past the halfway line before playing it to his left. The pass was slightly under hit and it took a little of the momentum out of the move.

With four Barnet defenders now facing him, Campbell elected to shoot from twenty yards out. His right foot effort was cleanly struck and was heading for the top corner until Walker stretched his frame to tip the ball wide for a corner.

Never Say Die!

Time really was the enemy of Barnet now and the last few seconds were ticking off the clock. They never stopped trying though and got their reward in the last minute of the game.

Barnet had been utilising the long throw throughout the match and it finally paid off in the 102^nd minute.

Okimo launched the ball into the area and a Gateshead ‘heed’ got to the ball but only headed it straight into the path of Pritchard. From ten yards out, Pritchard caught the shot sweetly and it flew into the back of the net to grab a dramatic equaliser.

Barnet fans were running around in the East Stand like headless chickens and who can blame them? A three-goal deficit had been overcome away from home in a semi-final.

Things like this don’t often happen in football.

3-3 Barnet Equaliser!

There was still time for a little more drama before the final whistle.

Gateshead got the ball forward and Tinkler lofted the ball into a crowded penalty area. It was headed clear only as far as the late substitute and debutant, Dylan Archer. He was fouled on the edge of the box, and I mean, on the edge.

Had VAR been in play, this could easily have been given as a penalty. As it was, a free-kick was given and subsequently blocked by the Barnet wall.

Phew! I’m glad I’m here as a neutral. This must be a killer for the fans of both teams!

It wasn’t about to get any easier either. With time up, the referee brought an end to what had been a thrilling game of football. Both sides deserve credit for the efforts they put into this game.

The matchday announcer let it be known that there would be no extra time and we would now be going to a penalty shootout to decide who was going to Wembley Stadium.

Penalty Shootout

Everyone hates penalties to decide a game, don’t they?

Not me! I love the thrill of it. After all, what’s the alternative? A flick of a coin?

No thanks!

I’d rather see the goalkeeper and outfield players go ‘mano a mano’, one-on-one and see who wilts under the pressure.

Rather than describe the penalties, you can watch them below and watch the drama as it happened.

Cheers and Tears

James Montgomery was the Gateshead hero after his two penalty saves but it was another player announced as man of the match.

It was Louis Storey, and as he slammed home the winning penalty, the cheers boomed out around me.

Pretty soon the cheers were joined by tears and pyro. A lone black flare smoked by the touchline as an old guy to my right held his scarf aloft and cried unashamedly.

He wasn’t the only one either. I saw a much younger man to my left leave the ground with tear-streaked cheeks and red eyes and it certainly wasn’t the pyro that caused it.

Gateshead was a club that almost folded a few short years ago. You can read about that here.

Given that history, it’s easy to understand the emotion involved when a club that was nearly lost, now reaches the hallowed turf at the home of English football.

The tune started with the Heed Army but pretty soon, even the players and coaching staff were joining in…

Tell me ma, me ma,

I won’t be home for tea,

We’re going to Wembley!

Flags waved, sore hands kept clapping and people hugged each other.

They will now face FC Halifax Town in the final on May 21^st at 3 pm, in what should be a great day out for both clubs.

You can read a full Match Report here. The link is from the Gateshead website.

Full-time – Gateshead 3 v Barnet 3 (4-1 on Penalties)

Attendance – 2,897

Entrance Fee – £18.00

Programme – £3.00

Up Next

Next up for Gateshead are two huge relegation six-pointers against fellow strugglers.

First up, is a clash at the GIS against Yeovil Town on Tuesday 4^th of April. Yeovil are one place and two points behind the Heed, although the west country team have played two more games. Then comes a game against struggling Scunthorpe United, again at the GIS, on Saturday the 8^th of April.

It’s amazing to think that Scunthorpe will likely kick off next season in the National League North. They will probably be joined by South Shields who seem likely to get promoted from the Northern Premier League.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Barnet will face another away trip, to York City on the 4^th of April. This will be followed by a quick turnaround, facing a home game against Bromley at the Hive on Friday, 7^th of April.

Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed today’s visit to the Gateshead International Stadium and I’m glad I forced myself through the pain barrier to go.

Despite this not being a traditional football ground and a running track between the action and the stands, I never felt like I was detached from it. The atmosphere created by both sets of fans helped, of course, as did a great game of football.

I’m not sure how I would have felt if these two ingredients hadn’t been key to the day but they were, so it would be pure conjecture to say.

I found the stadium and people to be friendly, as were the Barnet fans around the stadium before and after the game.

This was my second visit to the GIS and I’ve enjoyed both games.

The last time I came here was one of the ‘missing’ Hoppers Tales from last season’s game against Curzon Ashton. That was a promotion-winning season for Gateshead and the atmosphere was similar to today (though fewer people were in attendance.)

I would have no problem visiting the GIS again in the future. If you are coming as an away fan, make sure to check the weather first!

I also like to think that somewhere among today’s crowd, there was someone wearing a toupée.

Why?

Because that would mean that someone came to the game with a dodgy ‘Barnet’ on his ‘Heed, of course!

Gateshead – After the Game

After watching the fan’s and players’ celebrations of their famous victory over more illustrious opposition, I made my way to the exits.

The mood outside was one of buoyancy and happiness and I’m glad to say the Barnet fans making their way through the happy throng took their loss in good spirits.

While I waited for the bus, I heard a few pleasantries exchanged saying what a good game it had been. Always nice to see this, although there were also kids making gestures at the Barnet supporter coaches as they went by. I guess this is pretty ‘normal’ at any club.

Also while I waited, a few young lads appeared with bundles of programmes, dishing them out to anyone who wanted one.

Fell off the back of a lorry, no doubt. Either way, I happily took one… 😂

The bus to Gateshead Interchange arrived and I jumped aboard. A few short minutes later, we pulled into the bus station and I hurried around to Stand K because my bus home was about to pull off.

Great timing!

After catching a bus earlier than I expected, I was able to get home through my front door before 19:00.

A very early home time for this Hopper.

Next Up For Hoppers Guide

Next up for us is a visit to Galashiels to the south of Edinburgh.

This is to see the wonderfully named Gala Fairydean Rovers at their Netherdale complex. Their opponents will be Gretna FC 2008, who we visited back in the summer of 2022.

This ground has been on my hit list ever since I first laid eyes on their wonderfully hideous, yet beautiful main stand.

The stand was closed for some time while they carried out refurbishments but now it’s open for business and I’m a willing customer!

Onto the next!

Hopper Tales #64 – Workington AFC

Hopper Tales #66 – Gala Fairydean Rovers