Crowd Hopping
This week, we will revisit the Scotswood Sports Centre, also known as the KD Stadium, home of Newcastle Blue Star.
The game against Carlisle City will be a part of the weekend’s Northern League Hop, which started on April 2nd with West Auckland Town v Thornaby – FT 4-0.
Full Weekend Itinerary:
Friday 3rd
- Grangetown Boys Club v Redcar Town – 11:00 am – FT 0-1 – Attendance 531.
- FC Hartlepool v Seaham Red Star – 14:30 pm – FT 1-0 – Attendance 633.
- Easington Colliery v Horden CW – 18:00 pm – FT 2-1 – Attendance 770.
Saturday 4th
- AFC Newbiggin v Alnwick Town – 11:00 am – FT 1-1 – Attendance 496.
- Newcastle Blue Star v Carlisle City – 14:30 pm – FT (wait and see) – Attendance – 592.
- Tow Law Town v Ryton & Crawcrook Albion – 18:30 pm – FT 1-1 – Attendance 509.
Sunday 5th
- Billingham Town v Billingham Synthonia – 11:00 am – FT 0-2 – Attendance – 758.
- Crook Town v Shildon AFC – 14:30 pm – FT 1-2 – Attendance – 717.
- Durham United v Esh Winning – 18:30 pm – FT 4-2 – Attendance 382.
Monday 6th
- Jarrow v Boldon CA – 11:00 am – FT 2-2 – Attendance 507.
- Sunderland West End v Sunderland RCA – 14:30 pm – FT 2-4 – Attendance 475.
What a great opportunity for Hoppers to check out some of the Northern League grounds.
I inadvertently arranged this weekend as the second Hoppers Guide meet-up. Of course, this will be completely overshadowed by the Hop.
Far from being a bad thing, this means there will be even more Hoppers to meet and chat with. I look forward to doing so with any that attend the Blue Star game.
Scotswood is a great place to visit, and I look forward to reacquainting myself with it and noting any changes since my last visit.
I also hope to run into the crazy guy from Carlisle City, Scott Leigh.
Scott is a one-man Sky Blue Army, and as he says, “You’ll never stop me (him) singing!”
EDIT: Unfortunately, Scott didn’t attend the game ☹️
Anyway, let’s get on with our Scotswood review.
The Journey
I began the day by catching the 10:38 X1 to Newcastle’s John Dobson Street.
It was an overcast, grey day, in the prelude to the oncoming winds of Storm Dave, which hit later in the evening.
Arriving at John Dobson Street at 11:45, I crossed the road to catch my connection to Scotswood.
The #1 bus arrived at 11:52, just as the first spots of rain of the day began to fall.
Half an hour later, I arrived at my destination.
While I get my bearings, why not have a read about the city of Newcastle?
Newcastle
The city of Newcastle upon Tyne is in Tyne and Wear, in northeast England.
It sits on the north bank of the River Tyne, around 9 miles from the North Sea coast at Tynemouth. Sunderland lies roughly 14 miles to the southeast, while Durham is about 18 miles to the south, and Edinburgh is around 119 miles to the northwest. Hetton-le-Hole is 16 miles to the southeast.
At the 2021 Census, Newcastle upon Tyne had a population of 300,125, up from 280,177 in 2011.
Newcastle’s history stretches back nearly two thousand years. The Romans established a fort called Pons Aelius on the northern frontier of their empire, close to where the Tyne Bridge now stands. After the Roman period, the area remained a small settlement until the Normans built the castle that would give the city its name.
Newcastle takes its name from the “new castle” built on the site in 1080 by Robert Curthose, son of William the Conqueror, replacing an earlier Roman fort that once stood nearby.
During the medieval period, Newcastle grew into a centre of trade, particularly in wool and later in coal. Its position on the River Tyne allowed goods to move easily to and from the North Sea, helping the town expand in both size and importance. By the late Middle Ages, Newcastle had become one of England’s key northern strongholds, economically and militarily.
Built on the Black Stuff
Coal would come to define the city. From the 16th century onwards, Newcastle developed into a major hub for coal exports, supplying London and other growing cities. The phrase “carrying coals to Newcastle” reflected the town’s dominance in the trade.
When the Industrial Revolution arrived, Newcastle embraced it. Shipbuilding, heavy engineering and manufacturing grew rapidly along the River Tyne. The city became known worldwide for its industry, with innovations in steam power and engineering helping drive Britain’s industrial growth.
The 19th century saw Newcastle expand dramatically. Railways, bridges and public buildings reshaped the city. Landmarks such as Grey Street and Grainger Town reflected civic pride and urban planning, while the Tyne’s quaysides bustled with shipyards and industry.
By the early 20th century, Newcastle stood as one of Britain’s leading industrial cities. Shipbuilding and coal exports supported thousands of jobs, and the city played an important role during the First World War through its industrial output.
During the Second World War, Newcastle’s shipyards and engineering works made it a target for German bombing. Air raids caused damage across the city, but industry continued to support the war effort.
Post-War Newcastle
Like many industrial cities, Newcastle experienced major economic change in the second half of the 20th century. Coal mining declined, shipyards closed, and traditional heavy industries were significantly reduced.
In response, the city reinvented itself. Regeneration projects transformed the Quayside, turning former industrial areas into spaces for culture, business and leisure. Landmarks such as the Millennium Bridge and The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, just across the river, became symbols of a modern Newcastle.
Education, digital industries and service sectors now play a major role in the local economy, supported by institutions such as Newcastle University. The city also developed a strong reputation for nightlife, culture and sport.
Newcastle sits at the heart of the wider Tyneside area, alongside Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside. Together they form a major North East urban region with strong transport links and a shared industrial heritage.
Today, Newcastle balances its history with a modern outlook. From Roman frontier post to medieval stronghold, from coal capital to cultural city, its history is one of constant change and reinvention.
Notable People from Newcastle
TV presenters, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly – Engineer, Ove Arup – Musicians, Eric Burdon (The Animals), Chas Chandler (The Animals), Hank Marvin (The Shadows), Gordon ‘Sting’ Sumner (The Police), and Cheryl Tweedy (Girls Aloud) – Founder of Viz comic, Chris Donald – Actors, Jack Douglas, Tim Healy, Janet McTeer, Charlie Hunnam, and Jimmy Nail – Cardinal Basil Hulme, Archbishop of Westminster – Comedian, Ross Noble – Pro-wrestler, Benjamin Satterley (Pac, ex-WWE and current AEW star) – And of course, from the world of football, Alan Shearer.
Newcastle Blue Star – KD Stadium
Getting In
After arriving a little after 12:20, there were still almost 10 minutes to wait for the gates to open, yet a small queue was already forming.
Part of the waiting cluster was a stag party from Bristol, with the groom-to-be dressed in a full Newcastle Blue Star kit.
We will see more of them later…
The gates opened, and we started entering.
Tickets were available online, but I paid at the gate, with card and cash accepted. After initially trying to pay by card, the machine wasn’t playing ball, so I used cash instead.
Entry to Scotswood is £8.00, and I also bought a copy of ‘The Blue print’, Blue Star’s programme.
Programme
Costing £2.00, ‘The Blue Print’ consists of 28 glossy pages, 3 of which are adverts.
Content includes 5 pages listing Blue Star’s season so far, a chat with their resident Hopper, Mal Stephenson, a section about the junior teams, and reports on recent games against Newcastle Benfield and Birtley Town.
This is a double issue for both today’s game and the upcoming fixture with Marske United.
There are a couple of pages on each visiting team, along with the usual fixtures, stats, player sponsors, and pages advertising club money-making ventures like hospitality and club lottery.
For £2.00, this is a decent effort from Blue Star, though a little more reading content, like the feature with Mal, wouldn’t go amiss.
Overall, a solid 7.5/10
East End
Entry to the KD Stadium is on the north side, but we will start by heading left, to the eastern end of the ground.
The northeast corner is a busy one, with steps leading up to an area that appears to be set up for hospitality.
Beyond this, there is a small bar and a new metal terrace that wasn’t there on my previous visit.
The new terrace covers two-thirds of the pitch’s width, with some of it yet to receive a roof, though the skeleton is in place.
The terrace itself is 6 steps deep, providing an excellent vantage point to watch the game.
This provides more evidence of Blue Star’s ambitions above their current league status.
Their ground is already more than adequate for the Northern Premier League East, but they aren’t resting on their laurels.
South Side
The south side of the Scotswood ground consists of two stands and Keegan’s burger van…
Not sure if that’s a pun on King Kev’s time at Hamburg, but it looked to be filling a gap in the corner today.
It was parked between the toilet block at the southwest corner and the metal terrace on the south side.
Beyond this is a metal fence bearing a mural proclaiming ‘Newcastle Ultras’, though there was no evidence of them present today.
I love little things like this, as they brighten up a ground and give it a little character.
The mural extends into the first structure on the south side, a small covered metal terrace.
There is also the Alan Smith Stand, straddling the halfway line.
This is a small, covered stand with a capacity of around 150, plus a small area for media.
A tidy little stand with the Newcastle Blue Star team name emblazoned across the roof edge.
Everything at Scotswood is the same colour, which helps all the little mismatched stands feel uniform despite their differences.
Home and away technical dugouts are located on either side of the Alan Smith Stand.
Behind the stand is another pitch, presumably used for training purposes.
It gives you some idea of the room for expansion should Blue Star continue their progress up the leagues.
West End
The western end of Scotswood is devoid of structures, holding just a flat-standing path and a ball-catching net behind the goal.
Another clever use of colour brightens an otherwise dull end of the ground, with a banner reading ‘Welcome to the West End’.
North Side
This brings us back to the side we entered from on the northern flank of the ground.
First, we come across another seated, covered stand, called the David Walton Stand.
Like its counterpart on the south side, it is fully covered and technically has a capacity of 130.
I say ‘technically’, because there is a small section that is damaged.
Beyond this is the large marquee/social club where a nice cold pint was awaiting me, but first, let’s look at the final pieces of the ground past the clubhouse.
On my previous visit, while entering the ground, I noticed a very strange artefact on a pedestal outside the clubhouse entrance.
Since then, the pedestal has disappeared, and the bomb shell is lying on its side by the turnstile.
Quick Snack
Also in this area is a hot food truck, where I bought myself some chips and curry sauce, costing £4.50.
They were hot and pretty tasty, though nothing special.
A separate kiosk was selling bottled and canned beer, though, with a great clubhouse next to it, I had no interest in standing outside in the cold.
This brings us back to the Northeast Corner, where the clubshop sits behind a small three-step metal terrace below the hospitality area I mentioned earlier.
With my tour of the ground complete and any lingering stomach rumbles taken care of, it was time to get that pint.
Blue Star Clubhouse
Outside the clubhouse, picnic benches have been placed, allowing you to sit and have a pint while watching the game.
It’s fair to say a good number of the crowd at today’s game were doing just that.
Meanwhile, inside, the clubhouse features plenty of tables, a bar, a pool table, and dartboards.
The bar is at the end closest to the turnstiles, from where I ordered a pint of Blue Star lager, costing £4.00.
I found a table and sat down to enjoy my pint.
After being joined by a couple of other Hoppers, I soon saw the familiar face of Scottish Hopper and author, Bruce Walker, acting like a meerkat, and looking for someone.
Yeah, it was me he was looking for.
He came and sat by me, and we struck a dodgy deal: I handed over £15 (in English notes, Bruce!), and he surreptitiously passed me a copy of his latest book, Pitches and Pies 2.
Deal done, we had a quick chat before Bruce went back to his other friends from Scotland, down for the Hop.
After a couple of pints and with kick-off approaching, I made my way outside the clubhouse.
The players’ tunnel at Scotswood is quite unique in that a chain is strung across the far end of the clubhouse interior, with players trooping through and out through the main doors.
Quite a unique players’ tunnel, that!
Newcastle Blue Star – Scotswood Gallery
While I awaited the player’s entrance, we were treated to the stag party’s infliction of pain on the groom-to-be.
After a few beers, he had to run around the pitch in full kit, milking the applause of supporters while his friends shouted ‘helpful advice’.
Even the guy on the tannoy joined in the fun, wishing him more luck in his second attempt at marriage than he’d had in his first.
Newcastle Blue Star Tidbits
The Newcastle Blue Star Football Club was originally formed in 1930.
Competing in local leagues, Woolsington was the club’s original home base, playing at the Wheatsheaf Ground.
Since then, the club has experienced multiple phases of development, including league success, financial collapse, and eventual reformation.
In 1973, as Blue Star Welfare, the club joined the Wearside League and won the title at the first attempt, repeating the feat in 1975/76.
The shining moment in club history came at Wembley Stadium in 1978, when they defeated Barton Rovers 2-1 to capture the FA Vase.
The following year, they changed their name to Blue Star, and in the early 80s won three more Wearside League titles.
The 1985/86 season saw Blue Star enter the Northern League for the first time. They dismissed the opposition by winning 36 of 38 games, losing just once and scoring 133 goals.
Newcastle was added to Blue Star at this time.
Blue Star almost won the Northern League Division One title in 1987/88, but slumped soon afterwards. Relegation finally arrived in 1999/00, bounced straight back the following year, and were relegated once more three seasons later.
Northern League Success and Sad Demise
Under the management of Berwick Rangers legend, Eric Tait, Blue Star returned to Division One in 2004/05. They won the league for the first time and completed the double by winning the League Cup, too.
Unfortunately, promotion was denied because the Wheatsheaf Ground facilities did not meet the required standards.
To counter this, Blue Star moved to groundshare with the Newcastle Falcons (now the Newcastle Red Bulls) at Kingston Park in 2007/08.
After just one season in the Northern Premier League, Blue Star asked to take the place of the bottom side and rejoin the Northern League. This was due to the mounting costs of travelling to clubs far from Newcastle for every other game.
Ahead of the season, the club withdrew this request and played a further season in the NPL North.
They set what is believed to be a world record in the opening game of the season against Bamber Bridge. In the opening 47 seconds of the game, they scored two goals in a 3-0 win.
After finishing third in the division, they were promoted to the NPL Premier Division via the playoffs.
The club chose to cease business in May 2009 after the Football Stadia Improvement Fund demanded repayment of £65,000. These were monies given to the club for improvements to their old Wheatsheaf Ground, after the club left it despite the improvements having been paid for.
‘New’-castle Blue Star
The club was reformed in 2018.
Playing in the Northern Football Alliance, the newly reformed Blue Star quickly established itself as a side to be reckoned with.
On my previous visit to Scotswood on 18th March 2023, they were still playing in the NFA and defeated Newcastle Chemfica 2-0.
Since then, they have been promoted twice, starting with the NFA Premier Division in 2022/23.
They achieved back-to-back promotions by winning the Northern League Division Two at the first attempt in 2023/24.
In their first season back at the new level, Blue Star finished a creditable 4th. In the playoffs, they succumbed to Easington Colliery in a feisty affair that saw crowd trouble between rival fans of Newcastle United and Sunderland.
Newcastle Blue Star are currently managed by Paul Brayson.
They Played for Newcastle Blue Star
Lee Andrews, Alun Armstrong, Steve Baker, Paul Brayson, Ray Hankin, Alan Harding, Andy Morrell, Lee Novak, Ben Pringle, Craig Russell, John Stirk, Neil Tarrant, Derek Townsley, and Peter Weatherson.
By far the most famous player to pull on a Blue Star jersey is Sir Trevor Brooking, making one appearance against Coundon FC in the Wearside League on 28th April 1985.
Newcastle Blue Star – Pre-Game View of the KD Stadium
Newcastle Blue Star v Carlisle City – The Game
Form
Coming into today’s game, Blue Star stand 8th in Division One of the Northern League, while visitors, Carlisle City, are 14th.
After 33 games, they have won 15, drawn 6 and lost 12, scoring 70 goals and conceding 52.
During March, Blue Star played 7 times, winning 5 and losing 2.
Since losing 2-1 at league title contenders, Guisborough Town, Blue Star have won four in a row, beating Penrith 3-0 last time out.
This will be the club’s fifth home game in a row. Part of a remarkable run in which 8 of their 9 games between March 3rd and April 7th took place at Scotswood.
Visitors, Carlisle City, have also played 33 games, winning 10, drawing 6 and losing 17.
The Sky Blues have played 5 league games in March, winning 2 and losing 3.
Most recently, they defeated Crook Town 1-0 at Gillford Park.
Given all the above info, I foresee a home win, with both teams scoring.
Pre-match prediction: Newcastle Blue Star 3 Carlisle City 1
Kick-Off
Summary
It didn’t take long for a goal in this game.
The visiting Sky Blues made the breakthrough in the 6th minute, via Sean Bannon, from a corner.
A familiar face came into view just after the goal, and I went to stand with Jonathan and Jamie, who, my regular reader might remember, gave me a lift to Stranraer a few weeks ago, and I spent the rest of the game standing with them.
Great to see you both again, guys!
Carlisle seemed somewhat taken aback by their early lead and retreated into themselves far too early in the game.
They restricted Blue Star’s chances, but it was never going to last.
In the 38th minute, Blue Star were awarded a penalty for a handball offence.
Despite Thomas Randal diving the right way, Blue Star’s captain, Sean Reid, placed his penalty perfectly in the bottom corner, to make it 1-1.
Because I was standing with friends and chatting, this was actually the only video I took of the game.
Half-Time
This took us into the break level, and it was time for the Big Shot half-time draw.
Having bought a ticket, I listened out for my number, but of course, it wasn’t my number that came out.
It was, however, one of my Twitter friends and fellow Hopper, Grant Tough, who was on the Easter Hop from Scotland.
Not only did he win a cash prize of £150, but he also had a chance to make it £1,500 by passing a football through a hole in a board.
Sounds easy enough, right?
Yeah, but it’s from about thirty yards, and the hole is the size of a cat flap! Seriously, a professional would be lucky to get it through.
However, we have to remember this is money that funds a club on a tight budget, so no complaints here.
Anyone who eventually achieves this feat will have deserved it, and potentially a playing contract, too!
Second Half
A good save by Randall prevented a Blue Star lead in the 57th minute. He couldn’t stop Reid getting his and Blue Star’s second four minutes later.
You can view that goal on Blue Star’s Twitter feed below.
A comedic moment in the second half (I didn’t make a note) was when a Carlisle defender went all Peter Kay, John Smith’s on us.
A bobbling ball was booted out of the stadium, and I couldn’t resist yelling, ‘Ave it!
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here is the advert.
With 15 minutes to go, we were nearly treated to a worldie from top marksman, Dan Lanning.
He attempted to lob the ‘keeper from the halfway line and succeeded. Unfortunately for him, he missed the target by the narrowest of margins.
What a goal that would have been!
Blue Star knocked on the door for a third goal, which would have fulfilled my prediction. It didn’t come, however, and I had to be content with a ‘nearly’ prediction.
Safe to say, the Carlisle City Twitter admin wasn’t happy with today’s match official’s performance…
If and when a Match Report becomes available, I will post it here.
Full-time – Newcastle Blue Star 2 Carlisle City 1
Attendance – 592
Entrance Fee – £8.00
Programme – £2.00
Newcastle Blue Star v Carlisle City – Match Highlights
League Table After Today’s Game
Up Next
Blue Star have two league games left to play: at Crook Town (11th) and at home to North Shields on April 17th.
They also have a Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup tie against Marske United on April 7th, where a win will put them into the quarter-finals.
Carlisle City also have two games left to play, starting with a tough home fixture against Guisborough Town on April 11th.
They will finish their season by travelling to Crook Town’s Millfields ground on the 18th.
Newcastle Blue Star Thoughts
I was a little disappointed by the attendance at Scotswood today. With an average crowd of over 300 and all the groundhoppers in the Northeast, I fully expected around 800 or more today.
As it turns out, I think many of the Hoppers who have maybe visited Scotswood before, took advantage of the other nearby games, kicking off at 3 pm
North Shields v Whitley Bay, for example, attracted a huge crowd of 1,235 for the El Classicoast game.
Blue Star were well prepared for the extra spectators, with catering, programmes, pin badges, and the large clubhouse, all more than adequate to accommodate the extra crowd.
The KD Stadium is easily capable of hosting games at a higher level than the Northern League Division One, and today proved that.
Food was sold by outside caterers, which always makes it more expensive than in-house catering, though not stupidly so.
The clubhouse is a great place for a few pre-match pints, which is good news, as there aren’t many pubs within walking distance.
If you haven’t visited before, or chose to visit a different ground on the Hop, you would be wise to come and take a look at what’s going on here.
The biggest negative for me was the loud music, and it wasn’t a style I like, either. At times, it sounded more like Ibiza than a football ground, and it was hard to hear what people were saying.
Small gripe, though, in what is an excellent venue for a spot of non-league football.
This is a club on the up, and I fully recommend a visit.
After the Game
Following the final whistle, I made my way back up to Denton Road, where the bus stop is directly opposite the ground.
I boarded the 16:27 #1 bus back into the city, arriving near the train station at 16:50.
From here, it was a five-minute walk to the bus stop on St. Nicholas’ Street.
Good timing prevailed, and I had a short wait for the 17:10 X1 back to Hetton, arriving by 18:00 and through my front door five minutes later.
Another successful Hop in the books!
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Next Up for Hoppers Guide
Next week sees us travelling to North Lincolnshire for a National League game between Scunthorpe United and Brackley Town.
With the Iron fighting for a place in the playoffs and Brackley Town striving to stay in the division, this should be a decent contest.
Scunthorpe was one of the first clubs to erect a new stadium in the modern era, kickstarting a wave of ground builds in the 1990s.
A little bit of ‘soul’ was lost in the process, with teams (including my own team, Stoke City) moving from their treasured, character-filled homes with memories galore, to brand-new stadiums that closely resembled one another.
For me, it was the start of me falling out of love with football, and I never felt quite the same visiting the Bet365 Stadium.
They don’t even have names these days, just a company sponsor!
I rediscovered my love for the game after being released from the COVID-19 lockdown, and that’s when Hoppers Guide was born.
I’m sure there are many Scunny fans who yearn for the Old Showground, but times move on, whether we like it or not.
Next, we will go and check out Glanford Park and find out more.
Onto the next!
