With pre-season out of the way Spartans open their Evo-Stik Northern Premier League campaign with a trip to Witton Albion. As Spartans start their attempt to bounce back to the Blue Square North at the first attempt this is the first game the club has played at Northern Premier League level since April 2006 when they beat Wakefield-Emley 3-0 in front of a crowd of 1, 250 at Croft Park….
Spartans Sign Jake Turnbull
The Spartans can confirm that they have signed midfielder Jake Turnbull. The 19-year-old is a product of the Cramlington Juniors set up and played for Bedlington Terriers last season under Assistant Manager Paddy Atkinson. He has trained with the first team over the summer and featured in several of the friendlies, he will be in the squad as the Spartans start their campaign away to Witton Albion this Saturday. Welcome…
Birdsall Released
The club can confirm that goalkeeper Robert Birdsall has been released by the club. The popular 21-year-old irishman joined from Tralee Dynamos last season and went onto play 12 games for the Spartans towards the end of the season as he battled for the number one shirt with David Knight. Manager Tommy Cassidy commented “Rob’s done well for us, but we have Matty Hunter and Conor Grant on the books…
Duo Released
The club can announce that Abu Saim and Chris Fairless have left the club. The duo have been trialling with the Spartans over the summer, but are not part of manager Tommy Cassidy’s plans as the new season kicks off on Saturday. The club would like to wish the duo all the best in the future.
Spartans In Triple Swoop
Spartans can announce a trio of signings as they prepare for the new season in the shape of Ashley Davis, Scott Blandford and Paul King Davis (pictured below left) is a former Whitby Town frontman who played at the Turnbull under Tommy Cassidy and joins after impressing in the friendlies scoring in the Team North and Newcastle United games. Blandford (pictured below centre), who trialled with the Spartans under Paul…
Spartans Sign Phil Airey
Blyth Spartans can announce the signing of former Newcastle United striker Phil Airey. The 19-year-old Amble born front man, who can also play at right back, was released by the magpies over the summer and joins the Spartans on the eve of the new season. He scored twice for Newcastle (see below) as they cruised past the Spartans in the Northumberland Senior Cup Final in May 2011, he was also…
Tony Kennedy inducted into the Hall of Fame
The club is delighted to announce that recently retired kit manager Tony Kennedy has been inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame. Having been involved in over 1000 games, having been present at some of the club’s most memorable days and having worked under numerous managers and players, Tony has always been a popular member of the club’s backroom staff. Always ready with a joke (admitedly not a funny one…)…
Sponsored Shirts (Photo Gallery)
At the recent Sponsors Night the club were able to hand out their sponsored kits for the season just finished Alan Fitzgerald with Tony Platten Trish Fitzgerald and Robert Dale Malcolm Duncan with Tony Platten The club would also like to thank it other shirt sponsors for the season – Malaya Cage, Steve Howe, Stewart & Alexander Parker and Amihan Cage
Witton places up for grabs says Cassidy
Reflecting on his side’s 2-3 defeat at the hands of a youthful Newcastle United XI, Spartans manager Tommy Cassidy insisted there was still a chance for players to secure a starting lineup place in the season opener at Witton Albion next Saturday. The former Northern Ireland international said “I’m still undecided on my starting eleven for Witton next week and we have training on Tuesday and Thursday this week so…
Newcastle United XI 3-2 Blyth Spartans
Spartans brought the curtain down on their pre-season campaign today with a hastily arranged friendly against a Newcastle United XI made up of academy players at the Premier League club’s Darsley Park Academy. In a game scheduled to last sixty minutes Spartans finished the initial period 2-1 to the good with goals from Ash Davis and a second pre-season goal for Jordon Mellish. The hosts requested another fifteen minutes to…