FOOTBALL CLUB CELEBRATES STRONG YEAR
Aycliffe Today Monthly | 29
Newton Aycliffe FC
chairman Gary Farley
(left) with general
manager Dan Lewis
Paul McGeary – NAFC historian
IN A NUTSHELL…
Did you know Newton Aycliffe
has its own official football team?
Newton Aycliffe, with traditional
colours of all royal blue, compete
in the Ebac Northern League first
division – a semi-professional league
which is just four steps away from the
Football League.
The town has always had its own
team. Well, since 1965 anyway.
For years the club played in the old
Wearside League, but it never reached
the Northern League and, until
recently, had dropped down to the
Darlington & District Saturday League.
But under the stewardship of
chairman Gary Farley, manager
Allan Oliver and former coach Brian
Atkinson, Aycliffe suddenly came from
nowhere.
Promotion back to the Wearside
League was achieved in 2009 and
their very first Northern League
campaign followed. They spent just
one season in the second division
before they romped to the title in 2010,
winning promotion to the first division.
It was a phenomenal rollercoaster
journey for the club which brought
huge crowds to their newly-developed
ground, which has had something
WHERE ARE WE?
close to £400,000 spent on it in the
last four years.
Aycliffe are now half way through
their third season in the first division,
representing
another
impressive
milestone after escaping relegation
last season – this time last year they
were rooted to the foot of the table but
turned the season on its head in 2013.
A strong first half to the current
season sees them in the top half of
the table, and general manager Dan
Lewis said: “The management has
done a fantastic job in recent years, to
maintain our first division status while
competing against bigger clubs with
more resources.
“Now we want to build on that during
the rest of the season and it’d be great
to see more people at our home
games.”
There are several ways to follow
Aycliffe’s
only
football
team.
Their official website is www.
newtonaycliffefc.co.uk, or you can
find them on Facebook and Twitter
(@NAycliffeFC). Or you can follow
them on Aycliffe Today…
NAFC FIXTURES
Sat Dec 21:
Ashington (H) 3pm
Sat Dec 28:
Sunderland RCA (A) 3pm
Sat Jan 11:
Dunston UTS (A) 3pm
Sat Jan 18:
Crook Town (H) 3pm
Sat Feb 1:
Durham City (H) 3pm
Admission to games at Aycliffe
is £6 adults, £4 concessions and
Under-12s go FREE.
Newton Aycliffe FC historian
PAUL MCGEARY gives a brief
lowdown on the club…
Just six years ago, Newton
Aycliffe FC was playing in front of
one man and his dog in the local
‘Dog & Duck’ football league.
Now it sits proudly in the top tier
of the Ebac Northern League, just
four promotions from the Football
League, and eight from joining
Newcastle United and Sunderland
in the Premier League.
In between, the Newtonians
have won three cup competitions,
three league titles, moved into
their picturesque Moore Lane
Park home, broke several records,
competed in – and played
host to – the FA Cup, played in
front of 1,000 spectators and
hosted professional opposition
in the form of Darlington and
Sunderland.
Manager Allan Oliver and his
Assistant Gary Farley remain in
their jobs, the committee which
launched the club is still largely
intact and the army of priceless
volunteers is growing season-onseason.
Many of the players who were
in the squad six years ago remain
today, having racked up hundreds
of appearances, while former
professionals like Paul Robinson
(Newcastle) and Mark Tinkler
(Leeds) have also worn the royal
blue of the club.
If you haven’t been to see
Newton Aycliffe FC in these six
years, then what are you waiting
for?
W
www.newtonaycliffefc.co.uk
@NAycliffeFC